| Issue ID | 647237 |
| Internal NHTSA # | 10205311 |
| Manufacurer | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. |
| Brand | MERCEDES BENZ |
| Model | SL55 |
| Model Year | 2006 |
| File date | 12/04/06 |
| Component | TIRES |
| Product type code | VEHICLE |
| Description of the problem | Since i took delivery of my brand new mercedes-benz sl-55, i noticed severe pulling to one side to the point that, after more than 15 minutes of driving, i will have to switch arms to continue applying compensating weight on the steering wheel. After several repair attempts, the pulling decreased but never disappeared. However, other symptoms started surfacing, such as severe uneven tire wear on the front and development of ridges, lump or deformities that cause noise and create a "limping" effect. As more months passed by and tire(s) continued wearing unevenly, the ride got worse; to the point that i loss control of vehicle at 55mph+ a couple of times fortunately without crashes or injury. After those incidents, i minimized the use of the vehicle, and drove slower and more careful; but even at reduced speeds handling is affected even on everyday on-road conditions, but more noticeable on curvy roads or rainy weather. After that, the car continued receiving service until a defect notification was sent to the manufacturer. The manufacturer replaced and balanced 2 front tires, front thrust arms (2) and bearing bushes; alignment was performed too. Approx. 5000 miles later, the same problems were back and intensified gradually. The problem persists as of 10/10/2007. |
| Vehicle Mileage at Failure | 8700 |
| Number of Occurences | 2 |
| Source of the issue | NHTSA WEB SITE |
| City and State | MARCO ISLAND, FL |
| VIN pattern | WDBSK74F36FXXXXXX |
| Was vehicle invloved in a crash? | N |
| Was vehicle involved in a fire? | N |
| Was incedent reported to police? | N |
| Was medical attention required? | |
| Was part original equipment? | |
| No. of injured persons | 0 |
| No. of fatalities | 0 |
| Date of purchase | 07/07/05 |
| Was original owner? | Y |
| Anti-lock brakes | Y |
| Cruise control | Y |
| Number of cylinders | 8 |
| Drive train type | RWD |
| Transmission type | AUTO |
| Vehicle speed | 57 |
| DoT tire identifier | |
| Tire size | |
| Location of tire code | |
| Type of tire failure code | |
| Was defective tire repaired? | |
| Date of manufacture | |
| Type of child seat code | |
| Type of restraint | |
| Dealer's name | MERCEDES-BENZ OF FT. LAUDERDALE |
| Dealer's telephone number | 954 713-1000 |
| Dealer's city | FT. LAUDERDALE |
| Dealer's state code | FL |
| Dealer's ZIP code | 33316 |