2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Air Bags & Restraints Problems

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE PLASTIC ENCASEMENT IS BROKEN. THE BELT WORKS, BUT THE 2 PIECES OF PLASTIC WHERE THE BELT CLIPS INTO, WILL NOT STAY TOGETHER. SEE PICTURES. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED, BUT THEY CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENTIRE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THIS COST IS ESTIMATED AT $500. SEE DOCUMENT CONCERN AND ESTIMATE PAGES ATTACHED.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO ALERT YOU OF A SAFETY HAZARD / PRODUCT DEFECT OF THE SEATBELT BUCKLE IN THE 2007 MERCEDES BENZ E350 4MATIC WAGON (?MB E350 WAGON?). I HAVE SENT A SIMILAR LETTER TO MERCEDES BENZ REPORTING THE SITUATION. ON AUGUST 7, 2015 WHILE RIDING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF AN MB E350 WAGON, I PLACED MY LEFT HAND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY SEAT NEAR THE SEATBELT BUCKLE, AS LEVERAGE IN ORDER TO ADJUST MY SITTING POSITION. AS I SHIFTED MY POSITION, THE SEATBELT MOVED THROUGH THE INSERTING (TOP) PART OF THE BUCKLE, AND IN THE PROCESS SEVERELY AND PAINFULLY PINCHED THE SKIN ON THE INSIDE OF MY LEFT FOREARM. ALTHOUGH THE SEATBELT BUCKLE ?LET GO? OF MY SKIN IT CAUSED A SERIOUS CONTUSION: WITHIN SECONDS OF THE INCIDENT, A PAINFUL, 2-3INCH LONG, RAISED/SWOLLEN CONTUSION DEVELOPED ON MY FOREARM. THE CONTUSION QUICKLY TURNED VERY DARK RED AS THE BLOOD CONTINUED TO POOL UNDER MY SKIN. THINKING THIS WAS A ONE OFF OCCURRENCE, FEW MINUTES LATER, I ONCE MORE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT MY SITTING POSITION IN THE SAME MANNER AS ABOVE, ONLY TO SUFFER THE EXACT SAME INJURY AGAIN. THE SEATBELT BUCKLE CAUSED INJURY TO A SMALLER AREA BUT THIS TIME IT SLIGHTLY BROKE THE SKIN. AGAIN,A PAINFUL DARK RED SWOLLEN CONTUSION DEVELOPED IMMEDIATELY. (ON 9.22.2015 I MAILED A LETTER TO THE NHTSA WITH 4 PICTURES OF MY FOREARM FOR YOUR REFERENCE. PIC #1-3 WERE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE INJURIES AND PICT #4 WAS TAKEN SEVERAL DAYS LATER. BOTH INJURIES WERE VERY PAINFUL WHEN THEY OCCURRED AND MY ARM AS QUITE SORE FOR SEVERAL DAYS LATER.) FOLLOWING MY INJURIES, I ASKED MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY IF THEY HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME INJURY CAUSED BY THE SEATBELT BUCKLE, AND SEVERAL OF THEM HAD. I DO NOT WISH TO SPECULATE HOW SEVERE THE INJURIES WOULD BE IF THIS OCCURS TO AN ELDERLY INDIVIDUAL WHOSE SKIN IS OFTEN MORE DELICATE.

LETTER FROM SENATOR WARNER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE MERCEDES BENZ (ATTN: SHANE CLEM). *SMD THE CONSUMERS WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. HIS WIFE SUFFERED A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A LOSS. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE AND THEN DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THERE WERE NO FAILURES OR WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 34,000.