2005 Mercedes-Benz G-Class 4-DR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ G500. WHILE DRIVING OVER 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SBC PUMP MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER RECALL RELATED TO THE SBC PUMP; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,755. THE VIN AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WERE UNAVAILABLE.

THE VEHICLE HAS TURNED OFF BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. ENGINE TURNS OFF, ALL ELECTRICAL POWER INCLUDING POWER STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST SHUTS OFF - WHEN THIS HAPPENS VEHICLE BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. TO REGAIN POWER, VEHICLE MUST BE SWITCHED TO NEUTRAL, COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND KEY NEEDS TO BE CYCLED OFF AND BACK ON. DEALER, MERCEDES BENZ OF WESTMINSTER IN COLORADO HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WITH A GREAT DEGREE OF CERTAINTY, ALTHOUGH THEY THINK IT MAY BE A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH. DEALER HAS CONTACTED MBUSA FOR THEM TO AUTHORIZE EXPLORATORY REPAIRS AT NO OR PARTIAL COST TO THE CUSTOMER, WHICH MBUSA HAS REFUSED. THIS IS THE SAME IGNITION SWITCH WHICH WAS USED ON 2005-08 MERCEDES C-CLASS AND HAS CAUSED A MYRIAD OF ELECTRICAL ISSUES AS DOCUMENTED BY VEHICLE OWNERS ON VARIOUS FORUMS SUCH AS MBWORLD.ORG AND BENZWORLD.ORG - MERCEDES HAS ISSUED A TSB FOR THOSE VEHICLES, BUT NOT FOR LOW PRODUCTION # VEHICLES SUCH AS A G500. *TR

I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 MERCEDES G-55 WHICH HAD AN AFTERMARKET DVD SYSTEM WITH SCREENS IN BOTH FRONT HEADRESTS. UPON REMOVING THE HEADRESTS TO INSTALL SEAT COVERS, WE DISCOVERED THE DVD INSTALLER HAD CUT INTO THE HEADREST POSTS, THUSLY RUINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE HEADRESTS. I HAVE ORDERED NEW HEADRESTS FROM MERCEDES 6 WEEKS AGO. WE BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND ALSO FEAR THAT MANY AFTERMARKET DVD SYSTEM INSTALLERS MAY BE CUTTING THE HEADREST POSTS AND THE CONSUMER IS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THE DAMAGE DONE TO THEIR HEADRESTS AND THE INTEGRITY THAT IS LOST. AS WE ALL KNOW HEADRESTS ARE AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE IN MODERN AUTOMOBILES AND HAVE SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES AND LESSENED THE LIKELIHOOD OF WHIPLASH, HEAD AND NECK INJURY. WE PLAN TO RETAIN THE OLD, ALTERED HEADRESTS UNTIL WE ARE SATISFIED THIS PROBLEM IS ADDRESSED. I HAVE BEEN IN THE AUTOMOTIVE TRADE FOR 31 YEARS AND DO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF SAFETY, INTEGRITY AND THE CONSEQUENCE OF ALTERATIONS SUCH AS THIS. THANK-YOU. *TR