I was driving on route 5, branch ave., near clinton, md, about 30 mph, down slight decline of a hill, approaching a place in the road where cars can enter the highway from both the left and the right. As we normally do, I pressed on the breaks to slow down, in case one of the cars sitting on both the left and right, decided to enter on to branch ave. My brakes failed - the foot peddle went completely to the floor when I was trying to slow down, there was little to no control in the steering wheel and I looked at the dashboard and it was lit up in red warning lights, first saying brake need maintenance (or something) at first. I manage to get the car to steer towards the right to get on the side of the road, hoping the rough terrain would help to slow the car to a stop. By this time the red warning lighted up dash board said stop, brake failure or something. The car finally stopped and I turned if off. I am 59 year old woman and was absolutely petrified - my whole body was shaking from the fear that I was going to wreck on this busy highway. Luckily for me the cars waiting to enter the road, did not and cars on the highway slowed down and went around me while the car was coasting towards the side of the road. There was no warning light telling me to get the brakes services - they just failed while I was driving on the freeway. I called Mercedes roadside service for them to pick up the car. After an hour and they had not arrived, I turned the car on, there was no red light. I pressed the brake and it didn't go to the floor but it was soft and went nearly to the floor. I kept pumping the breaks - something I used to see my father do - thinking that would bring the breaks back up so that I could at least drive back home to await service truck. I let Mercedes service know, then I slowly drove back, side roads, pulling over to allow cars to pass until got home.

- Brandywine, MD, USA

I own a 2003 E-class Mercedes Benz purchased this year from ralley motors, roslyn, New York. Since I took the title to the vehicle, there has been uncontrolled mild acceleration at low speeds, the car bucks and shakes upon de-acceleration resulting in my having lost control of the vehicle and consequently requiring my jamming abruptly on the brakes to avoid hitting another vehicles and pedestrians. In addition, the car had significantly steered to the right at all times, requiring my constantly having to steer to the left in order to drive straight ahead. The dealership has admitted that it can not repair the transmission problem, ie; the uncontrolled change of speed, bucking and acceleration of the motor vehicle. They have also replaced the instrument cluster which I believe is an important vehicle computer which controls many systems of the car, and the vehicle now has the third instrument cluster, all in one year of ownership, all due to product defects! the service manager has admitted to me that there is a design defect in the transmission which there allegedly is no fix to correct the problem. I was informed that due to horrible gas mileage, the torque converter of the transmission is specifically designed to lock up at low speeds, and this is the reason why the 2003 and 2004 E-class automobiles have this transmission problem. The service manager had advised me that he know of no fix from the factory. The dealership became frustrated when I expressed my displeasure, and has now informed me that they will no longer service my brand new automobile. The consumer stated the engine stalled, the wiper blades were noisy.

- Lake Success, NY, USA