NHTSA complaint: 2007 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 — POWER TRAIN
MINOR ACCIDENT IN LA, CAR TAKEN TO M-B OF CALABASAS THEY RECOMMENDED TRANSMISSION SERVICE. 12 DAYS LATER, CAR WAS PARKED, PUT IN PARK, ENGINE TURNED OFF, OWNER/PASSENGER IN CAR, DRIVER LEFT VEHICLE. CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, HIT A SOFT SPOT IN GRAVEL, ROLLED OVER TWICE DOWN STEEP EMBANKMENT, STOPPED AGAINST A TREE. PASSENGER NOTICED CAR WAS IN PARK, UNBUCKLED HER SEAT BELT TO ENGAGE EMERGENCY BRAKE, TOO LATE. RIGHT HAND, SHOULDER AND BACK INJURED. CAR TOWED TO M-B OF WILSONVILLE. THEY SAID IT WAS TOTALED. REGIONAL MANAGER SAW CAR. NO RESPONSE AFTER REPEATED CALLS. NO ACTION TAKEN ON CAR. CALLED CORPORATE: 800-367-6372. VERY GRACIOUS. INVESTIGATED STATUS, REPORTED THAT REGIONAL MANAGER ADMITTED THAT HE HAD DROPPED THE BALL. RECEIVED LETTER (06/02/11) FROM M-B STATING "THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FAULTS OR DEFECTS WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE DESCRIBED EVENTS." SINCE THE CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION WAS NOT ADDRESSED AND MERCEDES-BENZ DECLINES ANY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE MATTER, THE CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN. OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES HAVE REPORTED A SIMILAR MALFUNCTION, AS YET NOT ADDRESSED BY M-B. VEHICLE WILL BE AUCTIONED OFF FOR PARTS, SINCE IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation