2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Complaint Log

THROTTLE CONTROL FAILURE CAUSING EXACTLY A 20 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE CAR WOULD ACTUALLY ACCELERATE AFTER PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. THIS CAUSED ME TO BE IN NEARLY 3 ACCIDENTS, BECAUSE THE CAR DID NOT MOVE WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION AND PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, CARS WERE COMING, BUT I COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD, UNTIL AFTER THE 20 SECOND ACCELERATION DELAY. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR INTO PARKPLACE MERCEDES, THE INVOICE SHOWED THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE MY IGNITION SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM. *LA

MERCEDES 2003 E320: THE PARKTRONICS IN THE CAR, ARE SET OFF BY CONSTANT RAIN OVER THE HOOD OF THE CAR, IN SPEEDS UP TO 10MPH. THE DOUBLE RED LIGHTS GO OFF AND THE PARKTRONICS WARNING BUZZERS GO OFF, WARNING THAT YOU HAVE HIT A SOLID OBJECT. I WAS DRIVING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT OF A KROGER GROCERY STORE AND MY PARKTRONICS WARNING LIGHTS AND BUZZERS WENT OFF WARNING THAT I HAD HIT SOMETHING SOLID. I TOOK THE CAR INTO PARK PLACE MERCEDES IN DALLAS TEXAS AND THEY REPLACED MY PARKTRONICS TWICE, THEN THE THIRD TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THEM ANYMORE, BECAUSE MERCEDES DID NOT CONSIDER THIS A DEFECT ANY LONGER, BUT THAT THEIR PARKING SENSORS WERE VERY SENSITIVE TO RAIN RUNNING OVER THE FRONT OF THE CARS HOOD. I WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE SOLID OBJECT WARNING BUZZERS GOING OFF BECAUSE MERCEDES NO LONGER CONSIDERED THIS A DEFECT. THIS CAN POSE SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH ANYONE DRIVING IN A HEAVY OR BLINDING RAIN AND THEIR CAR KEEPS WARNING THEM, THAT THEY HAVE HIT A SOLID OBJECT. ESPECIALLY IN HEAVY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHERE DRIVERS ARE MOVING AT LOWER SPEEDS, AND SLAMMING ON YOUR BREAKS EVERY TIME THE CAR WARNS THAT YOU HAVE HIT A SOLID OBJECT, WHEN YOU HAVE NOT, IS A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK. MY MERCEDES E320 HAS SPENT 47 DAYS IN 2003, IN THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR DEPARTMENT FOR MAJOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES, WHICH ARE COMMON TO THE ENTIRE 2003 E320 RELEASE. *LA

THIS IS THE BIGGEST SECRET KEPT BY MERCEDES BENZ ON THE NEW BODY STYLE OF THE 2003, E-CLASS CARS COMPLETE FIBER OPTICS FAILURE IN THE CAR BEGINS IN THE CAR AT 89 DEGREES F, THIS WILL BE DEMONSTRATED BY THE AUDIO SYSTEM RAPIDLY SKIPPING FROM CD TO CD IN THE 6 CD CHANGER, AND THEN THE VOLUME IN THE AUDIO SYSTEM WILL BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE FOR 15 MINUTES OR LONGER. THE VOLUME WILL TURN TO MAXIMUM VOLUME ON ITS OWN AND STAY THERE UNTIL YOU TURN THE CAR OFF, IF YOU ARE DRIVING AND DO NOT TURN THE CAR OFF, THE VOLUME LEVEL WILL STAY AT MAXIMUM VOLUME FOR 15 MINUTES OR MORE, THEN LOWER ITSELF DOWN DURING A 20 SECOND INTERVAL TO A MUTED STATE, THE AUDIO SYSTEM WILL TURN ITSELF OFF. THEN, TURN ITSELF BACK ON, TO FULL VOLUME AND REPEAT THE CYCLE. DURING THIS ENTIRE TIME, THE PERSON IN THE CAR WILL HEAR A VERY LOAD POPPING NOISE IN THE SPEAKERS, IN ADDITION TO ANY OF THE MUSIC BLASTING FROM THE STEREO SYSTEM. IF YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AND LEAVE IT FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND ALLOW IT TO COOL DOWN. THIS WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN, UNTIL THE STEREO HEATS UP AGAIN. AFTER REPLACING MY CD SYSTEM MULTIPLE TIMES, MERCEDES REPLACE MY REAR COMPUTER TWICE AND MY MAIN FRONT COMPUTER ONCE, THEN BUILT A FAN TO COOL THE FIBER OPTICS SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THIS FAN IS ONLY INSTALLED TO MERCEDES OWNERS WHO REPEATEDLY COMPLAIN ABOUT FIBER OPTICS FAILURES AND UNCONTROLLABLE VOLUME ON THEIR STEREOS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM ON ALL MERCEDES COMPLAINT WEBSITE, HOWEVER PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE THAT IT IS CAUSED BY AN OVERHEATING OF THE FIBER OPTICS SYSTEMS AT 92 DEGREES. IT APPEARS THAT THE MAJORITY OF DEALERSHIPS REPEATEDLY REPLACE THE CD SYSTEM FOR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THEY ARE UNAWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE FIBER OPTICS SYSTEM IN THE 2003 E-CLASS MERCEDES. *LA

