2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Electrical System Problems

Undergoing changing of front lights, wires under hood leading to the lights were found to be completely exposed in areas. The protective covering had disintegrated off, causing risk of fire or explosion from bare wires touching.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON, THE CLUSTER FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THE CLUSTER SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

THE INSULATION COVERING THE ELECTRICAL WIRING THAT POWERS THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES HAS FAILED AND CRUMBLED AWAY EXPOSING THE BARE COPPER WIRE. THIS CIRCUIT POWERS TWO HALOGEN 55 WATT BULBS (110 WATTS TOTAL OR ~10 AMPS) AT 12 VOLTS. THE INSULATION FAILURE WILL PRESENT AN IMMEDIATE VEHICLE FIRE HAZARD IF THE ELECTRICAL PROTECTION FUSE FAILS TO ACTUATE AS A RESULT OF THE SHORT CIRCUIT CREATED BY POTENTIAL BARE WIRE CONTACT. IF THE ELECTRICAL PROTECTION FUSE DOES ACTUATE PROPERLY THE CAR WILL LOSE FORWARD ILLUMINATION WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR SAFE VEHICLE OPERATION AT NIGHT. IN EITHER INSTANCE A PROPERTY AND PERSONAL HAZARD CAN RESULT FROM THIS DEFECT. THIS DEFECT CAN BE TRACED DIRECTLY TO THE WIRE MERCEDES BENZ SELECTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF THIS CIRCUITRY. EITHER THE GAUGE OF THE WIRE SELECTED IS INSUFFICIENT TO DISSIPATE THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE CURRENT FLOW THE CIRCUIT DEMANDS OR THE INSULATION OF THE WIRE SELECTED IS INHERENTLY DEFECTIVE AS EVIDENCED BY ITS CRUMBLING DETERIORATION FOR A COMPONENT THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. IN EITHER CASE THIS WIRING FAILURE CONSTITUTES A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO RECALL AND CORRECTION BY THE MANUFACTURER AT HIS EXPENSE. THE DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE A FAILED LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULB, A MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY THAT CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO BE PERFORMED A NUMBER OF TIMES DURING THE VEHICLE'S LIFESPAN. THE DEFECTIVE INSULATION WAS IMMEDIATELY EVIDENT BY VISUAL AND TACTILE OBSERVATION. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY CLEAR AN IMMEDIATE HAZARD WAS PRESENT AND THAT THE LIGHTING COULD NOT BE USED RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE UNDER CONDITION WHEN THE LIGHTING CIRCUIT MIGHT BE OPERATED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOFTWARE CALIBRATION NUMBER NEEDED TO BE RECODED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,934.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE FAILED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT UNKNOWN ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE TRUNK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

CHECK LIGHT

I CHANGED THE LOW BEAM HALOGEN BULBS IN MY HEADLIGHTS WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRE LEADS TO THE BULB HAD LOST NEARLY ALL OF THEIR INSULATION, EXPOSING BARE WIRE. THE INSULATION FLAKES WERE SITTING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CAPSULE THAT CONTAINS THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS NORMALLY CLOSED, ACCESSED BY A REMOVABLE "DOOR". BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAD THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SPARKING/FIRE DANGER, SO I APPLIED ELECTRICAL TAPE OVER THE WIRES. HAD I NOT CHANGED THE BULBS [THEY LOSE BRIGHTNESS OVER THE YEARS], I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNAWARE OF THIS DANGER. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS SAME WIRE INSULATION HAS BEEN USED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. I AM AMAZED THAT MERCEDES HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW IN 2007. *TR

2006 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL E350. STRONG FUEL ODOR EMANATING FROM REAR AREA (TRUNK) OF VEHICLE ON THE OUTSIDE. CAR WOULD NOT START AND TOWED BY AAA TO MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP/CAR REPAIR. AAA TOW DRIVER STATED THAT THE ODOR OF GASOLINE WAS SO STRONG HE WAS TEMPTED IN CALLING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED US AT FIRST THAT CAR WAS FULL OF WATER. ORIGINALLY THE MECHANIC CLAIMED HE FOUND A POOL OF WATER INSIDE THE CAR'S TRUNK. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED THE TECHNICIAN OF OUR COMPLAINT OF A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL COMING FROM BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE FOUND A HEAVY POOL OF FUEL IN THE TRUNK AREA OF THE VEHICLE. THEY WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE FUEL LEAK. THEY CHANGED THE GASOLINE TANK AND FUEL PUMP BUT WERE UNCERTAIN OF THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE LEAK. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ONE WEEK. MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FUEL LEAK WAS CAUSED BY A FACTORY DEFECT AND NOT BY WEAR AND TEAR OF THE PARTS AND WE WERE CHARGED FOR ALL THE REPAIRS. WE ARE AWARE THAT SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED FOR THE SAME MERCEDES BENZ MODEL IN OTHER STATES. WE FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED URGENTLY BEFORE SOMEONE EITHER GETS HURT OR LOSES THEIR LIFE. *TR

