2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMGRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

“TAKATA RECALL. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN MERCEDES IS GOING TO HAVE A FIX FOR MY CAR? THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE WORKING ON THE PROBLEM. I HAVE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF NOTICES THAT THEY ARE GOING TO START REPAIRING THEM BUT THEN SEND ANOTHER NOTICE MONTHS LATER THAT IT'S BEEN DELAYED AGAIN.”

“THE FUEL TANK IS MOUNTED INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE CAR. THERE IS A FUEL LEAK INSIDE THE CAR, RENDERING IT UNSAFE TO START FOR THE FEAR OF THE VEHICLE EXPLODING. THIS IS A PRODUCTION ISSUE AS THE FUEL TANK SHOULD NEVER EVER LEAK INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT OR SUBJECTED TO ANY TYPE OF SEVERE JOLTS OR BUMPS ON NATIONAL ROADS.”

“WE HAVE A 2012 MERCEDES AMG SLS THAT IS A COLLECTOR'S CAR WITH ONLY 5000 OR SO MILES ON IT. IN THE LAST 5 YEARS, I THINK IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN ONLY ABOUT 2500 OR SO MILES BY US. EVEN THOUGH WE PUT VERY FEW MILES ON THE CAR EVERY YEAR, WE STILL GET AN ANNUAL SERVICE DONE. THIS YEAR WHEN WE TOOK THE CAR BACK HOME FROM THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WE NOTICED A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE "SENDING UNIT" OF THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CRACKED. THIS RESULTED IN THE PASSENGER CABIN OF THE CAR GETTING SOAKED IN GASOLINE, AS NOTED IN THE ATTACHED INVOICE. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD, AND THAT WE WERE VERY LUCKY THE CAR DID NOT CATCH FIRE. THE REASON OF THIS COMPLAINT IS THAT MERCEDES BENZ REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF SUCH A MAJOR SAFETY ITEM. THE REPAIR BILL WAS ALMOST $4,000, BUT SINCE WE ARE A LONG TIME CUSTOMER OF THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP, THEY GAVE US A BIG DISCOUNT. BUT THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT. MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD HAVE STARTED A SAFETY RECALL PROCESS AFTER DISCOVERING THIS DANGEROUS ITEM, AND TAKEN CARE OF OUR REPAIRS. OUR HOPE IS THAT NHTSA WILL LEAN ON MERCEDES BENZ TO DO THE RIGHT THING.…”