Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - SUPPLY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||||
| RSB-2009100002 | 01/01/2010 | 10033607 | Mercedes benz: check for installation of spacer between brake and fuel line, install if necessary. the spacer between the brake line and fuel line may not have been installed. check for presence of a spacer, and if missing, install the s | 08/27/2010 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | ||||||
| PE10050 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. | 12/21/2010 | 05/04/2011 | Brake lamp switch failure. | 11V208000 | |
| Odi opened the investigation based on reports that the subject vehicle brake lamp switch (switch) failure caused 1) inoperative brake lamps (stay on or fail to illuminate), and/or 2) shift interlock failure (shifter locked in park), and/or 3) the cruise control to fail to cancel with brake application.consumers also reported the illumination of a warning lamp on the instrument panel.the switch contains three sets of electrical contacts and a (normally extended) spring loaded plunger that actuates the contacts as it moves.as installed in the vehicle, the plunger contacts the brake pedal arm and is pushed into the switch; as the driver applies the pedal the plunger extends.one set of contacts (bls) operates the stop lamps, a second set (ewm) controls the shift interlock system, and a third set (bs) is used by an on-board diagnostic (obd) system to monitor switch operation.the cruise control monitors the bls signal to determine when the brake is applied, the primary way the system is disabled when set.the relative timing of contact actuation in response to plunger movement allows the obd system to detect a switch fault.when a fault is detected a malfunction indication lamp (mil) is illuminated (driver alert), a diagnostic trouble code (dtc) is stored (for the service technician), and cruise control operation is inhibited (as a failsafe).in its response to odi's january 2011 information request letter, mb explained its assessment of switch failures which was based primarily on evaluation of field return failures.mb identified both 1) electrical contact and 2) mechanical switch failure mechanisms.according to mb's analysis, electrical contact failure is the predominate failure type and the failure consequence depends on which contact fails.for instance mb claims that bls contact failures are momentary in nature and do not affect brake light operation but are nonetheless detected by the obd system, resulting in a dtc and subsequent replacement.electrical contact failures of the bs and ewm contacts result in a dtc also, and ewm contact failures result in the shifter being stuck in the park (which can be overridden by the consumer).accordingly mb maintains that electrical contact failures of the switch have no safety consequence since the brake lamps remain operational and the cruise control is always disabled.mb determined that mechanical failures of the switch, which are rare in their assessment, can result from internal wear and/or increased switch operating temperatures.high temperatures occur due to overheating of the bls contacts and can cause the internal plastic components to melt.in one scenario overheated bls contacts may melt to the extended plunger and are damaged when the brake pedal is released resulting in the brake lights staying on.in another scenario the increased temperatures and/or internal wear can cause the plunger to stick in the fully depressed position.in this case the cruise may not cancel when the brake is applied and the driver may have to use high brake pedal forces or other means (shifting to neutral or using the cruise master switch) to disengage the cruise.additionally the vacuum assist can be depleted if the driver pumps the brakes resulting in reduced braking effectiveness and even higher pedal forces.in its march 31, 2011 defect notification, mb stated that to remediate the potential need for excessive brake force it would conduct a safety recall (11v-208) to replace the switch with a more robustly designed component.the recall includes 136,751 model year 2000 - 2002 m-class and model year 2000 - 2004 m-class amg vehicles.owner notification letters will be mailed to consumers in september 2011.this action taken by mb is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation. | ||||||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - SWITCHES - BRAKE LIGHT | ||||||
| PE10050 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. | 12/21/2010 | 05/04/2011 | Brake lamp switch failure. | 11V208000 | |
| Odi opened the investigation based on reports that the subject vehicle brake lamp switch (switch) failure caused 1) inoperative brake lamps (stay on or fail to illuminate), and/or 2) shift interlock failure (shifter locked in park), and/or 3) the cruise control to fail to cancel with brake application.consumers also reported the illumination of a warning lamp on the instrument panel.the switch contains three sets of electrical contacts and a (normally extended) spring loaded plunger that actuates the contacts as it moves.as installed in the vehicle, the plunger contacts the brake pedal arm and is pushed into the switch; as the driver applies the pedal the plunger extends.one set of contacts (bls) operates the stop lamps, a second set (ewm) controls the shift interlock system, and a third set (bs) is used by an on-board diagnostic (obd) system to monitor switch operation.the cruise control monitors the bls signal to determine when the brake is applied, the primary way the system is disabled when set.the relative timing of contact actuation in response to plunger