2000 Mercedes Benz ML320 complaints

SUBMITTED BY COUNSEL: STEVEN D. BARNHART, FORD & BARNHART, LLP; 6111 PEACHTREE DUNWOODY RD., BLDG. G, SUITE 100, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, 30328; 404-237-2155, 404-352-0118. THIS PROBLEM IS REPORTEDLY WIDESPREAD AMONG THE M-CLASS PRODUCT LINES. SPECIFICALLY, THE IGNITION/KEY CONTACT DESIGN IS SUCH THAT THE VEHICLE WILL TURN ITSELF OFF IF THE CAR HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO ADDITIONAL WEIGHT CREATED BY THE PRESENCE OF OTHER KEYS ON THE KEY CHAIN. ADDITIONALLY, IF THE KEY IS MERELY TAPPED DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WILL TURN ITSELF OFF, EVEN WITH NO OTHER KEYS ON THE KEYCHAIN. SHUTDOWN CAN OCCUR AT ANY SPEED, AND HAS OCCURRED AT NORMAL ROADWAY SPEEDS. *AK

BOTH FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRES EASILY SUFFERED SIDEWALL CUTS BY A TREE BRANCH; W/ NO PRO-RATA WARRANTY APPLIED TO NEW TIRES PURCHASED BECAUSE NATIONAL TIRE AND BATTERY SAID SIDEWALL DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED UNDER GENERAL'S WARRANTY - TIRES SHOULD NOT SPLIT WITH NORMAL DRIVING AT 10 MPH AND NO PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS OR MISHAPS AFFECTING THE TIRE - ALSO WHEN PAVEMENT IS WET BACK END LOSES TRACTION FOR A SECOND AND CAR SLIDES SIDEWAYS AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT IS THE TIRES OR THE VEHICLE - BUT I AM CONCERNED THESE TIRES COULD PROVE DANGEROUS AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK (TIRESIZE: 25565S16)

GOING ABOUT 30 MPH AND COMING TO TURNING LANE, DECIDED NOT TO TURN. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AS TRYING TO GET BACK INTO TRAFFIC, AND ALMOST GOT REARENDED BY A TRUCK. CONSUMER STATED THAT STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHEN MAKING A TURN/ PARKING OR SWITCHING LANES. GIVES NO PRIOR WARNING.THIS HAPPENED ON AND OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HAD RACK AND PINION STEERING REPLACED. .TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER, AND DEALER COULD NOT LOCATE A PROBLEM. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PROVIDE VIN. *AK

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

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

VEHICLE WILL DIE WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, RESULTING IN UNSAFE SITUATION.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH ENGINE STALLED. AFTER SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED BACK TO DRIVE, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT REENGAGE. DRIVER HAD TO SLOWDOWN TO A STOP BEFORE TRANSMISSION WOULD REENGAGE IN DRIVE AGAIN. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK

WOULD BE DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT WOULD STOP SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. WAS AT GAS STATION & HAD TURNED VEHICLE OFF & PUT FUEL IN VEHICLE. HAD TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE WHICH DID NOT START. TOOK TO DEALER. FUEL PUMP WOULD GO INTO A VAPOR LOCK. FUEL IS NOT GETTING TO PROPER CHANNELS. FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE FOR SAME PROBLEM. *AK

THIS VEHICLE FREELY ROLLS IN REVERSE ON ANY STEEP INCLINE. I HAVE HAD VEHICLES THAT MIGHT DRIFT BACK ON A INCLINE, BUT THIS SUV FREELY ROLLS BACKWARDS. ANY AUTOMOBILE THAT MIGHT BE CLOSE BEHIND, YOU STAND THE GOOD CHANCE OF DRIFTING BACK INTO IT BEFORE YOU CAN ACCELERATE TO GO FORWARD. I FIND THE DANGER OF HOLDING MY VEHICLE WITH MY LEFT FOOT, KEEPING MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR TO SIMUTANEOUSLY ACCELERATE WHILE RELEASING THE BRAKE. THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP STATES THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE, IF IT IS THEN I WOULD THINK IT MIGHT ALSO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I OWN A 1990 MERCEDES 300SEL AND I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR ANALYSIS OF THIS PROBLEM, MEANWHILE I WILL AVOID AS MANY INCLINES OF POSSIBLE.

DEALER TRIED TO FIX THE SQUEELING NOICE FROM FUEL PUMP AREA "L.R. TIRE AREA"

MERCEDES MODEL ML320 WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY; UPON SWITCHING TO REVERSE, SUDDEN UNITENTIONAL ACCELERATION RAFTER SUA, DRIVER UNABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE; CRASHED REAR OF CAR INTO TREE ACROSS THE STREET.*AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERE MAUNFACTRUING DEFECTS IN THE ENITE SRS ( SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM). THESE DEFECTS ARE ON-GOING. TO DATE, THE MANUFACTRUER HAS NOT COMPLIED WITH 2 WRTTEN REQUETS VIA CERTIFIED MAIL TO REPLACE THE VEHILCE OR TO REFUND THE PURCHASE PRICE. A FRIEND WHO PURCHASED AN S-CLASS CAR THE SAME WEEK HAS HAS SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SRS SYSTEM OF HIS MERCEDES.

WHILE DRIVING BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING BRAKES TO LOCK UP, RESULTING IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN VEHICLE GOES OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD IT STALLS OUT AND DIES. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

PLASTIC FUEL TANK "CRACKED" OPEN SPILLING GAS. *AK

ACTUATOR FOR DOOR LOCKS HAS FAILED , CAUSING LOCKS TO UNLOCK, RESULTING IN SAFETY HAZARD. PART ARE NOT AVAILABLE ,BACK ORDERED . *AK