2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electrical System

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

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IN MY 2002 CLK55 AMG STARTED NOT DISPLAYING RANDOM LEDS IN THE TEMPERATURE, TIME AND DRIVE/REVERSE/1/2/3 GEAR. THE RANDOM LOSS OF LEDS IS CONSTANT. I CAN NO LONGER SEE THE TIME, TEMPERATURE OR WHICH GEAR THE CAR IS IN BASED ON THE LED. *TR

THE LIGHT BULBS IN MY 2002 MERCEDES C320 ARE REPEATEDLY GOING OUT. IN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE REPLACED (OR HAD THE DEALER REPLACE) THE TRUNK LIGHT TWICE, THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT TWICE, BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS IN THE BACK AT LEAST ONCE. IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS, WE'VE REPLACED THE FRONT LEFT TURN SIGNAL LIGHT 3 TIMES. THE DEALER CLEANED THE CONNECTORS LAST WEEK - SAYS THAT MERCEDES KNOWS OF A FAULTY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR PROBLEM AND AN EXEC AT MERCEDES WAS FIRED OVER THE BAD CONTRACTOR THEY USED. CURRENTLY THE FRONT LEFT TURN SIGNAL WORKS SPORADICALLY. WE'LL BRING IT IN TO GET REPLACED AND IT WILL WORK, SO I DRIVE IT HOME AND IT STOPS WORKING AGAIN. NOW THE DEALER SAYS I MAY NEED TO REPLACE THE WARNING SOFTWARE (BIG $). HE SUGGESTED I WRITE TO YOU. *JB

ERROR MESSAGE APPEARING ON MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY STATING THAT "UNDER VOLTAGE CONSUMER DEFECTIVE!" ALONG WITH A "BATTERY/ALTERNATOR VISIT WORKSHOP" ERROR. TAKING THE CAR TO A SERVICE STATION INDICATES THAT THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR IS FAULTY. CURRENTLY THERE IS A RECALL FOR ALL MERCEDES MODELS EXCEPT MINE IN THE USA. EVENTUALLY THE BATTERY BECAME DISCHARGED. *JB

THE C ONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER CALLED FOR ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE . THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE CONSUMER STARTED UP THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT HOME. THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START UP. THE CONSUMEER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON A DIAGNOSTIC. THE DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT UNDETERMINED SPEED BRAKE LINE LOW LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE 5 MINUTES LATER. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE MANUFACTURER/DEALERSHIP, THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM.*AK

WHEN DRIVING 15 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. 15 SECONDS LATER, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DUE TO SEVERE FIRE DAMAGE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK

ESP & BAS WARNING MESSAGES APPEARED ON THE MESSAGE SCREEN TWICE, ONCE ON 1-20-03 & AGAIN ON 1-27-03, THE FIRST TIME DEALER SAID IT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU DIDN'T TIGHTEN THE GAS CAP. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE MESSAGES WERE GONE THE NEXT DAY. ON 1-27-03 I CALLED RALLYE MOTORS TO TELL THEM & I HAVE AN APPT FOR MARCH 10, 2003.

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING ONTO A RAMP, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM HAD FUNCTION ERRATICALLY. THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE RIGHT REAR BRAKES CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE INTO THE CURB. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS DEFECTIVE PART IS LIFE THREATENING. SCC

THE C230 COUPE SHUT OFF WHILE ON HIGHWAY

I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR REPEATED REPAIR: 1-7-02 TO 1-14-02, 2-14-01 TO 2-19-02, 3-4-02 TO 3-7-02, 5-2-02 TO 5-3-02, 5-21-02 TO 5-28-02, AND THE DEALER HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR SHUTTING OFF ON ME. THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE CAR WUILL SHUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY, IN TRAFFIC, GOING UP A HILL, THEN THE DASHBOARD WILL LIGHT UP, MENTIONING SYSTEM FAILURE. I HAVE USED THE SOS BUTTON IN MY CARE REPEATEDLY TO GET HELP, BUT THAT IS STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ USA, AND MERCEDES IN STUTTGART GERMANY. I HAVE PUT THEM ON NOTICE TO PURCHASE THE CAR BACK FROM ME, AND THEY HAVE A WEEK AND A HALF LEFT TO RESPOND. I TRY TO NOT TO DRIVR THE CAR A LOT, WHICH DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF PURCHASING A NEW VEHICLE, BUT FRANKLY, I AM SCARED THAT SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN, BECAUSE IT HAS SHUT OFF ON ME ON I75 GOING 60 PLUS MILES AN HOUR. IT IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THERE ARE PROBLEMS CONCERING THE ESP AND BAS SYSTEMS WARNING MESSAGES THAT ARE APPEARING ON THE MONITOR, WHEN TRAVELING AT A MODERATE RATE OF SPEED IN A STRAIGHT LINE, THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER ALONG WITH BRAKING SENSATION.*JB