1997 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS Problems & Recalls

I TOOK MY CAR INTO GET THE SUSPENSION FIXED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SPRING PERCH THAT ATTACHED THE SPRING TO THE CAR HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND IS ABOUT TO BREAK. LUCKILY I FOUND IT BEFORE I HAD A BAD ACCIDENT. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF CHECKING WITH MERCEDES TO SEE IF THEY WILL STAND BY A POOR DESIGN ISSUE ...

Mileage: 96,000

I WAS COMING OFF WEST RT 46. I CAME TO A STOP SIGN,MADE A RIGHT AND AS I WAS DRIVING HEARD A THUMP NOISE....THEN AS I DROVE A SQUEAKING NOISE AND I PULLED OVER,LOOKED AT THE CAR ,AROUND IT AND UNDER IT AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I DROVE IT SLOWLY ABT A MILE HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME I OPENED THE HOOD AND ...

Mileage: 139,535

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E420. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN LIGHTLY DRIZZLED WEATHER CONDITIONS. THERE WAS A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE DRIVER EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. SUDDENLY, PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEH...

Mileage: 80,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E420. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN LIGHTLY DRIZZLED WEATHER CONDITIONS. THERE WAS A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE DRIVER EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. SUDDENLY, PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEH...

Mileage: 80,000

WHILE DRIVING, HEARD A RATTLING SOUND FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. SHORT WHILE LATER, STARTED TO PROCEED FROM A STOP AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION COIL SPRING CAME OFF THE CAR AND EXITED OUT THE WHEEL WELL WITH A BIG BANG AND ROLLED DOWN THE STREET ABOUT 75 FEET. *TR

Mileage: 102,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E300 DIESEL. WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPRING PERCH ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WAS RUSTING AND SEPARATED FROM THE SUSPENSION CHASSIS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140...

Mileage: 140,000

I HAVE A 1997 E420 MERCEDES THAT MY WIFE AND OUR ONE MONTH OLD BABY DRIVE DAILY. WELL SHE TOLD ME SHE HEARD SOME STRANGE NOISES COMING FROM THE WHEEL AREA OF THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. I TOLD HER THAT SHE BETTER LET US HAVE IT CHECKED OUT BEFORE DRIVING THE CAR ANYMORE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AN...

Mileage: 144,000

MY MB E300D'S ENGINE WILL CUT OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT STARTED GRADUALLY JUST CUTTING OFF WHILE SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION OR WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP. FEELING IT WAS ANYTHING FROM FUEL TO COMPUTER PROBLEMS I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THEY ADVISED THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM...

Mileage: 201,000

MR. GARY BOUND MERCEDES BENZ 3 PARAGON MONTVALE NJ 07645 DEAR MR. BOUND, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST YOUR ASSISTANCE ON A VERY TROUBLING MATTER. I HAVE 1997 MERCEDES E 420, , (IT HAS 81,000 MILES) WHICH RECENTLY DEVELOPED A SERIOUS DRIVING SAFETY ISSUE, MORE PRECISELY A LACK OF STEERING CON...

Mileage: 80,000

ON A 1997 MERCEDES E300D, THE RIGHT FRONT SPRING PERCH IS CORRODING CONSISTENT WITH THE MANNER DESCRIBED IN COMPLAINT PE07021. *JB

Mileage: 200,750

SOCKET DEFORMS THERMALLY CAUSING REAR BRAKE LIGHT NOT TO ILLUMINATE. PROBLEM IS ON MY 1997 MERCEDES E300 DIESEL VIN# [XXX]. EXACT SAME PROBLEM WAS RECALLED ON 98-2004 SLK-CLASS BUT NOT ON MODEL. RECALL # FOR SLK IS 2006-080005. THANKS. *NM UPDATED 07/11/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PUR...

Mileage: 90,000

SPRING PERCHES ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS RUSTED AND ARE FALLING APART. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY THREAT AND IF THE PERCHES BREAK WHILE DRIVING, PEOPLE CAN GET KILLED. LOCAL MERCEDES DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO REPAIR OR EVEN INSPECT THE PROBLEM AND IS TELLING ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. RUST ON ...

DRIVING STRAIGHT AT ABOUT 25 MPH WHEN THE LEFT FRONT SPRING PERCH BROKE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP CAR WITH NO INJURY OR DAMAGE TO THE CAR. *NM

Mileage: 129,600

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END STARTED SHAKING. THE PROBLEM WAS GETTING WORST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION WHO NOTIFIED THE PERCH, WHICH SUPPORTED THE COILS SPRINGS, WERE SEPARATED FROM THE STR...

