1999 MERCEDES BENZ ML430 Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

DECEMBER 11, 2013 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK MY BENZ QUIT ON ME IN THE ROAD WOULD NOT START BACK (MY HOME IS WITHIN 2 MILES OF MY WORK) THE DAY BEFORE IT HAD QUIT AS I WAS MAKING A TURN BUT RESTARTED A COUPLE OF DAYS PRIOR I HAD THE CAR WARMING AND IT SHUT OFF WHILE WARMING UP BUT RESTARTED. THERE WAS NO LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT DASH PANEL LIT OR STAYING LIT. AFTER SOME INTERNET INVESTIGATING I ASSUME IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AS IT HAD ALL THE SIGNS THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD I PURCHASED ONE FOR THE REPAIR SHOP TO INSTALL. THEY HAVE INSTALLED IT BUT BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CRANKSHAFT SO I AM NOT CURRENTLY DRIVING IT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT WITH IT QUITTING WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING. MY BENZ HAS LESS THAN 65K I DON'T HAVE...

THE VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER ON SIX SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

THE HARMONIC BALANCER ON THE CRANKSHAFT OF MY MERCEDES ML430 VIN# 4JGAB72E7XA09375 FAILED W/O WARNING CAUSING THE FAN BELT TO FAIL AND THE BALANCER STARTED CUTTING A HOLE IN THE OIL PAN. THIS FAILURE JUST BY "LUCK" DID NOT CAUSE A MOVING ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSS OF ELECTRICAL AND POWER STEERING, OR AN UNDER THE HOOD FIRE. THIS COST ME $500 TO GET FIXED WHEN A $70 PART COULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED IF I HAD ONLY BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS FREQUENT FAILURE ON MERCEDES MODELS LIKE MINE. THE DEALER WAS LITTLE HELP IN SOLVING THIS PROBLEM.*AK

I WAS DRIVING MY ML430 ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY POWER STEERING GAVE OUT AND MY CAR STARTED TO OVERHEAT. I MANAGED TO "STRONG ARM" THE CAR, (HOPPED A CURB MID-TURN) AND PULL OVER INTO A LOCAL GROCERY STORE. WHAT MY DEALER HAD DIAGNOSED WAS THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY ASSEMBLY CAME APART. I'M AFRAID THAT IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AT THE TIME THE CIRCUMSTANCES MAY HAVE BEEN MORE SEVERE. SINCE THE PULLEY CAME APART AT SUCH FORCE IT ALSO MANAGED TO RIP A HOLE INTO MY OIL PAN. ALL IN ALL I'M LOOKING AT A $3000 REPAIR TO A POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND OFFERED TO PRESENT THE ISSUE TO MB AND REQUEST HELP FOR THE REPAIR. "COMMON PROBLEM!" .. I THOUGHT TO...