2003 MERCEDES BENZ M CLASS — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

AFTER CHANGING THE SERPENTINE BELT, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY WAS WOBBLING AND THE BELT VIBRATING, I BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE, DOSE MINE STILL APPLIED TO THIS PROBLEM? IT IS ALREADY OUT OF WARRANTY BUT THIS KIND OF REPAIR IS EXPENSIVE, PLEASE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING IN MODERATE TRAFFIC ENGINE STOPPED. DRIVER (NOT ME) WAS VERY SCARED AND SAID AN ACCIDENT ALMOST OCCURRED AS SHE MANEUVERED TO BREAKDOWN LANE WITHOUT POWER AND NO POWER STEERING. SECOND OCCURRENCE OF SUDDEN ENGINE STOPPAGE WHILE DRIVING WITH LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND POWER STEERING IN THIS VEHICLE. FUEL PUMP HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ ML55. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH HE ENGAGED THE SEAT HEATER. THE FRONT AND REAR SEATS BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE HEATER OFF. HE PULLED OVER AND NOTICED SMOKE AND SPARKS. HE POURED WATER OVER THE SEATS AND THE SPARKS STOPPED. THE SEAT HEATER DID NOT GO OFF UNTIL THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COILS MALFUNCTIONED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 28,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REPLACED SEAT AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BUT WILL NOT PROVIDE CONSUMER WITH ANY DOCUMENTATION OR INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE DEFECT AND REPAIR. UPDATED 09/18/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ ML55. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH HE ENGAGED THE SEAT HEATER. THE FRONT AND REAR SEATS BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE HEATER OFF. HE PULLED OVER AND NOTICED SMOKE AND SPARKS. HE POURED WATER OVER THE SEATS AND THE SPARKS STOPPED. THE SEAT HEATER DID NOT GO OFF UNTIL THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COILS MALFUNCTIONED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 28,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REPLACED SEAT AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BUT WILL NOT PROVIDE CONSUMER WITH ANY DOCUMENTATION OR INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE DEFECT AND REPAIR. UPDATED 09/18/07 *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH GOING AROUND A CURVE THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT AND THEN LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND DETERMINED THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL #03V121000 FOR THE STEERING HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST HOSE, PIPING AND CONNECTIONS. THE HOSE CLAMP ON THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 5/2/2006 - THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RECALLED AND REPLACED IN 2003 FOR THE HOSE CLAMPS. *NM CONTACT WAS TOLD BY MERCEDES THAT THIS FAILURE DID NOT INVOLVE THE CLAMP BUT THE HOSE WORE OUT. ALSO, WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING FAILURE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MECHANIC WHO HAD SERVICED THE VEHICLE 2 DAYS PRIOR. IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED, AND THAT THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CURRENT CLAMP/ HOSE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN THE CONTACT PICKUP THE VEHICLE FROM DEALER NOTICED A CHARGE FOR REPLACING THE STEERING HOSE CLAMP AND LOWER HOSE. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD IT WAS ONLY A BILLING CODE FOR THE WORK DONE BY THE MECHANIC. THE NEW CLAMP WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE. SIMPSON MERCEDES REIMBURSED THE CONTACT WITH $1,950.00 BECAUSE IT WAS FELT THIS SHOULD NOT HAV EHAPPENED. CONTACT UNEASY ABOUT THE STEERING IN THE VEHICLE. *AK