movement allows the obd system to detect a switch fault.when a fault is detected a malfunction indication lamp (mil) is illuminated (driver alert), a diagnostic trouble code (dtc) is stored (for the service technician), and cruise control operation is inhibited (as a failsafe).in its response to odi's january 2011 information request letter, mb explained its assessment of switch failures which was based primarily on evaluation of field return failures.mb identified both 1) electrical contact and 2) mechanical switch failure mechanisms.according to mb's analysis, electrical contact failure is the predominate failure type and the failure consequence depends on which contact fails.for instance mb claims that bls contact failures are momentary in nature and do not affect brake light operation but are nonetheless detected by the obd system, resulting in a dtc and subsequent replacement.electrical contact failures of the bs and ewm contacts result in a dtc also, and ewm contact failures result in the shifter being stuck in the park (which can be overridden by the consumer).accordingly mb maintains that electrical contact failures of the switch have no safety consequence since the brake lamps remain operational and the cruise control is always disabled.mb determined that mechanical failures of the switch, which are rare in their assessment, can result from internal wear and/or increased switch operating temperatures.high temperatures occur due to overheating of the bls contacts and can cause the internal plastic components to melt.in one scenario overheated bls contacts may melt to the extended plunger and are damaged when the brake pedal is released resulting in the brake lights staying on.in another scenario the increased temperatures and/or internal wear can cause the plunger to stick in the fully depressed position.in this case the cruise may not cancel when the brake is applied and the driver may have to use high brake pedal forces or other means (shifting to neutral or using the cruise master switch) to disengage the cruise.additionally the vacuum assist can be depleted if the driver pumps the brakes resulting in reduced braking effectiveness and even higher pedal forces.in its march 31, 2011 defect notification, mb stated that to remediate the potential need for excessive brake force it would conduct a safety recall (11v-208) to replace the switch with a more robustly designed component.the recall includes 136,751 model year 2000 - 2002 m-class and model year 2000 - 2004 m-class amg vehicles.owner notification letters will be mailed to consumers in september 2011.this action taken by mb is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation. | ||||||
| PE10050 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. | 12/21/2010 | Brake Lamp Switch Failure | |||
| Odi has received 15 vehicle owner questionnaire reports that allege that the brake lamp switch failed resulting in one or more of the following conditions: loss of illumination of the exterior brake lamps, an inability to shift the vehicle out of park gear position, and/or an inability to disengage the cruise control system once enabled and set.mercedes benz has previously issued technical service bulletin (tsb) 10016685, dated may 16, 2005, which discusses an improved and/or revised brake lamp switch service replacement part.odi is opening this pe to further evaluate this issue. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | |||
| 01/12/2011 | 180000 | 1 | |
| While driving on a highway at about 55-58 mph for no reason brakes engaged and locked wheels. smoke was coming out of the tires and esp light came on. my wife (she was driving) and two small kids as well as i were scared to death. we were lucky, nobody was right behind us and we avoided accident. after the esp light come on everything went to normal. we finished our trip with no more brake incidents. next day after restarting the car light was off but brakes locked in the moment rpm went over 1000. speed at that time was only 5-10 mph. after complete stop esp light came on again and i was able to continue my trip. none of the mercedes benz mechanics wanted to tell me what this was caused by. i continued to drive like that for the next year. every time i would drive without the esp light on the brakes will lock in and bring the car to complete stop. i also learn that if i start the car and wait five minutes light will come on and i can ride without brakes locking in. this worked for a while but then esp light stopped coming on before driving and i had to wait for the brakes to engage and cause the light to come on. at that time on april 2011 i had the car tested at the mercedes dealership and was told that has faulty yaw rate sensor and the part cost is about $550.00 not counting labor. i didn't have this replaced because the cost of it and because i believe this is a safety issue and mercedes benz should have a recall on this as soon as possible to avoid tragedy one day. someday somebody will die in the car accident caused by this faulty yaw rate sensor and nobody will even know what led to this crush. please have this checked quickly before somebody will get hurt and who knows maybe somebody already did die already and we don't know about it. there were a lot of identical incidents reported. it is dangerous behavior on mercedes benz part. regards, ml320 user *tr | |||
| 01/12/2011 | 180000 | ||
