Mercedes Benz 320e 1997
Model 320e made in 1997 by Mercedes Benz got 25 consumer complains as well as 1 investigation. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to air bags and electrical system. The car had one investigation (suspension).
Model 1997
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | ||||||
| PE07021 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. | 04/19/2007 | 08/09/2007 | FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING EJECTION | ||
| Odi has focused this investigation on assessing the risks posed by a separated spring as (1) a road hazard and (2) the potential for vehicle control to be compromised after the front coil spring has been ejected from its intended position in the vehicle.both risks are associated with corrosion, flexing, and fracture of the upper front suspension mounting bracket.time-in-service failure rates are notably higher in salt belt states since corrosion is a primary contributor to the failure mode.since a number of incidents have occurred while the vehicle was being operated, odi is skeptical that owners can always detect the subtle side to side difference in ride height and/or inspect or notice that the upper suspension bracket has been compromised by corrosion.(1) road hazard - although the (approx. 7 lb.) front suspension spring that may be ejected at highway speeds could pose a serious road hazard to pedestrians and other vehicles, the occurrence rate has been low (.03% based on 51 reported incidents occurring and an initial population of 172,781 vehicles after 9 - 12 years of use / exposure) and there are no known injuries, fatalities, or property damage reports due to an ejected spring.also, many of the 51 incidents occurred at low speed or while the vehicle was stopped or parked.(2) vehicle control - vehicle handling and control could be affected by the fracture of the upper suspension mount and/or the associated spring ejection.odi first identified its concern about corrosion in the upper suspension bracket of subject vehicles in 2002, at which time mercedes provided a video that showed that a vehicle could be steered, stopped, and controlled through various maneuvers at high speeds with a front coil spring completely missing from the vehicle. during pe07-021, in addition to reviewing the 2002 video-tape, odi engineers drove an exemplar vehicle with the spring removed and simulated various combinations of steering angles to assess whether there were any possible conditions / displacements in which the separated spring might interfere with the wheels. in a vehicle with the front spring removed, the top of the wheel can lightly contact the bottom area of the wheel fender during high angle turns typically associated with slower speed maneuvers such as city driving. the light tire contact generated an obvious grinding noise and would likely abrade or bend the edge of the fender with continued use.however, the extent of the interference was not sufficient to affect vehicle steering and does not occur at smaller turning angles associated with highway driving.odi has not identified a safety related defect trend at this time.further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety related defect does not exist.the agency reserves the right to take further action if future circumstances warrant. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS - SIDE/WINDOW | |||
| 02/19/2010 | 105000 | 1 | |
| When turning on the car, notice srs (seat belt restraint system) light on, upon moving forward in slow speed, a loud pop followed by the tightening of the seat beat and then burning smell of smoke filled the cabin. this i assume is how the system should work during an accident but this happened while i was driving and if i had been driving on the freeway or public highways, i could have easily crashed due to the incident. *tr | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 02/03/2004 | 53000 | 1 | 01/25/1997 |
| A spark was seen on the lower right front of vehicle before car engine started on fire while owner was in car. car burned completely. owner escaped.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 07/17/2001 | 1 | 07/01/2001 | |
| The mas is an emission related equipment and it failed at 57,535 miles. replacement was at owner's cost.*ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY - FILLER PIPE AND CAP | |||
| Fuel will spray out of the gas cap filler on no specified conditions. dealer replaced gas cap, but problem still exists.*ak | |||
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | |||
| 02/02/1998 | |||
| Exterior light comes on and off intermittently. dealership is aware of problem.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 04/02/2003 | 83000 | 05/05/1999 | |
| Transmission failed at 83k miles. the 2-3 and 3-4 gear slips. according to mercedes mechanics, the transmission needs to be rebuilt. they also said that this is a common problem with the 1997 e-class mercedes. the atf, which is supposed to be change at 100k, did not protect the transmission as advertised. one mechanic, specialized in repairing mercedes, had replaced over 10+ transmissions for the same model year. *nlm | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER | |||
| 11/06/2002 | 90200 | 1 | 11/21/1996 |
| Automatic transmission mallfunction, fibers and metal shavings found in trransmission pan, shift adaption data maxed at 180. dealer replaced automatic transmission, torque converter and shift selector switch, flushed cooler lines and replaced transmission fluid. provided 24,000 mile/24 month warranty. total cost: $4,339.83. | |||
| SEAT BELTS | |||
| 01/09/2012 | 130000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1997 mercedes benz e320. the contact was driving 40 mph when the seat belt began to retract and lock accompanied by an abnormal noise. the air bag warning light also illuminated. the dealer was notified of the failure who advised the contact that there were no recalls for the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 130,000. kmj | |||
| 01/09/2012 | 130000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1997 mercedes benz e320. the contact stated while driving 40mph there was a noise coming from the seat belt causing it to retract in a lock position. the srs warning light then illuminated. the dealer was notified who stated there was no recall for this failure. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 130,000. mw | |||
| 02/19/2010 | 105000 | 1 | |
| When turning on the car, notice srs (seat belt restraint system) light on, upon moving forward in slow speed, a loud pop followed by the tightening of the seat beat and then burning smell of smoke filled the cabin. this i assume is how the system should work during an accident but this happened while i was driving and if i had been driving on the freeway or public highways, i could have easily crashed due to the incident. *tr | |||
| SEATS | |||
| 08/12/2001 | 07/01/2001 | ||
| The front seat is loose on tracks. first complain was at 7630 miles way back in 1997 but dealer said they could not duplicate the problem. now i am hearing smilar problems from many other 1997 mercedes-benz e class owners. | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS | |||
| 07/17/2004 | 1 | 06/19/2004 | |
| While i was driving one of the chassis is broken and the spring dislocated and lost. then the shocks damaged and the fender began to hit on the floor. *la | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 07/17/2004 | 1 | 06/19/2004 | |
| While i was driving one of the chassis is broken and the spring dislocated and lost. then the shocks damaged and the fender began to hit on the floor. *la | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | |||
| 01/14/2010 | 120000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mercedes-benz 320e. the contact was driving approximately 40 mph on normal road conditions and there was a loud clanking noise outside of the vehicle. the driver pulled over to the side of the road to inspect the vehicle; however, the driver was able to resume operation. the vehicle began pulling in one direction. the following day the front driver side was slightly in a collapsed position. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the failure was contributed to the coil spring. the technician recommended that the vehicle be taken to an authorized dealer for repair. the vehicle has not been repaired for the malfunction at this time. the failure mileage was 120,000. | |||
| 05/27/2007 | 103000 | 1 | 04/30/1997 |
| My husband & i were outside and heard a loud crash. my mercedes fell to the ground on the front drivers side. it took 2 jacks to lift it up. with the tire off he found the spring perch completely rusted off, the spring and holder on the ground. our first thought was that i could have been on the road with my son when it happened. we did a quick internet search and found this to be more common that we could imagine. the defect even prompted a recall in canada. i am the original owner of this car with 103k+ miles. originally it was purchased in nc but i have lived in mn for several years now & drive an suv in the winter. i called mercedes roadside assistance when i found the customer service closed. they said they could tow it tuesday & have it assessed but since it was out of warranty it would be up to the dealer to determine what to do and how much to charge. the defect should have been recalled in the us. mercedes is aware of the issues & dealers are putting people's lives at risk. i bought this car b/c the 1997 consumer reports rated it the best car money could buy and safety was the only reason i was willing to pay so much. i was almost killed in an accident and wanted the best for my unborn child. the best could have killed us today. i would like others to be aware of this issue & i would like it documented somewhere other than a mercedes dealership where it will be swept under the rug, as i was today when the lady put me on hold & never came back. *tr | |||
| 12/30/2006 | 154000 | 1 | 03/08/1998 |
| Tl* - the contact stated that he has a 1997 mercedes benz e320. on 12/30/06 while driving between 40 and 45 mph, there was a loud bang and the contact lost control of the vehicle. the contact stated that the tire coil spring fell off of the vehicle and left the vehicle with no front end suspension and no ability to steer. the contact stated that the incident occurred at night, he was driving on a wide road, and no accident ensued. the contact stated that the vehicle finally stopped, but that the contact never regained control of the vehicle. the spring perch needs to be rebuilt. the contact stated that the front drivers side tire has no spring pushing it down anymore. neither the weather nor the road conditions were a factor in the failure. the failure mileage was 154000. *jb | |||
| 07/17/2004 | 1 | 06/19/2004 | |
| While i was driving one of the chassis is broken and the spring dislocated and lost. then the shocks damaged and the fender began to hit on the floor. *la | |||
| 1 | |||
| The front right coil spring mount rusted out, causing the coil spring to come off and the frnt end to drop to the ground. *tt *nlm | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer stated the right front coil spring mount collapsed due to rusting out, causing the vehicle to drop to the ground.*jb | |||
| 02/01/2001 | 1 | 01/01/1997 | |
| Consumer was traveling about 25 mph on a side street and spring coil that held vehicle together broke. dealership was aware of problem.*ak the right front spring tower broke away from the body. *yh | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY | |||
| 12/17/2005 | 150000 | 1 | 08/24/2000 |
| Driving at approximately 40 mph and the frame just dropped. the drive felt like i had all flat tires. if i was traveling at an increased speed, i would have crashed. later i was informed that the spring perch rusted from the inside-out. this is a common problem with 1997 e320 mercedes and no one will issue a recall until a family dies. the dealership transferred my car to the body repair shop and paid half of the cost. someone needs to make an executive decision and issue a recall.*jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 07/17/2004 | 1 | 06/19/2004 | |
| While i was driving one of the chassis is broken and the spring dislocated and lost. then the shocks damaged and the fender began to hit on the floor. *la | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS | |||
| 07/17/2004 | 1 | 06/19/2004 | |
| While i was driving one of the chassis is broken and the spring dislocated and lost. then the shocks damaged and the fender began to hit on the floor. *la | |||
Car dealers selling
| State | City | Zip | Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC | RALEIGH | 27604 | LEITH AUTO CENTER | 919-876-5432 |
| NY | FAYETTEVILLE | 13066 | ROMANO | 315 637 4500 |
| NY | NEW HYDE PARK | 11040 | PRIVATE | |
| NY | ROCHESTER | ROCHESTER MERCEDES | ||
| OH | DUBLIN | 43017 | CROWN MERCEDES | 614-799-4666 |
| TN | FRANKLIN | 37067 | MERCEDEZ BENZ OF NASHVILLE | 615-742-5250 |
| VA | HAMPTON | 23666 | TYSINGER MOTOR CO., INC. | 757 865-8000 |
| WI | BROOKFIELD | 53005 | BROOKFIELD MOTORCAR | 414-784-3210 |