NHTSA complaint: 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ E350 — STRUCTURE:BODY
I PURCHASED THE CAR (CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED) ON DECEMBER 18, 2014. ON FEBRUARY 13, 2015 I WAS PARKING IN A RESTAURANT PARKING LOT. ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THE CRASH. AT FIRST I THOUGHT A VEHICLE HAD RUN INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR. HOWEVER, IT TURNED OUT MY VEHICLE HAD ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER CAR. I HAD JUST PULLED INTO THE PARKING SPOT (WHICH WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE) AND WAS ABOUT TO PUT IT IN PARK WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND THE OTHER CAR INVOLVED AND FILED WITH MY INSURANCE. ONCE I HAD MY VEHICLE BACK, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT IT FELT AS THOUGH THE CAR WAS MOVING BACKWARDS. I THEN TESTED THE CAR ON A SLIGHT INCLINE (5-10 DEGREES) AND WHILE IN DRIVE. IT ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CONTINUED TO ROLL UNTIL I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE. THIS CAR IS AN AUTOMATIC. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF AN AUTOMATIC ROLLING BACKWARDS WHILE IN THE DRIVE POSITION - ESPECIALLY ON A VERY SLIGHT INCLINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS "NORMAL". *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation