2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electrical System

MY WIFE PARKED THE CAR TO GET GAS IN A NOT SO GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, DUE TO BEING A SCHOOL TEACHER IN THAT AREA, KEY WOULD UNLOCK AND LOCK DOOR, AND WOULD LET YOU TURN KEY, BUT WILL NOT UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL, AND WILL NOT START CAR, NEITHER DID THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIGHT UP (CHECK ENGINE, ABS, TPMS, ABS, ETC), CALLED ROADSIDE, TOWED TO DEALER, DIAGNOSED AND CAME UP WITH BAD STEERING LOCK(ESL), WAS QUOTED $1200 FOR THE REPAIR, TOLD THEM TO GO AHEAD SINCE WE NEED THE CAR, CAR IS STILL THERE TODAY, DID GOOGLE SEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF CUSTOMERS WITH THIS SAME COMPLAINT. NOW, I THOUGHT I BOUGHT A DEPENDABLE CAR BEING THAT ITS A MERCEDES, GONNA GET RID OF IT NOW AND NOT BUY THIS BRAND AGAIN, THERE IS EVEN A CAMPAIGN SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE, I DO HAVE A CASE, WHICH THEY WILL CONTACT ME TOMORROW ABOUT THIS, MERCEDES SHOULD COVER THIS COST BEING THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, WHAT IF MY WIFE WAS ROBBED,OR EVEN RAPPED BECAUSE OF WHERE THIS HAPPENED, OR WHAT IF THE COMPONENT DECIDED TO LOCK UP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THEN WILL THEY RECALL THIS? *TR

WHEN THE KEY WAS PLACED IN THE IGNITION, THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINED LOCKED. A MESSAGE ON THE DASH ADVISED TO REMOVE THE KEY. THIS WAS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE. THE LIGHTS, RADIO AND CAR LOCKS WORKED FINE. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I AM WAITING FOR THE OUTCOME. IT IS INTERESTING THAT THE TOW COMPANY THAT PICKED UP MY VEHICLE ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAD TOWED APPROXIMATELY 30 MERCEDES IN THE LAST 2 WEEK AND THAT APPROXIMATELY 20 OF THEM WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME COMPLAINTS. PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE, THE WEATHER HAD BEEN UNUSUALLY COLD, DOWN TO THE SINGLE DIGITS. ON THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT, THE WEATHER HAD WARMED UP. I HAVE BEEN READING THAT THE TROUBLE MAY BE CAUSED BY THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE READING DISPLAYED EMPTY ALTHOUGH THE FUEL CAPACITY LEVEL WAS HALF FULL. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS 08V303000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RADIO AND THE WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 109,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES C CLASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT ONE MONTH LATER, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH AND STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V303000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

MERCEDES BENZ C300, 2008 WAS STOPPED IN ORDER TO BE PARKED. I ACCIDENTALLY LEFT THE CAR IN "DRIVE" AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF COMPLETELY. I DO NOT PLACE MY KEY IN THE CAR IGNITION...I USE THE "KEYLESS GO" FEATURE AVAILABLE BY MERCEDES BENZ. THE KEY FOB ALWAYS REMAINS IN MY POCKET. I EXITED THE CAR, CLOSED THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR AND WITH MY KEY FOB I LOCKED ALL THE CAR DOORS AND WALKED AWAY FROM THE CAR. 45 MINUTES LATER I NOTICED FROM MY OFFICE WINDOW THE CAR HAD ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET. I FEEL THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE IN THAT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED ME TO LOCK ALL THE CAR DOORS WITH THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE. OTHER MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES DO NOT EXHIBIT THIS FAULTY FEATURE AND MAKE THE DRIVER AWARE THAT THE CAR IS IN DRIVE OR ELSE SOME MERCEDES MODELS AUTOMATICALLY MOVE THE CAR INTO "PARK" FROM "DRIVE" TO AVOID THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT THE CAR CAN ROLL AWAY BY ITSELF. *TR

C300 FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION SEEM TO WORK CORRECTLY.THE ENGINE WOULD START AND CUT OFF IMMEDIATELY. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, FINALLY THE CAR STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS PROBABLY COMPUTER AND A FULL RESET WILL FIX THE ISSUE. I GOT THE CAR BACK A WEEK LATER. WHILE DRIVING BACK HOME, I STOPPED TO GET GAS. I TURNED OF THE CAR AND AFTER PUMPING THE GAS, IT REFUSED TO START AGAIN. I HAD TO CALL THE ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE. THE CAR IS BACK AT THE DEALER NOW FOR 7 WEEKS. I ALSO HAVE A CASE OPEN WITH MERCEDES BENZ. SO FAR THERE IS NO RESPONSE AS TO WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THE ISSUE. *TR