1999 Mercedes Benz E320 complaints

1999 MERCEDES-BENZ E320T, 60K MILES - CRANKSHAFT HARMONIC BALANCER (DAMPER PULLEY) FAILED. ADVISED BY MECHANIC TO REPLACE IMMEDIATELY, SO AS TO AVOID LOSS OF MULTI RIBBED-V-BELT AND CONCURRENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP FUNCTION.*AK

HARMONIC BALANCER (CRANKSHAFT PULLEY) IS SEPARATING, CREATING NOISE AND POTENTIALLY LOST OF POWER ASSIST FOR STEERING. *JB

KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION BEING IN PARK. *AK

THE RIGHT REAR DOOR ON MY MERCEDES BENZ 1999 E320 DID NOT LATCH COMPLETELY AND OPENED WHILE DRIVING WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT NEXT TO IT. THE DOOR APPEARED CLOSED WHEN WE STARTED BECUASE I ALWAYS CHECK THAT THE KIDS HAVE SHUT THE DOOR COMPLETELY BECUASE THEY ARE HARD TO CLOSE. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND JIGGLED THE HANDLE UNTIL THE LATCH WOULD WORK AGAIN. A FEW DAYS LATER THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE DEALER FIXED THE VEHICLE AND INDICATED THAT THE LATCH WAS JAMMED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SERVICE SINCE JUL 25, 1999 AND HAS 71,785 MILES ON IT BUT I DON'T THINK THE DOORS SHOULD OPEN WHILE DRIVING. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHER DOORS NOT BEING INSPECTED. I WOULD COST ME 1.5 HOURS OF LABOR FOR EACH DOOR PANEL TO BE REMOVED AT $98/HR. I SENT AN EMAIL TO MBNA INQUIRING ABOUT SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALLS BUT HAVE NOT RECIEVED A RESPONSE. THIS TYPE OF POOR DESIGN OR QUALITY CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF AN INJURY OR FATALITY IF SOMEONE FELL OUT. *AK

ABS/BAS/ESP LIGHT CAME ON REPEATEDLY. MY MECHANIC DETERMINED IT WAS A "RATE OF TURN" GYROSCOPIC SENSOR THAT CAN ADJUST THE THROTTLE OR MAKE OTHER ELECTRONIC ADJUSTMENTS DEPENDING ON THE SENSOR'S DATA. THE MECHANIC CONTACTED MERCEDES, WHO TOLD HIM THAT THIS $950 PART HAS BEEN "SELLING LIKE HOT CAKES" AND THAT PROBLEMS WITH THE SENSOR IN THIS VEHICLE ARE "VERY COMMON." THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A VERY EXPENSIVE PART THAT I'M SURE MERCEDES DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE TO ISSUE A RECALL ON. MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO.*AK

HARMONIC BALANCER IN 1999E320 MERCEDES BENZ WENT OUT WITH ONLY 33,770 MILES. UNDERSTAND THERE HAS BEEN QUITE Q PROBLEM WITH THIS PART. IT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO CAR TO MY KNOWLEDGE MB HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS, YET THERE ARE NUMEROUS CASES.

THE RUBBER INSERT IN THE PULLEY CRANKSHAFT EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. *JB *SCC *NLM

CRANKSHAFT BALANCER FAILURE- MERCEDES E320 1999 (FROM INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES OF SEVERAL MERCEDES CUSTOMERS WITH 320 V6 ENGINE ON W210 PLATFORM AND OTHERS).*AK AROUND 72000 MILES, MY VEHICLE CRANK SHAFT BALANCER PULLEY STARTED SPERATING A THICK BLACK RUBBER RING, WHICH IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE CRANKSFAT AND THE SERPENTINE BELT PULLEY ON THE OUTSIDE, BELT BURNING SMELL AND CLICKING NOISE WHICH QUICKLY TURNED INTO A KNOCKING NOISE RECOGNIZED AS I WAS DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEED, LUCKILY. I PARKED THE VEHICLE AND CHECKD THE ENGINE BAY, TO FIND A FALLEN OFF PIECE OF CRANK SHAFT BALANCER PULLEY (IT MADE A THUD WHEN IT CAME OFF WHILE DIRVING). IT COULD HAVE EASILYCAUSED FLYING OBJECT DAMAGE IF I WERE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND GOT IT FIXED, WORTH 421 DOLLARS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY IS A COMMON FAILURE FOR THIS MODEL ENGINE AND I WAS LUCKY THAT IT DID NOT 'TOTALLY' GOUCE THE TIMING CHAIN COVER AND OIL PAN. I HAVE HEARD FIRST HAND INCIDENCES OF OTHERS WITH SIMILAR MODEL VEHICLES IN THE RANGE OF 1997 THROUGH 2001 HAVING TIMING CHAIN COVER GOUGED OFF COMPLETELY AND VEHICLE BECOMING INOPERABLE WITHIN MINUTES AND CAUSING MECHANICAL DAMAGE TO THE EXTENT OF 20 TO 25 HOURS REPAIR NEEDED, AND OVER 25000 DOLLARS NEEDED ON AVERAGE.

DUNLOP SPORT A2 TIRES ------ HAD FLAT TIRE ------ DEALER NOTED EXCESSIVE TREADWEAR ON TIRE----- RECOOMMENDED REPLACEMENT-----COMPANY REFUSED----SAID I HAD TO WAIT TILL TREAD IS 3/32 ----TIRES HAVE 12 000 MILES----WITH 50 000 MILE WEAR OUT WARRANTY. *AK CURRENTLY 6/32 OF TREAD LEFT

THE ENGINE MAIN DRIVE PULLEY BROKE OFF RENDERING VEHICLE INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE HAPPENED ON OPEN ROAD AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK *JB

WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES THEY LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM THE TRACTION CONTROLSYSTEM APPLIES TO THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS.*TS

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING OIL STARTED TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE. *NLM THE DEALER DIDN'T USE THE RECOMMENDED SYNTHETIC OIL AS STATED BY THE MANUFACTURER. SCC

THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE DRIVER MANAGED TO GET CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *NLM THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONSUMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE GARAGE WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT COLLAPSED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THIS WAS DUE TO RUSTING. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPER FLEW OFF WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE FRONT OR REAR WINDOWS WILL FAIL INTO THE SEAL CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

DRIVER INVOLVED IN REAR END COLLISION AT LOW SPEED. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEVICE KNOWN AS "ETR" ACTIVATED ON LEFT FRONT AND REAR RESTAINT AND ON RIGHT REAR RESTRAINT. NO PASSENGERS IN THESE SEATS. FIRE OCCURRED IN "C" POST ON LEFT SIDE. ORIGIN IN AREA OF "ETR" UNIT. FIRE CAUSE NOT VERIFIED. I AM FIRE INVESTIGATOR NOT OWNER OF VEHICLE. OWNER IS JUDITH ROBERTS #19 JAY STREET NEW YORK, NY 10013 (212) 941-4646. *AK

TAILGATE DOOR CRASHED/ CAME DOWN ON HEAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER,AND THEY STATED THAT HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS FAILED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER HAS FAILED TO PROPERLY CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD OF RAIN. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES AND HAS REPLACED ALL OF THE WORKING PARTS, THE MALFUNCTION PERSISTS. CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEALER HAVE INDICATED THAT NOTHING MORE CAN BE DONE AND LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN ERRROR ON ALL E 320S. THIS INADEQUATE WINDSHIELD WIPER CAUSES SEVER VISIBILITY PROBLEMS DURING RAINY WEATHER AND CREATES SIGNIFICANT RISKS OF SERIOUS ACCIDENTS.*AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH GOING 35MPH. VEHICLE WAS HIT ON DRIVER'S SIDE, AND WAS PUSHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION.*AK

TRANSMISSION WILL LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING, AND WILL NOT ALLOW CONSUMER TO GO MORE THEN 40 MPH. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