MY E350 IS 6 YEARS OLD AND HAS 77000 MILES. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING FOR THE SIGNAL LIGHTS HAS DISINTEGRATED EXPOSING BARE WIRES AND CAUSING WIRES TO SHORT-CIRCUIT CREATING AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION THAT PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. THIS IS CREATING A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD WITH POSSIBLE FIRE IN ENGINE AREA.THIS PROBLEM IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. MERCEDES BENZ TELLS ME THAT BECAUSE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR WHICH IS ABOUT $1000.00 DOLLARS.THE WIRE INSULATION SHOULD LAST A VERY LONG TIME IF CAR IS PROPERLY DESIGNED AND THIS WIRING PROBLEM SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURE WITH NO COST TO THE CAR OWNERS. DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS PROBLEM I RECOMMEND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION TO ORDER MERCEDES BENZ TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THIS WIDESPREAD DEFECT BUT REFUSES TO ORDER A RECALL. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

2006 MERCEDES BENZ E350 CANNOT OPEN THE TRUNNK REMOTELY OR WITH THE LEVER ON THE DRIVERS DOOR, BOTH LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS AND THIRD BRAKE LIGHT NOT WORKING. *TR

2006 MERCEDES BENZ E350W. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND THIRD BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED AS WELL. CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED BY DEALER THAT THIS HAPPENS TO VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRUNK OPENING AND CLOSING *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ELECTRIC CABLE FROM THE ENGINE TO THE TRUNK COULD FAIL FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.

HORN DID NOT SOUND/BLOW EVEN KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION. IT SOUND/BLOW ONLY IF CAR/ ENGINE IS RUNNING. *TR

SRS SYSTEM SHUT DOWN ON 2006 MERCEDES BENZ 350E 4-MATIC. LIGHT CAME ON DASH NOTIFYING ME OF THE FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM. TOOK TO DEALER WHO INFORMED ME OF CODE 9103 "RESISTANCE IN DRIVERS AIRBAG" INFORMED THAT HARNESS IN STEERING COLUMN WAS DESIGNED TOO SHORT AND WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TELESCOPED OUT THE WIRE WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK SHUTTING DOWN THE SRS SYSTEM. REPLACEMENT PART # 211-440-4509 IS A LONGER HARNESS DEMONSTRATING THAT MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT. R&R REQUIRES REMOVAL OF STEERING COLUMN COVER, 3 HOURS OF LABOR, COSTING OVER $600 INCLUDING DIAGNOSIS. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN TO THE MANUFACTURER AND RESULTS IN AN INEFFECTIVE SAFETY SYSTEM, THESE HARNESSES SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

MERCEDES BENZ 2006 E350. THE STEERING WHEEL ELECTRICAL HARNESS IS TO SHORT AND COMES APART DISABLING ALL AIRBAGS. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THE COMPANY WON'T PAY TO CORRECT IT. THE REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVE AT $715.00 THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY DEFECT!! *TR

CAR WILL NOT START. THE CAR IS 8 MONTHS OLD AND THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OF SORTS THAT WILL CAUSE THE RADIO TO DIE, NAVIGATION SYSTEM TO DIE, PHONE ON MASTER PANEL TO DIE AND THEN POWER STEERING WILL BE LOST. WITHIN 12 HOURS OF THIS HAPPENING THE CAR WILL NOT START AND THE ELECTRONIC KEY WILL NOT OPEN THE DOOR AS THE ENTIRE CAR IS DEAD. THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP HAS CHECKED OUT THE CAR AND REPLACED THE ENTIRE MASTER PANEL, AND THE INSTANCES STILL OCCUR. THEY HAVE PERFORMED MANY DIAGNOSTIC TESTS OVER A 7 DAY PERIOD, AND THEY STILL CAN NOT DETERMINE WHAT THE CAUSE. THE UNCERTAINTY AND UNRELIABILITY OF THE CAR MAKES IT UNNERVING FOR A FEMALE TRAVELING SALES PERSON. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WILL GET STUCK. *NM

SUBMISSION FOR DEFECTIVE 2006 MERCEDES E-350 STATION WAGON FROM PLAZA MOTORS COMPANY. *TS THE CONSUMERS PURCHASE STATION WAGONS BECAUSE THEY OFTEN PURCHASE ITEMS THAT CANNOT BE CARRIED IN A SEDAN. THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL GIVES DIRECTION AS TO HOW TO LOWER THE BACK SEATS TO EXPAND THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN THE REAR SEATS WERE LOWERED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT COULD NOT BE SLID BACK, USING THE CONTROLS ON THE SIDE OF THE DOOR, FOR AN ADULT PASSENGER TO RIDE IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM ORIGINATING IN GERMANY. *NM