DEFECTIVE BRAKES. *JB

ON THE '03 & '04 E CLASS THERE IS NO WAY TO SET UP THE PREFERENCE FOR THE RADIO TO SCAN TO THE NEXT PRE-SET STATION FROM THE WHEEL, OR ANY WHERE ELSE. ITS IS NOT A CHOICE TO BE SELECTED IN SETTINGS OR ANY WHERE ELSE. IT WILL ALWAYS SCAN TO THE NEXT FREQUENCY THAT IS ON AIR. THE '02S HAD THE CHOICE AVAILABLE TO THE OWNER IN "SETTINGS", BUT NOT THE NEW E CLASS (W211'S) IN THE USA. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH, CONSUMER HEARD A "ROARING" NOISE AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION NOTICE THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. DEALER CAME TO INSPECT AND DIAGNOSED "THE INBOARD SIDEWALL WAS SPLIT FROM THE WHEEL TO THE TREAD". TIRES WERE ORIGINAL. VEHICLE IS A 2003 MERCEDES E500. TIRE INFO: CONTINENTAL CONTITOURING CONTACT ECO PLUS 245/45R17 DOT NO. LMUXPXBU4402 **TS**TT

I OWN A 2003 E-CLASS MERCEDES BENZ PURCHASED THIS YEAR FROM RALLEY MOTORS, ROSLYN, NEW YORK. SINCE I TOOK THE TITLE TO THE VEHICLE, THERE HAS BEEN UNCONTROLLED MILD ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS, THE CAR BUCKS AND SHAKES UPON DE-ACCELERATION RESULTING IN MY HAVING LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CONSEQUENTLY REQUIRING MY JAMMING ABRUPTLY ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS. IN ADDITION, THE CAR HAD SIGNIFICANTLY STEERED TO THE RIGHT AT ALL TIMES, REQUIRING MY CONSTANTLY HAVING TO STEER TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO DRIVE STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADMITTED THAT IT CAN NOT REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, IE; THE UNCONTROLLED CHANGE OF SPEED, BUCKING AND ACCELERATION OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE. THEY HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHICH I BELIEVE IS AN IMPORTANT VEHICLE COMPUTER WHICH CONTROLS MANY SYSTEMS OF THE CAR, AND THE VEHICLE NOW HAS THE THIRD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, ALL IN ONE YEAR OF OWNERSHIP, ALL DUE TO PRODUCT DEFECTS! THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS ADMITTED TO ME THAT THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH THERE ALLEGEDLY IS NO FIX TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO HORRIBLE GAS MILEAGE, THE TORQUE CONVERTER OF THE TRANSMISSION IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO LOCK UP AT LOW SPEEDS, AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY THE 2003 AND 2004 E-CLASS AUTOMOBILES HAVE THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD ADVISED ME THAT HE KNOW OF NO FIX FROM THE FACTORY. THE DEALERSHIP BECAME FRUSTRATED WHEN I EXPRESSED MY DISPLEASURE, AND HAS NOW INFORMED ME THAT THEY WILL NO LONGER SERVICE MY BRAND NEW AUTOMOBILE. *LA *SCC THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE STALLED, THE WIPER BLADES WERE NOISY. *JB

