High Severity Issue
This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.
This Problem Across All Years
WHILE ON MY WAY TO WORK I STOP TO GET GAS. I GET IN MY CAR TO LEAVE AND KEY WILL NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. ALSO STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD CAR TOWED THE MB DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID FIRST I HAVE TO BUY NEW KEY BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING WHICH COST ME $380. GOT NEW KEY AND THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. THEN THEY SAID MY EIS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THEY REPLACED THE EIS, THEN I GET A CALL SAYING CAR STILL WILL NOT START. NOW THEY SAY I NEED A ESL(ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK) NOW MY TOTAL JUMPED UP TO 2,200. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED THAT ALL THESE PROBLEMS CAN GO OUT AT THE EXACT SAME TIME WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS COMMON PROBLEM IN MERCEDES. *TR
WHILE ON MY WAY TO WORK I STOP TO GET GAS. I GET IN MY CAR TO LEAVE AND KEY WILL NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. ALSO STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD CAR TOWED THE MB DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID FIRST I HAVE TO BUY NEW KEY BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING WHICH COST ME $380. GOT NEW KEY AND THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. THEN THEY SAID MY EIS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THEY REPLACED THE EIS, THEN I GET A CALL SAYING CAR STILL WILL NOT START. NOW THEY SAY I NEED A ESL(ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK) NOW MY TOTAL JUMPED UP TO 2,200. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED THAT ALL THESE PROBLEMS CAN GO OUT AT THE EXACT SAME TIME WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS COMMON PROBLEM IN MERCEDES. *TR
CLUSTER RECALL FOR MB CLK 430 2002 W208 COMMENTS: DEAR NHTSA REP., I OWN A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CLK 320 THE VIN# IS:________. MY CONCERN IS OVER ITS FAULTY DISPLAY READOUTS THAT I HEAR MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THE LEFT HALF OF THE DISPLAY BLANK AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. IT'S HAZARDOUS AS I HAVE TO SQUINT TO READ THE DISPLAY WHICH TAKES MY EYES OFF THE ROAD LONGER THAT THEY SHOULD BE. AS PART OF THIS CLUSTER, THE TEMPERATURE PIXELS AND THE GEAR SELECTION PIXELS, WHICH LEADS ME AT TIMES TO INCORRECTLY DOWN SHIFT NOT KNOWING IF I AM IN 1ST, 2ND, 3RD OR 4TH GEAR, ARE HARDLY FUNCTIONAL WHICH HAS BEEN MAINLY UNREADABLE FOR SOME TIME NOW. I WENT TO THE MB DEALER AND REQUESTED TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ONLY WAY IS TO CHANGE THE PART, BUT THIS PART IS CLOSE TO U$1,200 INCLUDING LABOR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. AS I STATED BEFORE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT, SO I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER A RECALL ON THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. FROM NHTSA WEB SITE. *TR
CLUSTER RECALL FOR MB CLK 430 2002 W208 COMMENTS: DEAR NHTSA REP., I OWN A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CLK 320 THE VIN# IS:________. MY CONCERN IS OVER ITS FAULTY DISPLAY READOUTS THAT I HEAR MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THE LEFT HALF OF THE DISPLAY BLANK AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. IT'S HAZARDOUS AS I HAVE TO SQUINT TO READ THE DISPLAY WHICH TAKES MY EYES OFF THE ROAD LONGER THAT THEY SHOULD BE. AS PART OF THIS CLUSTER, THE TEMPERATURE PIXELS AND THE GEAR SELECTION PIXELS, WHICH LEADS ME AT TIMES TO INCORRECTLY DOWN SHIFT NOT KNOWING IF I AM IN 1ST, 2ND, 3RD OR 4TH GEAR, ARE HARDLY FUNCTIONAL WHICH HAS BEEN MAINLY UNREADABLE FOR SOME TIME NOW. I WENT TO THE MB DEALER AND REQUESTED TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ONLY WAY IS TO CHANGE THE PART, BUT THIS PART IS CLOSE TO U$1,200 INCLUDING LABOR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. AS I STATED BEFORE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT, SO I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER A RECALL ON THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. FROM NHTSA WEB SITE. *TR
2002 MERCEDES BENZ 430 CLK DASH BOARD INFORMATION LIGHTS (LED PIXELS) ARE DIMMING AND GOING DARK, THEREBY ELIMINATING THE ABILITY TO SEE DRIVING DATA (E.G. SPEED, TEMPERATURE, ETC.). DEALER STATES THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE COMMON (ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET CONFIRMS THIS), AND REPAIR WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $1,500. *TR
2002 MERCEDES BENZ 430 CLK DASH BOARD INFORMATION LIGHTS (LED PIXELS) ARE DIMMING AND GOING DARK, THEREBY ELIMINATING THE ABILITY TO SEE DRIVING DATA (E.G. SPEED, TEMPERATURE, ETC.). DEALER STATES THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE COMMON (ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET CONFIRMS THIS), AND REPAIR WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $1,500. *TR
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONS. *TR
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DIMMING ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AS TIME PROGRESSES, THE PANEL BECOMES MORE DIM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DIMMING ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AS TIME PROGRESSES, THE PANEL BECOMES MORE DIM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES CLK320. THE LIGHTS FOR THE GEAR INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE WOULD HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 61,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES CLK320. THE LIGHTS FOR THE GEAR INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE WOULD HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 61,000.
