2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML430 Steering Problems

IN APPROXIMATELY AUGUST 2010, I HAD AN ESP LIGHT ON. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (3 HOURS AWAY) AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. I PICKED UP THE CAR AND DROVE APPROX 20 MINS WHEN I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT ALIGNED. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO BRING IT BACK IN BECAUSE THEY FORGOT TO ALIGN THE WHEELS. STARTED OFF ON MY DRIVE BACK HOME, STOPPED FOR GAS AND ON THE WAY OUT THE DRIVEWAY (10 MPH), I HEARD A GRINDING/SQUEAKING NOISE. GOT MY CAR HOME AND FOUND THAT IT WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID FROM A CLAMP. I KEPT PS FLUID IN THE CAR. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP IN APPROX. NOVEMBER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE A NEW PS PUMP AND RACK/PINIONS RESEALED, THE COST OF APPROX $1800.00, OF WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR, JUST...

MY 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML430 WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO I FIGURED OUT THAT THE CLAMP HAD COME OFF SO I RETIGHTENED IT AND FILLED IT UP AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS EMPTY. 2 MONTHS AGO IT HAPPENED AGAIN I NOTICED THE CLAMP DID NOT TIGHTEN SO I REPLACED THE CLAMP THEN I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE. AT THE SACRAMENTO MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIP THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER GAYTON DEROSA (930382) HAD HELPED US ON 2/17/09 INVOICE NUMBER IS MCCS281762 WE HAD INFORMED HIM THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS EMPTIED TWICE BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY CLAMP AND WE REFILLED THE TANK WITH MERCEDES POWER STEERING FLUID ALONG WITH A COMPATIBLE POWER STEERING STOP LEAK FLUID HOPING IT WOULD SOLVE THE LEAKAGE WE ALSO INFORMED HIM THAT THE FLUID WAS UP TO LEVEL WHEN WE LEFT OUR HOME. THEY DID THE REQUIRED SAFETY RECALL#2003-040005 AFTER THE SAFETY RECALL WAS PERFORMED...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML430. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY IN RAINY CONDITIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. SHE WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 25 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME FAILED COMPONENT FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE, THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSUME LIABILITY FOR THE DAMAGES REFERENCED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V465000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS). THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.