| Issue ID | 1559944 |
| Internal NHTSA # | 11204298 |
| Manufacurer | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. |
| Brand | MERCEDES BENZ |
| Model | E350 |
| Model Year | 2013 |
| File date | 02/04/19 |
| Component | SUSPENSION |
| Product type code | VEHICLE |
| Description of the problem | Despite all attempts, i am unable to get mercedes-benz usa to share the ground clearance specification for my vehicle. My car has 145,000 miles. I need to replace front shocks/struts. I need the ground clearance spec in order to determine whether to replace front springs at the same time. Ground clearance is commonly published as part of technical specifications for all other cars. This is the first car i have owned for which the ground clearance specification is neither published nor available through other means from the manufacturer. Mbusa first directed me to the local dealer but the dealer couldn't find the spec. Then they said that they did not have access to this specification and they couldn't help. Next, i reached out to the mercedes customer assistance center in europe. But they couldn't find the specification either. Finally, i received a phone call from mercedes-benz usa customer assistance center. They gave me a ground clearance specification that is far lower than the clearance on my car. For high-mileage cars, the ground clearance should be lower than spec, not higher. When i stated this, they gave me a different higher number. Bottomline - unless i have the true ground clearance specification for my car, i can't determine whether my car's suspension is in good health. A tired, sagging, suspension could lead to safety issues. On a related note, mercedes-benz has zero stock worldwide for the front springs for my 2013 vehicle. This is unacceptable for a car that is only 6 years old. |
| Vehicle Mileage at Failure | 145000 |
| Number of Occurences | |
| Source of the issue | NHTSA WEB SITE |
| City and State | CHAPPAQUA, NY |
| VIN pattern | WDDHH8JB5DAXXXXXX |
| Was vehicle invloved in a crash? | N |
| Was vehicle involved in a fire? | N |
| Was incedent reported to police? | N |
| Was medical attention required? | N |
| Was part original equipment? | |
| No. of injured persons | |
| No. of fatalities | |
| Date of purchase | 07/08/26 |
| Was original owner? | N |
| Anti-lock brakes | N |
| Cruise control | N |
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| DoT tire identifier | |
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| Was defective tire repaired? | |
| Date of manufacture | |
| Type of child seat code | |
| Type of restraint | |
| Dealer's name | |
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