I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ARM FOR THE CRUSIE CONTROL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE TURN SIGNAL ARM. SEVERAL TIMES A DAY I FIND THAT MY HAND (ALBEIT A SMALL HAND) ACCIDENTALLY HITS THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER INSTEAD OF THE TURN SIGNAL - ESPECIALLY WHEN SIGNALLING LEFT. THIS ACTIVATES THE CRUISE CONTROL AT A TIME WHEN YOU ARE USUALLY GETTING READY TO SLOW DOWN FOR A TURN. I UNDERSTAND THAT BRAKING WILL TURN OFF THE CRUISE AUTOMATICALLY, BUT IT IS STILL AN INCOVENIENCE AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS. I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ AND THEY SAID THAT THE CARS ARE ALL PUT THROUGH MANY, MANY TESTS AND THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T SURFACE. A SOLUTION WOULD BE TOO SHORTEN THE LENGTH OF THE CRUISE HANDLE OR ANGLE IT MORE TOWARD THE DASH. POSSIBLY THIS WOULD ALLOW FEWER MISTAKES.

THE 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320 HAS A FAULTY GATEWAY MODULE AND SOFTWARE. THIS MODULE HAS RESULTED IN PROBLEMS BEING REPORTED IN MY CAR THAT THE BRAKES, SELF RESTRAINT SYSTEM, TELEPHONE SYSTEM, AND TIRE PRESSURE HAVE FAILED. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING IF THE THE SAFTY SYSTEMS ARE OPERATIONAL OR NOT. AT THIS POINT I AM DRIVING A CAR THAT SAYS MY SRS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. I HAVE BEEN IN THE MERCEDES SHOP NO LESS THAN 4 TIMES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. IT SIMPLY RE-OCCURS AFTER EACH REPAIR. FROM RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM.

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND THE VEHICLES AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *NLM

WHEN CONSUMER EXITED FROM HIGHWAY, AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE VEHICLE'S ESP(ANTI-TILT ) SYSTEM ENGAGED. DEALER AT FIRST ADVISED THAT OPERATION WAS IRREGULAR. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT, THE DEALER STATED THE OPERATION WAS NORMAL. VEHICLE IS A 2003 MERCEDES G500. *JB

WHEN THE CONSUMER EXITED TO THE RIGHT AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE'S ESP(TILT SAFETY) SYSTEM ACTIVATED. DEALER FIRST DIAGNOSED THAT OPERATION WAS IMPROPER, BUT THEN STATED IT WAS NORMAL. *JB

PROBLEMS WITH C-240 HEADLIGHT EQUIPMENT.*MR THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE HEAD LIGHTS AIMED PROPERLY FOR THE LOW BEAM, THERE IS NO FURTHER ADJUSTMENT AVAILABLE FOR THE HIGH BEAM. *CB

HEADLIGHT STANDARDS FOR PASSENGER CARS. TRANSFERRED TO RULEMAKING. *MR *CB

BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT HEADLIGHTS WERE AIMED HIGH. *MR THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS WHICH WERE AIMED PROPERLY FOR THE LOW BEAM, THERE WAS NO FURTHER ADJUSTMENT AVAILABLE FOR THE HIGH BEAM. AS A RESULT THE HIGH BEAM ON THE VEHICLE POINTED UP AT AN ANGLE OF 1 1/4 INCHES AT 7 1/2 FEET. (ULTIMATELY, THE LIGHTS SHINED DIRECTLY INTO THE ONCOMING DRIVERS EYES AT THIS ANGLE) MODEL E-320 *SCC *JB

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE JERKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION NINE TIMES, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED LOST OF POWER STEERING DUE TO FLUID LEAKING INTO THE GROUND. DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING GEAR BOX. ALSO, SUNROOF DOESN'T CLOSE. DEALER REPLACED SLIDING ROOF ANGLE BRACKET. *LA