Mercedes Benz E320 1998
Model E320 made in 1998 by Mercedes Benz got 15 consumer complains there are 2 investigations as well as 13 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to structure, suspension and visibility. Technical service bulletines regarding air bags, electrical system and exterior lighting. The car had some investigations: engine and engine cooling, suspension.
Model 1998
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||||
| PB-91-60-66B | 01/09/2009 | 10028649 | Mercedes: srs indicator lamp on. the srs light is illuminated and diagnostic fault code(s) b9223 and/or b9243 are stored in the srs ecu. the resistance of the ignition squib circuit for the sidebag may be too high. model 211. all model | 05/12/2009 | |
| AIR BAGS - SIDE/WINDOW | |||||
| PB-91-60-66B | 01/09/2009 | 10028649 | Mercedes: srs indicator lamp on. the srs light is illuminated and diagnostic fault code(s) b9223 and/or b9243 are stored in the srs ecu. the resistance of the ignition squib circuit for the sidebag may be too high. model 211. all model | 05/12/2009 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||||
| SB-32-22-78 | 05/06/2009 | SB-32-22-78A | 10028686 | Mercedes: air matic visit workshop displayed within instrument cluster. models 164, 211, 219, 221 and 251. included 4matic, amg (compressor) amg, bluetec and wagon. model years unknown. *pe updated 9/18/09. | 05/14/2009 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||||
| SB-32-22-78 | 05/06/2009 | SB-32-22-78A | 10028686 | Mercedes: air matic visit workshop displayed within instrument cluster. models 164, 211, 219, 221 and 251. included 4matic, amg (compressor) amg, bluetec and wagon. model years unknown. *pe updated 9/18/09. | 05/14/2009 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - FOG LIGHTS | |||||
| 8210196 | 06/04/2008 | 8210196B | 10015377 | Revised repair procedure and additional applicable models. model 170, 202, 208 and 210 models. front fog lamp(s) inoperative. mercedes-benz. *tt model years: 1994-2004. updated 09/09/08. *pe | 07/15/2005 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM - FUEL RAIL | |||||
| SB-07-16-80D | 04/02/2009 | 10029105 | Mercedes benz: fuel loss at pressure regulator valve and/or poor engine running characteristics (shakes, knocks, surges, changes to lip home mode, poor output, poor fuel economy, combustion noise, vehicle stalls). may be caused by malfuncti | 06/15/2009 | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | |||||
| SB-07-16-80D | 04/02/2009 | 10029105 | Mercedes benz: fuel loss at pressure regulator valve and/or poor engine running characteristics (shakes, knocks, surges, changes to lip home mode, poor output, poor fuel economy, combustion noise, vehicle stalls). may be caused by malfuncti | 06/15/2009 | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY - PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES | |||||
| SB-07-16-80D | 04/02/2009 | 10029105 | Mercedes benz: fuel loss at pressure regulator valve and/or poor engine running characteristics (shakes, knocks, surges, changes to lip home mode, poor output, poor fuel economy, combustion noise, vehicle stalls). may be caused by malfuncti | 06/15/2009 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||||
| LI46-40-P-047549 | 08/13/2009 | 10032709 | Mercedes: cracking/creaking noises from front axle when vehicle is subject to torsion or when steering wheel is turned. this is mainly heard when the vehicle is stationary or when the vehicle is moving slowly. relative movement between th | 04/30/2010 | |
| SEAT BELTS | |||||
| 40-P-052794 | 04/20/2012 | 10044222 | Mercedes benz: front or rear seat belt does not roll up correctly. dirt deposits on the seat belt guide due to soiled seat belt. also included models 169, f cell, 246, and 231. no model years given. *js | 05/23/2012 | |
| STEERING | |||||
| 20-P-053398 | 03/12/2012 | 10044181 | Xentry: rattling/thumping noises from the area of the steering on rough roads or when driving over road undulations. no model years given. also included models 168 and 172. *js | 05/17/2012 | |
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||||
| 462046 | 12/04/2008 | SB-46-20-46A | 10020460 | Play in the rack and pinion steering system. models 203, 209, 210, 211, 215, 220, 230. mercedes benz. *kb updated 5/13/09. *pe | 10/23/2006 |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM | |||||
| 22-P-052325 | 08/11/2011 | 10044180 | Xentry: 'airmatic- service required' or 'elc- service required' in display- 'fc5151- b22/3 (rear axle sensor): signal implausible' stored. *js | 05/17/2012 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | ||||||
| PE03058 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. | 12/17/2003 | 04/22/2004 | ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILURE | ||
| The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this preliminary evaluation to investigate allegations of engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure that could result in loss of power-steering assist.odi has received a total of 546 non-duplicative reports that allege engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure on all mercedes-benz vehicles using the subject component.the subject component failures are progressive in nature and only a small percentage of the complaints and warrant claims involved a failure that had progressed far enough to effect power steering performance (6 of 55 odi complaints reference increased steering effort).there have been no crashes or injuries related to the alleged defect.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and 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 by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see summary report attached for further detail. | ||||||
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||
| 11/25/2011 | 200047 | ||
| Some rust damage has been observed on the body of the car for quite some time, but no mercedes mechanics suggested it was structural or dangerous. recently, a loud creaking noise from the front right tire began to occur when driving, especially when subjected to bumps, even at very low speeds. by removing the tire, we discovered that the creaking was from the poorly designed suspension cap, which had rusted and broken partially off, bending the spring against the axle. this damage is extremely dangerous, as no mercedes mechanics identified the rust at this point, and if the cap snapped off, the entire wheel carriage would break. if the car had been operating at high speeds, this kind of failure, which could occur instantly when subjected to a normal shock impact, could cause a serious or fatal accident. the cap is definitely a very dangerous design flaw, especially as the mercedes structure rusts (which they claim no accountability for), and many of these cars could easily be on the road today. thus, we believe that significant danger to the consumer public is completely ignored by mercedes-benz, which we feel is an appalling lack of concern and complete oversight on the part of the company. | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS | |||
| 10/02/2008 | 64000 | 1 | |
| I noticed while at a stoplight with my foot on the brake, that my steering column was vibrating, as well as the gear shift and the instrument panel. it was also very noisy. the dealership said that the motor and transmission mounts had collapsed! *tr | |||
| 11/08/2008 | 151000 | 1 | |
| I was driving my 1998 e-320 down a main road at about 45 mph when my front spring came off the frame and fell off my car, causing the hole front end to drop and the car to lose control. i went off the road into a ditch, my front end bounced off the ground, my neck and back are hurt, and my exhaust sounds messed up now too. i checked the mercedes benz forum and this is a common problem on the w210 chassis, i am going to contact the dealer, on monday when they re-open, and at the very least i would expect them to fix it because it should have been a recall type deal, and it is very dangerous. that's all i want to report please e-mail me and let me know if you need any further info, thanks -brian ronca *tr | |||
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 11/25/2011 | 200047 | ||
| Some rust damage has been observed on the body of the car for quite some time, but no mercedes mechanics suggested it was structural or dangerous. recently, a loud creaking noise from the front right tire began to occur when driving, especially when subjected to bumps, even at very low speeds. by removing the tire, we discovered that the creaking was from the poorly designed suspension cap, which had rusted and broken partially off, bending the spring against the axle. this damage is extremely dangerous, as no mercedes mechanics identified the rust at this point, and if the cap snapped off, the entire wheel carriage would break. if the car had been operating at high speeds, this kind of failure, which could occur instantly when subjected to a normal shock impact, could cause a serious or fatal accident. the cap is definitely a very dangerous design flaw, especially as the mercedes structure rusts (which they claim no accountability for), and many of these cars could easily be on the road today. thus, we believe that significant danger to the consumer public is completely ignored by mercedes-benz, which we feel is an appalling lack of concern and complete oversight on the part of the company. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 10/14/2009 | 121502 | 1 | |
| During the course of ownership of an 1998 mercedes benz e320 the front top spring support a.k.a rusts out and can easily disintegrate causing complete fallout of the front wheel assembly and if happening in the highway it can easily kill you. luckily for me it happened in a 30 mph road where the spring perch broke off and the whole front wheel got out of place locking itself up. *tr | |||
| 01/13/2008 | 710000 | 1 | |
| The coil spring and two round plastic parts just fell off on our 1998 e320 mercedes benz front driver side. the vehicle has 71,000 miles and never been in any accident. *tr | |||
| VISIBILITY | |||
| 01/06/2009 | 1 | ||
| A/c, heater blower, windows regulator failed as expected. seems to be a common defect that has been ignored by manufacturer even when lots of people have complaint about it and nothing has been done to remedy this situation through a recall or at least admit there's a problem. then you are forced to purchase the regulator, motor, and mounting bracket at an exorbitant price ! i.e ignore the problem and it will go away. i purchased a mercedez and ended up with a chrysler !!!!! *tr | |||