| While driving on a highway at about 55-58 mph for no reason brakes engaged and locked wheels. smoke was coming out of the tires and esp light came on. my wife (she was driving) and two small kids as well as i were scared to death. we were lucky, nobody was right behind us and we avoided accident. after the esp light come on everything went to normal. we finished our trip with no more brake incidents. next day after restarting the car light was off but brakes locked in the moment rpm went over 1000. speed at that time was only 5-10 mph. after complete stop esp light came on again and i was able to continue my trip. none of the mercedes benz mechanics wanted to tell me what this was caused by. i continued to drive like that for the next year. every time i would drive without the esp light on the brakes will lock in and bring the car to complete stop. i also learn that if i start the car and wait five minutes light will come on and i can ride without brakes locking in. this worked for a while but then esp light stopped coming on before driving and i had to wait for the brakes to engage and cause the light to come on. at that time on april 2011 i had the car tested at the mercedes dealership and was told that has faulty yaw rate sensor and the part cost is about $550.00 not counting labor. i didn't have this replaced because the cost of it and because i believe this is a safety issue and mercedes benz should have a recall on this as soon as possible to avoid tragedy one day. someday somebody will die in the car accident caused by this faulty yaw rate sensor and nobody will even know what led to this crush. please have this checked quickly before somebody will get hurt and who knows maybe somebody already did die already and we don't know about it. there were a lot of identical incidents reported. it is dangerous behavior on mercedes benz part. regards, ml320 user | |||
| 08/05/2012 | 109000 | 1 | |
| While driving around 50mph on the bqe road (ny), suddenly the bas/esp light came on, all the brakes engaged and car was coming to a stop. warning light on a dashboard was flashing and at first i thought the engine died. *tr not realizing what is happening, i tried to add power/gas to the car, but the engine didn't want to go past 1000 rpm. being in a fast lane and having hard time controlling the movement of the car, i | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||
| 07/07/2011 | 215000 | ||
| Tl. the contact owns a 2000 mercedes benz ml 320. the contact stated 55 mph the caution and esp light flashed and the brakes locked without warning. the contact then pulled the vehicle to the side of the road. the contact let the vehicle sit for a while and then restarted the vehicle. the contact has able to drive the vehicle to the dealer. the dealer replace a yaw rate sensor which causes the brakes to lock. the dealer stated the another sensor needs to be replaced but the dealer had not replaced that sensor. the vehicle is currently at the dealer. the contact stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the failure mileage was 215,000. jo | |||
| 12/22/2005 | 100000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2000 mercedes benz ml320. the contact was driving with the cruise control activated and when she tapped on the brakes to disengage the component, the vehicle accelerated abnormally as opposed to decelerating. the contact had to shift into neutral in order to stop the vehicle from accelerating any further. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the brake light switch was defective and needed to be replaced. the failure recurred five times and each time, the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the identical, diagnosis was provided. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance, stating that the vehicle was no longer under factory warranty. the failure mileage was 100,000 and current mileage was not available. | |||
| 12/22/2005 | 100000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2000 mercedes benz ml320. the contact stated that while driving using the cruise control and tap on the brakes to disengage it, the vehicle accelerated instead of slowing down. the contact stated that the only way to stop the vehicle's speed from going up was to take it out of gear and shift to neutral. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the brake light switch was defective and it needed to be replace. the failure occurred a total of five times and each time they provided the same diagnosis. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offered any assistance since the vehicle was out of warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000 and current mileage was not available. pm | |||
| 04/05/2008 | 80300 | ||
| 2000 mercedes benz ml320 while driving 45mph the brakes came on suddenly without depressing the brake pedal. the brakes locked and then released itself.the bas esp light came on. then the vehicle was able to drive fine. the dealer could not find the failure. this stated only a few sensor has gone bad once again. this failure occurred four to six times. | |||
| 04/04/2010 | 141772 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercedes benz ml320. while driving approximately 45 mph, the brakes suddenly engaged although the contact that had not depressed the brake pedal. the brakes locked and then released within two to three minutes. there were no warning lights prior to the failure but the esp light illuminated when the vehicle stopped. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer but the dealer could not find the cause of failure. the failure occurred three times. after the second failure, the dealer stated that the esp pump voltage relay stuck had a shortage in some of the wires. the relay was replaced; however, after the third failure, the dealer could not pinpoint the cause of the failure. the contact did not call the manufacturer and the vehicle had not been repaired when the complaint was filed. the failure mileage was 93,648. updated 05/18/10. *lj | |||