I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF PURCHASE I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE AMPLIFIER WHICH WAS LATER DISCOVERED AFTER BEING REPLACED 3 TIMES GETTING WET WHENEVER THE CAR BECAME WET. RESULTING IN A CRACKLING AND POPPING SOUND ULTIMATELY LEADING TO COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE AUDIO SYSTEM. AFTER COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I WAS REFERED TO A MERCEDES BENZ REPAIR SHOP. THEY CLAIMED TO NOT BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AFTER WETTING THE CAR WHICH WAS A LIE UPON WASHING THE VEHICLE SHORTLY AFTER RECIEVING THE BACK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP. ULTIMATELY THE AUDIO SYSTEM HAD CASTROPHIC FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN A VERY LOAD SQEALING SOUND WHICH BLEW OUT THE AMPLIFIER THE LEFT DOOR SPEAKER AND MY EAR WHICH HAS RESULTED IN PERMANENT RINGING IN MY EARS, AND HEARING LOSS WHICH HAS COST ME TO DATE NEARLY $4000.00 DOLLARS IN MEDICAL BILLS AND HAS PERMANENTLY ALTERED MY LIFE AFFECTING MY ABILITY TO SLEEP, FINISHED SCHOOL AND DEPPRESSION. THIS WAS MY CELEBRATION CAR FOR WORKING HARD TO GET INTO MY CURRENT FIELD AS A COMPUTER SPECIALIST FOR THE DOD. I NOW HAVE TO TAKE SLEEPING AIDS TO GET TO SLEEP. AND GOD FORBID IF I WAKE UP DURING THE NIGHT BECAUSE GOING BACK TO SLEEP IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES BUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET HAS LED ME TO A COUPLE OF WEBSITES OF AUDIO REPAIR SHOPS IN FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA WHICH SHOW THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM. MERCEDES BENZ ULTIMATELY DISCOVERED IT WAS DEFECTIVE DRAIN PLUGS DIRECTLY OVER THE AMPLIFIER WHICH ALLOWED WATER TO LEAK DIRECTLY ONTO THE AMPLIFIER WHEN THE CAR GETS WET INCLUDING WITH MORNING DEW WHICH THE WATER DRAINS DIRECTLY ONTO THE AMPLIFIER. THE AMPLIFIER BLEW UP WHILE DRIVING TO WORK AND FORTUNENATELY FOR ME NO OTHER PERSON WAS INJURED AS I HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS GOING TO EXPLODE; THE SOUND WAS THAT LOAD. THE CAR HAD A LITTLE OVER 19,000 MILES WHEN THIS OCCURED
I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF PURCHASE I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE AMPLIFIER WHICH WAS LATER DISCOVERED AFTER BEING REPLACED 3 TIMES GETTING WET WHENEVER THE CAR BECAME WET. RESULTING IN A CRACKLING AND POPPING SOUND ULTIMATELY LEADING TO COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE AUDIO SYSTEM. AFTER COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I WAS REFERED TO A MERCEDES BENZ REPAIR SHOP. THEY CLAIMED TO NOT BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AFTER WETTING THE CAR WHICH WAS A LIE UPON WASHING THE VEHICLE SHORTLY AFTER RECIEVING THE BACK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP. ULTIMATELY THE AUDIO SYSTEM HAD CASTROPHIC FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN A VERY LOAD SQEALING SOUND WHICH BLEW OUT THE AMPLIFIER THE LEFT DOOR SPEAKER AND MY EAR WHICH HAS RESULTED IN PERMANENT RINGING IN MY EARS, AND HEARING LOSS WHICH HAS COST ME TO DATE NEARLY $4000.00 DOLLARS IN MEDICAL BILLS AND HAS PERMANENTLY ALTERED MY LIFE AFFECTING MY ABILITY TO SLEEP, FINISHED SCHOOL AND DEPPRESSION. THIS WAS MY CELEBRATION CAR FOR WORKING HARD TO GET INTO MY CURRENT FIELD AS A COMPUTER SPECIALIST FOR THE DOD. I NOW HAVE TO TAKE SLEEPING AIDS TO GET TO SLEEP. AND GOD FORBID IF I WAKE UP DURING THE NIGHT BECAUSE GOING BACK TO SLEEP IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES BUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET HAS LED ME TO A COUPLE OF WEBSITES OF AUDIO REPAIR SHOPS IN FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA WHICH SHOW THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM. MERCEDES BENZ ULTIMATELY DISCOVERED IT WAS DEFECTIVE DRAIN PLUGS DIRECTLY OVER THE AMPLIFIER WHICH ALLOWED WATER TO LEAK DIRECTLY ONTO THE AMPLIFIER WHEN THE CAR GETS WET INCLUDING WITH MORNING DEW WHICH THE WATER DRAINS DIRECTLY ONTO THE AMPLIFIER. THE AMPLIFIER BLEW UP WHILE DRIVING TO WORK AND FORTUNENATELY FOR ME NO OTHER PERSON WAS INJURED AS I HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS GOING TO EXPLODE; THE SOUND WAS THAT LOAD. THE CAR HAD A LITTLE OVER 19,000 MILES WHEN THIS OCCURED
WHEN DRIVING ON RTE 6 IN HYANNIS, MASSACHUSETTS IN MY MERCEDES CLK 430 (THE DROP DOWN OPTIONS ONLY INCLUDE CLK 320) , THE "BATTERY ALTERNATOR" LIGHT WENT ON ON THE DASHBOARD. WITHIN SECONDS THE ENTIRE CAR SHUT DOWN AT HIGH SPEED. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE RIGHT LANE AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITH A VERY HARD STOP ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE WAS AN "OPEN RECALL" ON MY CAR FOR PRECISELY THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO FIND OUT WHY I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THEY CLAIMED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT INSTEAD A "SERVICE BULLETIN" WAS ISSUED AND THAT, UNDER THIS CIRCUMSTANCE NO NOTICES WERE REQUIRED TO BE SENT TO THE CAR OWNER. THE RATIONALE WAS THAT THIS WAS NOT DEEMED A "SAFETY" ISSUE. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE POSSIBILITY OF A TOTAL SHUT DOWN OF THE CAR COULD NOT BE DEEMED TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIPS CAN VOLUNTARILY CORRECT THE PROBLEM IF AND WHEN THE CAR IS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE. IF THE CAR IS NOT BROUGHT IN THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE HARD STOP. ALTHOUGH THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED (THE BUMPER HAS NOT) I HAVE NOT YET PICKED UP MY CAR SO I AM UNSURE AS TO WHETHER I WILL BE CHARGED FOR CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE BY THE DEALER THAT I WOULD NOT BE CHARGED SINE THIS IS A RECALL BUT THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CASE. *NM
WHEN DRIVING ON RTE 6 IN HYANNIS, MASSACHUSETTS IN MY MERCEDES CLK 430 (THE DROP DOWN OPTIONS ONLY INCLUDE CLK 320) , THE "BATTERY ALTERNATOR" LIGHT WENT ON ON THE DASHBOARD. WITHIN SECONDS THE ENTIRE CAR SHUT DOWN AT HIGH SPEED. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE RIGHT LANE AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITH A VERY HARD STOP ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE WAS AN "OPEN RECALL" ON MY CAR FOR PRECISELY THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO FIND OUT WHY I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THEY CLAIMED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT INSTEAD A "SERVICE BULLETIN" WAS ISSUED AND THAT, UNDER THIS CIRCUMSTANCE NO NOTICES WERE REQUIRED TO BE SENT TO THE CAR OWNER. THE RATIONALE WAS THAT THIS WAS NOT DEEMED A "SAFETY" ISSUE. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE POSSIBILITY OF A TOTAL SHUT DOWN OF THE CAR COULD NOT BE DEEMED TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIPS CAN VOLUNTARILY CORRECT THE PROBLEM IF AND WHEN THE CAR IS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE. IF THE CAR IS NOT BROUGHT IN THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE HARD STOP. ALTHOUGH THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED (THE BUMPER HAS NOT) I HAVE NOT YET PICKED UP MY CAR SO I AM UNSURE AS TO WHETHER I WILL BE CHARGED FOR CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE BY THE DEALER THAT I WOULD NOT BE CHARGED SINE THIS IS A RECALL BUT THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CASE. *NM