# 2003 MERCEDES BENZ CL CLASS — ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
> NHTSA complaint `808052` · 2010-08-19 · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCEDES BENZ
- **Model:** CL CLASS
- **Year:** 2003
- **Manufacturer:** Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
- **Component:** ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
- **Miles at failure:** 81,200
- **Speed:** 65 mph
## Narrative
I HAVE A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ CL55 AMG. THE ABC OR ACTIVE BODY CONTROL SYSTEM  FAILED AND WITH VERY LITTLE WARNING, THE FLUID STARTED TO LEAK , SMOKE WAS EVERYWHERE AND I NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION BECAUSE OF THE THICK SMOKE AND POOR VISIBILITY. I HAD TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE THE CL55 TOWED TO MY MECHANIC  MY MECHANIC, WHO SPECIALIZES IN HIGH END MERCEDES BENZ TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE MERCEDES CL 55,65,600 MODELS  FROM 2003-2006.  MERCEDES KNEW ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND REDESIGNED THE LATER MODELS.    THE ORIGINAL STICKER PRICE OF THE CL MODEL IS ABOUT $120,000. MERCEDES KNEW ABOUT THIS ISSUE WITH THE ABC SYSTEM ON THE AMG MODELS BUT DID NOT MAKE A FACTORY RECALL.     I HAVE KNOW MET SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL CAR, 2003-6 CL55 AMG AND ALL OF THEM HAD TO HAVE THE ENTIRE ABC SYSTEM REPLACED WHICH IS WELL OVER $5500. ALSO , A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO MERCEDES BENZ, CALLED BENZWORLD.COM, HAVE NUMEROUS OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH THE ABC SYSTEM. THERE IS A CAMPAIGN OF CURRENT OWNERS WHO ARE PLANNING TO FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.    THE BREAKDOWN OF THE ABC SYSTEM WHILE DRIVE COMES VERY SUDDENLY AND WITH VERY LITTLE WARNING. I AM VERY LUCKY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT WHEN IT HAPPENED TO ME. THE REPAIR IS NOT ONLY VERY COSTLY ( $5500 ), BUT WILL CONTINUE TO BREAK DOWN AGAIN EVEN AFTER BEING REPLACED BY ORIGINAL MERCEDES PARTS BECAUSE OF THE FLAWED DESIGN.    INSTEAD OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE MERC
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*