| 08/01/2008 | 123080 | 1 | 10/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercedes benz ml320. while driving approximately 30 mph with the accelerator pedal depressed, the abs engaged and the vehicle skidded approximately 5 feet. the abs then released on its own. the vehicle was driven to a mechanic and the failure was diagnosed as the esp yaw rate sensor. the sensor was replaced. the current mileage was 124,000 and failure mileage was 123,080. updated 09/10/08 *bf the power steering hose lwaked. updated 09/10/08. *jb | |||
| 24 | 08/07/2002 | ||
| Vehicle was always being serviced and the air bags failed to deploy in a severe accident. *ph the consumer was struck by another driver and caused damage on both sides of the vehicle. both sides of the doors were smashed and there was extensive damage in the passenger's cabin. other problems are as followed: the engine light was on, engine low level oil light had come on, when the right front and left rear windows were erratic when going down, the cigarette lighter was inoperative, the rear cargo accessory plug was inoperative, the trim on the left side of the left front seat cracked, there was a buldge on the right rear tire, lug bolts were missing on the right rear wheel and the rear pads needed to be replaced, there was a noise heard in the rear when going over bumps, the power supply plug in the rear cargo area was inoperative, the light behind the climate control panel was inoperative, the left front window was intermittent, the left front park light was inoperative, the left front door was not closing due to the latching, the rear electrical plug in the rear cargo area was inoperative, the material on the center console wrinkled, the sunroof would bind when opened, the rear tire had a knot on the sidewall, when the vehicle was filled with fuel the fuel gauge would go down, there was a noise in he right front wheel when driven at low speeds, there was a whining noise when turning the steering wheel and the steering was stiff. *sc | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 06/01/2000 | |||
| Consumer complained regarding brake system operating poorly. there was no pressure behind brake pedal. consumer has taken vehicle to dealership, and has replaced booster once ,and the master cylinder twice. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||
| 11/15/2006 | 47000 | 3 | 04/20/2001 |
| My 2000 ml with 47k miles suddenly locked on the brakes. the esp light had been showing on very rare occasions for 2 months. i had three instances of sudden lock-up of one or more tires before the dealer found that the yaw sensor had failed. all instances were at low cruise 30-40 mph with perfect conditions without the esp light showing. some how i avoided accidents but this is very dangerous. the esp took control of the brakes and applied braking to one or more wheels in an attempt to bring the truck under control. the car was in perfect control traveling in a straight line but the erroneous sensor information caused it to apply the brakes without warning. *jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | |||
| 07/26/2000 | |||
| While driving braking system malfunctioned, causing brakes to lock up, resulting in a crash. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC | |||
| 1 | 12/05/1999 | ||
| Consumer took vehicle in for service and was advised that brakes were needed, mechanic advised consumer that it is normal to replace brakes on this type of vehicle every ten to fifteen thousand miles. *jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 12/28/2007 | 137000 | 3 | 03/06/2000 |
| Loss of brake fluid resulting in brake failure caused by rupture of corroded metal hydraulic brake line as confirmed by local mercedes dealer (hollaway motor cars-manchester-nh). hollaway also confirmed same failure and cause on 2 other same model vehicles. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - MASTER CYLINDER | |||
| 06/01/2000 | |||
| Consumer complained regarding brake system operating poorly. there was no pressure behind brake pedal. consumer has taken vehicle to dealership, and has replaced booster once ,and the master cylinder twice. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM | |||
| 06/01/2000 | |||
| Consumer complained regarding brake system operating poorly. there was no pressure behind brake pedal. consumer has taken vehicle to dealership, and has replaced booster once ,and the master cylinder twice. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 12/28/2007 | 137000 | 3 | 03/06/2000 |
| Loss of brake fluid resulting in brake failure caused by rupture of corroded metal hydraulic brake line as confirmed by local mercedes dealer (hollaway motor cars-manchester-nh). hollaway also confirmed same failure and cause on 2 other same model vehicles. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - SWITCHES - BRAKE WARNING | |||
| 03/26/2007 | 73000 | 5 | 07/20/2005 |
| My 200 ml320 (with +75000 miles) has an intermittent bas/esp warning light come on for about 6 months now. the mechanic says its some yaw sensor that has failed and that it might pull to one side under braking. i have noticed that sometimes its is hard to brake at speeds above 60 mph, if i need to make a quick stop. *jb | |||
| 06/18/2004 | 40539 | 6 | 12/11/1999 |
| After warranty expired4 years ago within 2-6 months, and up to 40,539 miles the following repairs were necessary in a mercedes ml 320: brake stop lamp switch assembly, latching mechanism rt. front door, oxygen sensor, -power steering rack and two tie rodsfrom 2/17/04 to 6/18/04. *ak | |||