CAR BEGAN TO RIDE ABNORMALLY; VIBRATION IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND NO MOVEMENT FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION AS WOULD NORMALLY BE OBSERVED AS A RESULT OF SHOCK ABSORBER TRAVEL. BROUGHT THE CAR TO A BODY SHOP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. AS I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT THE FRONT SUSPENSION TOTALLY COLLAPSED AND THE FRONT SPRINGS FELL OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BODY SHOP AND THE LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER ALL CONFIRM THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT FROM MERCEDES THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS UNWILLING TO RECALL. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF DOCUMENTED CASES ON THE INTERNET. HAD THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED TO ME WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY I AND MY FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. CAR HAS BEEN IN THE BODY SHOP FOR NEARLY 2 WEEKS AS THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM MERCEDES BENZ IN GERMANY. I AM FORCED PAY FOR A $2800 REPAIR, AS WELL AS RENT A CAR FOR WEEKS WITH NO ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL OF THE NECESSARY PART TO REPAIR THE CAR. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE OF A FRAME WELD SHOULD NEVER OCCUR ON ANY VEHICLE. THE FACT THAT MERCEDES HAS NOT BEEN FORCED TO ISSUE A RECALL IS OUTRAGEOUS. *JB