# 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK320 — ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
> NHTSA complaint `1030749` · 2014-01-07 · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCEDES BENZ
- **Model:** SLK320
- **Year:** 2001
- **Manufacturer:** Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
- **Component:** ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
- **Miles at failure:** 122,000
- **Speed:** 40 mph
## Narrative
CAR DRIVEN NORMALLY ON COLD, CLEAR NIGHT. ROAD CONDITION WAS FAIR (DRY FROM CENTERLINE TO TRAVEL LANE MIDPOINT W/ HARD-PACKED SNOW FROM THERE TO SHOULDER). EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION, SQUEALING NOISE & SLIGHT PULL TO RIGHT. STOPPED TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBILITY OF BLOWN TIRE. FOUND NOTHING WRONG AFTER VISUAL INSPECTION, SO RESUMED DRIVING.    APPROX. 15S LATER, SQUEALING, VIBRATION & SENSATION OF PULLING TO RIGHT RETURNED, THEN CAR WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUTS & SLOWED FROM 40 TO 25MPH. CAR THEN SHUDDERED VIOLENTLY W/ LOUD SCREECHING NOISE, SNAPPED TO RIGHT & LOST CONTROL. ATTEMPTS TO COUNTER STEER WERE INEFFECTIVE AS CAR SLID ON HARD-PACKED SNOW FOR APPROX. 100' & STRUCK SNOWBANK AT 20MPH. FORTUNATELY SNOW WAS VERY LIGHT, DRY AND FLUFFY & DECELERATION WAS REASONABLY GENTLE. NO MAJOR DAMAGE OCCURRED & AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.    AFTER EXTRICATING, CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. AN OBSERVER STANDING OUTSIDE THE CAR NOTED FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WOULD ROLL FOR A FEW FEET, THEN LOCK UP. SHUT ENGINE OFF & RESTARTED (ATTEMPTING TO RESET SYSTEMS). AT THIS POINT BOTH 'BAS ESP' AND 'ABS' WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED (THEY WERE NOT LIT PREVIOUSLY). CAR STILL COULD NOT BE DRIVEN - FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP AFTER A FEW FEET OF TRAVEL & HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY.    LATER DETERMINED INCIDENT CAUSED BY YAW SENSOR FAILURE. FRONT RIGHT WHEEL HAD BEEN LOCKING & SLIDING ON HARD PACKED SNOW THEN SUDDENLY REGAINED TRACTION WHEN IT CROSSED A DRY PATCH OF PAVEMENT, CAUSING THE RAPID DIRECTIONAL CHANGE & LOS
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*