Mileage: 78,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WAS OPENED, THERE WAS A RATTLING SOUND, AND A SOUND OF GLASS BREAKING. AFTER THESE INCIDENCES THE WINDOW WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CLOSE, EVEN THOUGH THE WINDOW MOTOR WAS STILL FUNCTIONING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SE...

Mileage: 62,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING FELL OFF. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC.

Mileage: 79,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A NOISE IN THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CONTACT'S REPAIR SHOP AND DETERMINED THE UPPER SPRING SUPPORT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE. THE CONTACT WELDED IN A NEW UPPER SPRING SUPPORT.

Mileage: 115,200

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH DOWN A SMALL HILL THE FRONT PASSENGER SPRING MOUNT (PERCH) ON MY 1997 E 300 DIESEL (W210) BROKE OFF CAUSING THE COIL SPRING TO FALL OFF OF THE CAR. THIS WAS AN UNBELIEVABLY DANGEROUS OCCURRANCE AND LUCKILY IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN I WAS GOING 65 MPH. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR MY A...

Mileage: 77,635

DT: THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THIS MORNING THAT THE SPRING HOUSING WAS CORRODED. THE FRONT COIL SPRING HOUSING CORRODED AND BROKE AWAY FROM THE BODY ON FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED BY THE CONSUMER WHILE HE WAS ROTATING HIS TIRES. HE FELT THE SPRING COULD COME OUT AND CAUSE THE LOSS OF VE...

Mileage: 104,000

SPRING PERCH IS CHEAPLY WELDED TO THE WHEEL WELL ON THE MERCEDES 210 CHASSIS (1997 E420). ALL OTHER CARDS HAVE IT ATTACHED TO A SOLID BAR. MERCEDES WELDED IT TO VERY THIN SHEET METAL WHICH MERCEDES KNOWS HAS BEEN FAILING AT AN ALARMING RATE (DEALER ADMITTED THIS TO ME - THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM EVERY ...

Mileage: 100,100

LOUD POP AND CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. FRONT SPRING SUPPORT (PERCH) CAME LOOSE FROM THE FRAME RAIL. FRONT SUSPENSION WAS REMOVED, NEW SUPPORT WAS WELDED TO THE FRAME AND SUSPENSION REPLACED. AFTER READING OWNERS FORUMS ON THE INTERNET, IT HAS BECOME QUITE OBVIOUS THAT MANY MERCEDES BENZ W210...

Mileage: 57,000

LEFT FRONT SPRING MOUNT FAILED WHILE CAR BEING DRIVEN APPROX. 45 MPH FAILURE DUE TO POOR WELD. DEALER REIMBURSED ONLY 50% OF COST. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 14 OF THESE SAME FAILURES ON YOUR SITE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.*AK

Mileage: 80,000

REMOVED LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND FOUND UPPER SUSPENSION SPRING PERCH BREAKING AWAY FROM BODY, COULD SEE POSSIBLE LOSS OF STEERING. NO INCIDENT YET BUT AN ACCIDENT AVOIDED. DEALER HAS THIS PARTICULAR PART IN STOCK AND ASKED IF IT HAD COME APART "YET" BECAUSE THEY HAD SEEN IT BEFORE.*AK

REMOVED LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND FOUND UPPER SUSPENSION SPRING PERCH BREAKING AWAY FROM BODY, COULD SEE POSSIBLE LOSS OF STEERING. NO INCIDENT YET BUT AN ACCIDENT AVOIDED. DEALER HAS THIS PARTICULAR PART IN STOCK AND ASKED IF IT HAD COME APART "YET" BECAUSE THEY HAD SEEN IT BEFORE.*AK

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR ASSEMBLIES 4 TIMES. TWICE ON THE PASSENGER REAR & TWICE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WINDOW. KEY PIECES LIKE PULLEYS AND THE ACTUAL PARTS THAT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE GLASS, IN THESE ASSEMBLIES ARE MADE WITH CHEAP PLASTIC COMPONENTS THAT BREAK UNDER NORM...

Mileage: 49,000

THE SEAT TRACK FOR THE CAR CONTINUES TO BE DEFECTIVE. CAR SEAT "ROCKS" EXCESSIVELY - CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DISTRACTION IN HEAVY/EMERGENCY BRAKING. THE FRONT SEAT TRACK WAS REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR (1996-2003). MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE ASKED TO REPL...

