High Severity Issue
This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.
This Problem Across All Years
These models were recalled on March 9, 2009 NHTSA CAMPAIGN 09v076000. my vin number apparently did not fall within the selected vin numbers. However my auto even though it is the same year as the recall has this same exact defect and condition and is deemed to be a fire hazard. what are my options.
These models were recalled on March 9, 2009 NHTSA CAMPAIGN 09v076000. my vin number apparently did not fall within the selected vin numbers. However my auto even though it is the same year as the recall has this same exact defect and condition and is deemed to be a fire hazard. what are my options.
THE AUTOMATIC REAR HATCH CLOSED BUT DID NOT LOCK. DURING ACCELERATION THE REAR HATCH STARTED TO OPEN. ANY FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO LOCK THE HATCH WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE REAR HATCH COULD NOT BE LOCKED. *TR
THE AUTOMATIC REAR HATCH CLOSED BUT DID NOT LOCK. DURING ACCELERATION THE REAR HATCH STARTED TO OPEN. ANY FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO LOCK THE HATCH WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE REAR HATCH COULD NOT BE LOCKED. *TR
MY MERCEDES ML350 WAS PARKED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. FLAMES BEGAN SHOOTING OUT OF THE RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT. BY THE TIME THAT WE SAW IT AND EXTINGUISHED IT THE ENTIRE BACK OF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND THE CAR TOTALED.(MATTER OF MINUTES) THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. I HAVE PICTURES SHOWING THAT FIRE CAME FROM THE ELECTRICAL PANEL IN THE RIGHT REAR OF THE CAR. I HAD NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OTHER THAN A HALF AN HOUR EARLIER THE LEFT REAR TAILLIGHT WAS STUCK ON. ALSO TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR I CALLED THE DEALER TO SAY THAT I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOME PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BECAUSE THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD RANDOMLY STOP COOLING. WHEN I TOOK IT IN THEY COULD NEVER FIND THE PROBLEM - IT WAS INTERMITTENT. SINCE THE FIRE MERCEDES CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN TERRIBLE. I ASKED THEM TO REPLACE MY LOST BELONGINGS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE (THIS WASN'T MUCH) AND IT APPEARS THAT ALL THEY WANTED TO DO WAS GET RID OF ME AND SWEEP THIS ISSUE UNDER THE RUG. CUSTOMER SERVICE MERCEDES OFFERED TO GIVE ME $4,000 OFF THE BEST DEAL THAT I COULD NEGOTIATE OFF A NEW MERCEDES AT MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALERSHIP IF I WAS TOO BUY A NEW ONE - THEY SEVERAL TIMES GAVE EXTENDED ME THIS OFFER - WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND GOT A PRICE, CUSTOMER SERVICE MERCEDES TOOK BACK THEIR OFFER. WHEN I ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR THE ATTENDANT HUNG UP ON ME. THE DEALERSHIP WAS GOOD TO DEAL WITH - CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE TERRIBLE! I'VE CALLED THREE TIMES SINCE AND THEY WILL NOT PUT A SUPERVISOR ON THE PHONE. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR - IT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE LOOKED INTO SO THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO OTHERS. I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT THE FIRE DIDN'T START WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHE. I HAVE PICTURES IF ANYONE CARES TO SEE PROOF OF WHAT I'M SAYING. *TR
MY MERCEDES ML350 WAS PARKED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. FLAMES BEGAN SHOOTING OUT OF THE RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT. BY THE TIME THAT WE SAW IT AND EXTINGUISHED IT THE ENTIRE BACK OF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND THE CAR TOTALED.(MATTER OF MINUTES) THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. I HAVE PICTURES SHOWING THAT FIRE CAME FROM THE ELECTRICAL PANEL IN THE RIGHT REAR OF THE CAR. I HAD NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OTHER THAN A HALF AN HOUR EARLIER THE LEFT REAR TAILLIGHT WAS STUCK ON. ALSO TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR I CALLED THE DEALER TO SAY THAT I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOME PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BECAUSE THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD RANDOMLY STOP COOLING. WHEN I TOOK IT IN THEY COULD NEVER FIND THE PROBLEM - IT WAS INTERMITTENT. SINCE THE FIRE MERCEDES CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN TERRIBLE. I ASKED THEM TO REPLACE MY LOST BELONGINGS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE (THIS WASN'T MUCH) AND IT APPEARS THAT ALL THEY WANTED TO DO WAS GET RID OF ME AND SWEEP THIS ISSUE UNDER THE RUG. CUSTOMER SERVICE MERCEDES OFFERED TO GIVE ME $4,000 OFF THE BEST DEAL THAT I COULD NEGOTIATE OFF A NEW MERCEDES AT MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALERSHIP IF I WAS TOO BUY A NEW ONE - THEY SEVERAL TIMES GAVE EXTENDED ME THIS OFFER - WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND GOT A PRICE, CUSTOMER SERVICE MERCEDES TOOK BACK THEIR OFFER. WHEN I ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR THE ATTENDANT HUNG UP ON ME. THE DEALERSHIP WAS GOOD TO DEAL WITH - CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE TERRIBLE! I'VE CALLED THREE TIMES SINCE AND THEY WILL NOT PUT A SUPERVISOR ON THE PHONE. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR - IT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE LOOKED INTO SO THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO OTHERS. I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT THE FIRE DIDN'T START WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHE. I HAVE PICTURES IF ANYONE CARES TO SEE PROOF OF WHAT I'M SAYING. *TR
