2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Electrical System Problems

2008 MercedesE350 (W211) Driver’s seat heater, ~11:48am Location: Lidl Parking Lot, 2017 St. Joseph’s Dr., Bowie/Upper Marlboro, MD While I was sitting in the driver’s seat with my back fully against it, the seat heater burned through the leather on the left side of the seat. The cabin immediately filled with smoke. The burning stopped only after I turned off the seat‑heater button. I was inside the vehicle during the failure, and the situation created a direct fire hazard; the seat could have ignited, and I could have caught fire. I don’t know if the passenger seat heater is also affected, so passengers cannot safely use their seat warmer. No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms pre failure. Evidence Available: Video/photo of the aftermath (burned seat left‑side damage), the vehicle and damaged seat are available for inspection. Smoke in video/photo. Has the Problem Been Reproduced or Confirmed?: I’ve not attempted to reproduce the problem for safety reasons, and it has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. However, publicly available information shows Mercedes previously settled a $54 million class action for the same seat‑heater defect in model years prior to 2008. My 2008 model was not included despite experiencing the same dangerous failure. Mercedes is aware this is a known issue.Has the Vehicle Been Inspected?: A dealership inspection at Mercedes‑Benz of Alexandria scheduled 12/23/23 at 11:00 a.m. Warning Lamps or Prior Symptoms: None. Safety Risk Summary: This defect created immediate danger to my safety. The heater burned through the seat while I was sitting in it, filling cabin with smoke and creating a risk of burn injury and the possibility that I could have caught fire. The defect may also endanger passengers if both seats are affected. Broader Concern: Prevent others from experiencing defect, causing serious injury/vehicle fire. Limits safe use of vehicle for self and passengers. Plus Mercedes is aware. Can’t upload video.

On [XXX] I was driving and the vehicles stalled in the middle of the street, I couldn’t start it back. I managed to contact AAA and had the vehicle towed to my home because it around 6pm and auto repair shops were closed. Next morning I had AAA towed the vehicle to a local auto repair shop and they told me that fuel pump failed. It would have been very dangerous if we were driving on the freeway, not to mention I had my 85 year old mother in the passenger seat. Please help me as I am sure what I need to do now. It’s a Mercedes-Benz model E350 2008. I can be reached at [XXX] my name is [XXX] . My car has 87,200 miles. Thank you in advance for all your helps. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350W. The contact that she noticed a fuel odor throughout the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the fuel tank components and fuel compressor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel gauge failed to read properly and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced the NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V303000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR TONIGHT THE SEAT STARTED SMOKING AND THERE IS A BURN HOLE ON THE DRIVER SEAT 1/2 DOLLAR IN SIZE. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, SEAT HEATER IN USE.

My car displayed all of the issues listed below for the Electrical system recall. The fuel gague went "blank", other gagues acting irradical, the check engine light stay on, etc. My car make and model fall under this recall but have been excluded. I had to pay out of pocket $4678.50 to replace the entire fuel tank due to this and the Manufacture (Mercedes Benz) is refusing to reimburse me. (1) THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS MAY BE INCORRECT; (2) A STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; (3) THE OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND, (4) THE SPEEDOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP MAY NOT RECEIVE A CRASH SIGNAL THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUEL PUMP TO DISCONNECT AND PREVENT FUTURE FUEL DELIVERY AS DESIGNED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WOULD SMELL A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUTOFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT INITIALLY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY REPLACED THAT CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. DESPITE THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE, THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY FOR A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER THEN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF BURLINGTON (80 CAMBRIDGE ST, BURLINGTON, MA 01803) WHERE THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE HAD A DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK AND FUEL PUMP THAT BOTH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WAS THEN INFORMED THAT SINCE HIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE NO LONGER QUALIFIED UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V303000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED AND REMAINED IN THE DEALER POSSESSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 128,000. ## VIN PASSED ## 2008 MERCEDES BENZ E350 ##

UPON EXITING MY VEHICKE., I NOTICED A STRONG BURNING SMELL BUT COULD NOT PINPOINT IT. OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS THE SMELL PERSISTED AND MY DASHBOARD WARNING SYSTEM ALERTED ME THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. THE MESSAGES WERE ALTERNATING BETWEEN REAR LEFT TAIL LIGHTS, REAR RIGHT BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS, THE TURN SIGNALS, ETC. IT WAS JUST CHANGING ALL THE TIME. I TOOK IT IN TO THE MERCEDES DEALER AND THEY SAID I NEEDED AN ENTIRE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND THEN TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T KNOW. AS IF NOW I HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT FOR 7 JAN 2920.

SEAT HEATER IN DRIVER'S SEAT BACK OVERHEATED, RESULTING IN A BURN THROUGH THE SEAT AND CAUGHT THE DRIVER'S CLOTHING ON FIRE.

DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT BURNING?!? I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE LATE MAY OF '18. ON TUES. 11/06/18 AFTER WORK, I STARTED THE CAR AND BEGAN DRIVING HOME. TURNED ON THE HEAT AND THE DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT (IT'S 30 DEGREES AND SNOWING HERE IN MN). I TAKE-OFF AND NOT A MINUTE LATER I SMELL WHAT SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE/SMOKE. THERE WAS LIKELY EVEN A WHIFF OF SMOKE PRESENT. THANKFULLY I IMMEDIATELY FIGURED IT WAS UNFORTUNATELY COMING FROM MY CAR AND THAT THE HEATED SEAT WAS LIKELY THE CULPRIT. TURNED IT OFF, PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THE PICS ATTACHED (BURNED HOLE IN LOWER RIGHT OF SEAT IF LOOKING AT IT HEAD-ON). THERE WAS THE MB-TEX CRACK THERE PRIOR. NOW, I WON'T (UNFORTUNATELY) BE USING MY HEATED SEAT ANYTIME SOON, BUT MY QUESTION IS, WHAT NOW? THE WIFE USES HER SIDE ALL THE TIME, NEVER NOTICED ANY ISSUES. PRETTY SCARY/SURPRISING AND DISAPPOINTING ALL AT ONCE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER BOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF MELBOURNE (509 E NASA BLVD, MELBOURNE, FL 32901, (321) 557-9342) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTER BOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FOB FAILED TO OPEN THE TRUNK. IN ADDITION, THE REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHT AND THIRD BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

"TAKATA RECALL" . I GOT MY MERCEDES 2008 FULLY BY MERCEDES SERVICE CENTER ON 12MAY16. FOLLOWING IS THE REPORT OF THE SERVICE DONE. " 140405 1.7C PERFORMED SHORT TEST. PERFORMED BACK TO NEW SPECIAL RESET SERVICE LIGHT INSPECTED INTERIOR COMPONENTS AND SEAT BELTS FOR PROPER FUNCTION, CHECKED EXTERIOR LIGHTS FOR PROPER FUNCTION, CLEANED AREA OF WIND DEFLECTOR AND CHECKED WIPER BLADES. EVACUATED ENGINE OIL AND REPLACED ENGINE OIL FILTER, TOPPED OFF ALL FLUIDS AND INSPECTED AREA OF ENGINE FOR DAMGES OR LEAKS, LUBRICATE DOOR HINGES, LIFTED VEHICLE INTO AIR AND FRONT TIRES MEASURED AT 7MM, REARS AT 7MM REMOVED WHEELS AND BALANCED ALL 4, TORQUED TO 150NM. FRONT BRAKES AT 12MM, REARS AT 10MM. SET FRONT TIRES TO 28PSI, REARS TO 33PSI AND SPARE TO 63 PSI. INSPECTED FOR LEAKS OR DAMAGES UNDER VEHICLE. TEST BATTERY AT 12.61VOLTS. TEST DROVE VEHICLE TO VERIFY PROPER REPAIRS " AFTER THE SERVICE WAS DONE ALMOST A MONTH BACK, WHILE I WAS TAKING OUT MY VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE, THE BRAKES FAILED AND EMERGENCY BRAKES WERE USED. I SUSPECT SERIOUS MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH MY CAR.

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 THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ELECTRIC CABLE FROM THE ENGINE TO THE TRUNK COULD FAIL FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.

THE ELECTRONIC KEYLESS-GO SYSTEM INTERMITTENTLY DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THE KEY IS PRESENT. THE ISSUE WAS FIRST NOTICED IN 2008 AND BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION WITHIN MONTHS OF PURCHASE WHEN THE REAR TAILGATE WOULD NOT CLOSE. REPEATED TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE LATCHES, THE SWITCHES, AND THE BATTERIES IN THE KEYS HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. IN MARCH 2013 THE KEYLESS-GO SYSTEM STARTED INDICATING "NO KEY WAS DETECTED" WHEN THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. ON MARCH 5, 2013 THE DASH WARNING SYSTEM INDICATED THE "NO KEY DETECTED" (ALTHOUGH THE KEY WAS IN THE CAR) IN FREEWAY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A FULL STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC, THE CAR SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, IN TRAFFIC LANES. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN UNTIL THE KEY WAS RETRIEVED FROM MY POCKET, AND PUT INTO THE KEYHOLE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE ANTENNA BOOSTER (AFTER 4 DAYS OF DIAGNOSTICS). ONE WEEK AFTER THE MOST RECENT REPAIR, THE CAR (WITH THE NEW KEYLESS-GO ANTENNA BOOSTER) AGAIN INDICATED NO KEY PRESENT WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY SPEEDS. *TR

TURNED ON DRIVERS SEAT WARMER, SMELLED SMOKE AND OPENED WINDOWS THINKING THE ODOR WAS FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. TURNED THE SEAT HEATER OFF AND LATER FOUND A QUARTER SIZE HOLE BURNED IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. MY SHIRT AND PANTS ALSO HAD HOLES BURNED IN THEM. FORTUNATELY I TURNED THE HEATER OFF BEFORE I WAS BURNED OR A FIRE STARTED. MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER IS GOING TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO THE SEAT OF MY 2008 E-350. *TR