I AM A MERCEDES BENZ TECHNICIAN OF 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE AND HAVE BECOME AWARE OF AN OUTRAGEOUSLY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION. ON CERTAIN MODELS OF MERCEDES BENZ "210" BODIES THE SUPPORT THAT HOLDS THE UPPER PORTION OF THE COIL SPRING IN PLACE IS RUSTING OFF OF THE FRAME. IF...

Mileage: 90,000

FAX FM TOM AND HELEN SILVER (NJ) RE THE DEFECTIVE FRONT COIL SPRINGS ON THEIR 1997 E 420 MERECEDES BENZ. *MR WHILE THE VEHICLE SAT IDLING, THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING DETACHED (PROBABLE PARTIAL DETACHMENT) FROM ITS WELDED POSITION AND CAUSED THE RIGHT FRONT ABILITY TO SUPPORT THAT PORTION OF THE ...

Mileage: 93,000

DASHBOARD CRACKS ON MY 1997 MERCEDES E420 SEDAN. CRACKS HAVE BEEN APPARENT FOR 18 MONTHS; DEALER AND REGIONAL SERVICE REP DECLINE TO REPLACE/REPAIR. SIMILAR CRACKS HAVE BEEN WIDELY REPORTED IN MERCEDES E-CLASS SEDANS IN MODEL YEARS 96-00. CRACKS ARE AROUND PASSENGER AIRBAG DOOR. WONDER IF THIS...

Mileage: 70,000

FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SPRING FLEW OFF CAR WHILE DRIVING AND TOOK A LARGE CHUNK OF THE TIRE WITH IT. *NLM

SEVERE RUST DAMAGE TO FRONT PASSENGER SUSPENSION COMPONENT AND FRONT FRAME RAIL. RUST HOLE BIG ENOUGH TO PUT A HUMAN FIST INTO. APPROXIMATELY $3000 IN RUST REPAIRS, ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 67,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

Mileage: 64,000

SEVERE RUST DAMAGE TO FRONT PASSENGER SUSPENSION COMPONENT AND FRONT FRAME RAIL. RUST HOLE BIG ENOUGH TO PUT A HUMAN FIST INTO. APPROXIMATELY $3000 IN RUST REPAIRS, ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 67,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

Mileage: 64,000

MY CAR IS PRESENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR THE THIRD TIME WITH A MAJOR FUEL LEAK. EACH TIME HAS BEEN FOR A DIFFERENT LEAK. THE REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE BY A MERCEDES HOWEVER REPLACEMENT PART HAVE BEEN PURCHASE FROM MERCEDES AND MY REPAIRER HAS BEEN TOLD THAT DIESEL LEAKS ARE NOT UNCOMMON IN THESE MODEL...

ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN, ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING AND BRAKES WERE LOST WHEN THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. *SLC

CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, IN REFERENCE TO RECALL NUMBER 00V388000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NUMBER 2000110004 CONCERNING AIR BAG FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS AT DEALER FOR TWO DAYS, PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE DEALER'S FAILURE TO DO THE RECALL JOB ON TIM...

THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYED BY ITSELF WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. MERCEDES SPECIALISTS HAVE EVALUATED THE CAR AND CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE DEPLOYMENT. THEY HAVE OFFERED TO FIX IT FOR FREE IN RETURN FOR A BLANKET RELEASE FROM ALL LIABILITY "PAST" "PRESENT" AND "FUTURE" ...

CONSUMER BELIEVES BOTH FRONT ROTORS WERE WELL BELOW SPECS AND FAILED AT LOW MILEAGE AND BEFORE THE COMPUTERIZED BRAKE WEAR SENSOR WENT OFF. NLM

REAR ABS BRAKES FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. NLM

ALTERNATOR.

POOR PERFORMANCE OF WINDSHILED CAUSES LACK OF VISIBILITY THROUGH THE WINDSHILED WHEN IT RAINS.

POOR PERFORMANCE OF WINDSHILED CAUSES LACK OF VISIBILITY THROUGH THE WINDSHILED WHEN IT RAINS.

POOR PERFORMANCE OF WINDSHILED CAUSES LACK OF VISIBILITY THROUGH THE WINDSHILED WHEN IT RAINS.

DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN OCCASIONALLY BECAUSE OF DOOR LOCK FAILURE. YH