IN OCTOBER 2012, I OPENED THE REAR HATCH OF MY 2009 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 AND IT WOULD NOT CLOSE. I CONTINUED TO PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE HATCH DOOR, ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND ON THE KEY IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLOSE THE HATCH DOOR. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES, I WAS SUCCESSFULLY ABLE TO CLOSE IT. THREE WEEKS AGO, THE REAR HATCH MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN, HOWEVER, THIS TIME IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED THE BUTTON ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HATCH, ON THE INSIDE ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND ON THE KEY IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE HATCH TO OPEN. I LEFT FOR A BUSINESS TRIP THE NEXT DAY, AND WHEN I RETURNED MY CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE TO GET A JUMP OF THE BATTERY. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MERCEDES DEALER, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD A SUSPICION THAT THE DEAD BATTERY WAS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INVOLVING THE REAR HATCH. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE REAR HATCH CAUSING A PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY. WHILE DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REAR HATCH EITHER FAILING TO OPEN OR FAILING TO CLOSE AND AS A RESULT THE BATTERY DRAINS. FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT THE PROBLEM CAUSES THE BATTERY TO DRAIN IS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT THE BULB THAT ILLUMINATES THE LICENSE PLATE IN THE REAR HATCH DOOR WENT OUT AS WELL. APPARENTLY THE BULB CONTINUED TO STAY ON BECAUSE THE SENSOR IN THE DOOR WAS ACTIVATED, WHICH WOULD ONLY HAPPEN WHEN THE HATCH DOOR IS OPEN. FAILURE OF THE HATCH DOOR TO OPEN, MEANS THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TREATED THE HATCH DOOR AS IF IT WAS AJAR EVEN THOUGH THE LOCKING MECHANISM WAS MALFUNCTIONING NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN. SO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTINUOUSLY KEPT ATTEMPTING TO LATCH THE DOOR WHICH IS WHAT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. *TR
IN OCTOBER 2012, I OPENED THE REAR HATCH OF MY 2009 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 AND IT WOULD NOT CLOSE. I CONTINUED TO PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE HATCH DOOR, ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND ON THE KEY IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLOSE THE HATCH DOOR. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES, I WAS SUCCESSFULLY ABLE TO CLOSE IT. THREE WEEKS AGO, THE REAR HATCH MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN, HOWEVER, THIS TIME IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED THE BUTTON ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HATCH, ON THE INSIDE ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND ON THE KEY IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE HATCH TO OPEN. I LEFT FOR A BUSINESS TRIP THE NEXT DAY, AND WHEN I RETURNED MY CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE TO GET A JUMP OF THE BATTERY. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MERCEDES DEALER, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD A SUSPICION THAT THE DEAD BATTERY WAS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INVOLVING THE REAR HATCH. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE REAR HATCH CAUSING A PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY. WHILE DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REAR HATCH EITHER FAILING TO OPEN OR FAILING TO CLOSE AND AS A RESULT THE BATTERY DRAINS. FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT THE PROBLEM CAUSES THE BATTERY TO DRAIN IS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT THE BULB THAT ILLUMINATES THE LICENSE PLATE IN THE REAR HATCH DOOR WENT OUT AS WELL. APPARENTLY THE BULB CONTINUED TO STAY ON BECAUSE THE SENSOR IN THE DOOR WAS ACTIVATED, WHICH WOULD ONLY HAPPEN WHEN THE HATCH DOOR IS OPEN. FAILURE OF THE HATCH DOOR TO OPEN, MEANS THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TREATED THE HATCH DOOR AS IF IT WAS AJAR EVEN THOUGH THE LOCKING MECHANISM WAS MALFUNCTIONING NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN. SO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTINUOUSLY KEPT ATTEMPTING TO LATCH THE DOOR WHICH IS WHAT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HATCHBACK DOOR DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A SENSOR THAT WOULD PREVENT THE DOOR FROM CLOSING IF A PERSON WAS IN THE DOOR PATH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESIGNED WITH A SENSOR AND THAT WERE UNABLE TO ALTER THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HATCHBACK DOOR DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A SENSOR THAT WOULD PREVENT THE DOOR FROM CLOSING IF A PERSON WAS IN THE DOOR PATH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESIGNED WITH A SENSOR AND THAT WERE UNABLE TO ALTER THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,000.