THERE'S A PIPE THAT RUNS UNDER VEHICLE THAT IS LEAKING OIL. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS COULD START A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.VEHICLE WILL NOT RE-START. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

ESP/BAS MALFUNCTION INDICATOR COMES UP SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS. *AK

THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE INVOLVING THE SUN ROOF. *YD

THE MERCEDES E320 HAS NO WARNING LIGHTS TO NOTIFY THE DRIVER WHEN A DOOR IS OPEN. THE DOORS ARE DIFFICULT TO CLOSE PROPERLY, ESPECIALLY BY A CHILD GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR. ON MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS I HAVE DRIVEN WITH A DOOR NOT FULLY CLOSED WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. I THINK THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITNG TO HAPPEN. I WOULD APPRECIATE A REPLY ON THIS ISSUE. *AK

I HAD PURCHASED A MERCEDES-BENZ E320 4 MATIC WAGON ON AUGUST 25TH 1998 FROM MILLENNIUM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP AT BRIDGEWATER, NJ. SINCE THEN THIS CAR HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED AND SERVICED. THE DATES OF SERVICE ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) JUNE 16, 2000 ODOMETER 12,435 MILES, 2) JAN 3, 2001, ODOMETER 17,549, 3) JAN 29, 2001 ODOMETER 18,008 MILES, 4) JULY 25, 2001 ODOMETER 21,797. DURING THESE VISITS TO THE MILLENNIUM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, WE WERE REASSURED THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO OPERATE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE CLUELESS AS TO WHY THIS VEHICLE STALLED SO MANY TIMES. MANY PARTS WERE REPLACED, AND WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE CAR WAS THOROUGHLY CHECKED AND IS SAFE TO DRIVE. HOWEVER, THIS CAR STALLED AGAIN AT PULASKI SKYWAY DURING A RAIN STORM AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME ON SEP. 14. 2001. THIS CAR IS INDEED NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. CURRENTLY I AM DRIVING A LOANER CAR FROM THE MILLENNIUM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP AND I AM PURSUING FOR A FULL PURCHASING REFUND FROM MERCEDES BENZ USA PERTAINING TO NJ STATE LEMON LAW (NJSA 56:12-29 TO 56:49). I FEEL OBLIGATED TO REPORT THIS MATTER TO YOU. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION OR ANY LEGAL ADVICE TO ASSIST ME IN THIS MATTER, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT 908-322-4730, OR CONTACT MY HUSBAND'S BEEPER AT 201-422-2177. MY HUSBAND, STEVE SHIH HAS FULL AUTHORIZATION ON MY BEHAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *AK

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS SITTING STILL IN TRAFFIC WHEN A SUV SLAMMED IN REAR SIDE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD A SEAT BELT TENSIONER THAT DIDN'T LOCK. CONSUMER PUSHED THE SEAT BACK TRYING TO PREPARE FOR AIR BAGA WHICH THE DIDN'T DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. MERCEDES BENZ DEALER STATED AIR BAGS ACTED AS DESIGNED.*AK

A MALFUNCTION WITHIN TRANSMISSION CAUSES A DELAY WHEN UPSHIFTING AND DOWN SHIFTING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER IS WILLING TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION WITH A REBUILD TRANSMISSION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND CROSSED THE MEDIUM INTO INCOMING TRAFFIC, NO ACCIDENT AND NO INJURIES OCCURED. NLM

FUEL TANK HAS A DESIGN PROBLEM. WHEN CONSUMER IS FILLING UP VEHICLE, AFTER THE FILL UP, AND EXTRA 4.7 GALLONS OF GASOLINE CAN BE ADDED ADDITIONALLY, THIS GASOLINE IS PUMPED INTO TANK AND CHARCOAL CANISTER AND LINES, DUE TO DESIGN CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A LARGE AMOUNT OF GAS EXPELLING OUT OF THE TANK. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN GOING OVER ANY TYPE OF BUMP VEHICLE STALLS . VEHICLE HAS BEEN SEEN 6 TIMES BY THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK