Eight problems related to front suspension coil spring have been reported for the 1997 Mercedes Benz 320. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
The contact owns a 1997 mercedes-benz 320e. The contact was driving approximately 40 mph on normal road conditions and there was a loud clanking noise outside of the vehicle. The driver pulled over to the side of the road to inspect the vehicle; however, the driver was able to resume operation. The vehicle began pulling in one direction. The following day the front driver side was slightly in a collapsed position. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The failure was contributed to the coil spring. The technician recommended that the vehicle be taken to an authorized dealer for repair. The vehicle has not been repaired for the malfunction at this time. The failure mileage was 120,000.
My husband & I were outside and heard a loud crash. My mercedes fell to the ground on the front drivers side. It took 2 jacks to lift it up. With the tire off he found the spring perch completely rusted off, the spring and holder on the ground. Our first thought was that I could have been on the road with my son when it happened. We did a quick internet search and found this to be more common that we could imagine. The defect even prompted a recall in canada. I am the original owner of this car with 103k+ miles. Originally it was purchased in nc but I have lived in mn for several years now & drive an SUV in the winter. I called mercedes roadside assistance when I found the customer service closed. They said they could tow it Tuesday & have it assessed but since it was out of warranty it would be up to the dealer to determine what to do and how much to charge. The defect should have been recalled in the us. Mercedes is aware of the issues & dealers are putting people's lives at risk. I bought this car b/c the 1997 consumer reports rated it the best car money could buy and safety was the only reason I was willing to pay so much. I was almost killed in an accident and wanted the best for my unborn child. The best could have killed us today. I would like others to be aware of this issue & I would like it documented somewhere other than a mercedes dealership where it will be swept under the rug, as I was today when the lady put me on hold & never came back.
- the contact stated that he has a 1997 Mercedes Benz e320. On 12/30/06 while driving between 40 and 45 mph, there was a loud bang and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the tire coil spring fell off of the vehicle and left the vehicle with no front end suspension and no ability to steer. The contact stated that the incident occurred at night, he was driving on a wide road, and no accident ensued. The contact stated that the vehicle finally stopped, but that the contact never regained control of the vehicle. The spring perch needs to be rebuilt. The contact stated that the front drivers side tire has no spring pushing it down anymore. Neither the weather nor the road conditions were a factor in the failure. The failure mileage was 154000.
The consumer stated the front coil springs were corroded. The consumer was concerned that the front end will collapse while driving. Please provide additional information.
While I was driving one of the chassis is broken and the spring dislocated and lost. Then the shocks damaged and the fender began to hit on the floor.
Consumer was traveling about 25 mph on a side street and spring coil that held vehicle together broke. Dealership was aware of problem. The right front spring tower broke away from the body.
The front right coil spring mount rusted out, causing the coil spring to come off and the frnt end to drop to the ground.
Consumer stated the right front coil spring mount collapsed due to rusting out, causing the vehicle to drop to the ground.