Is drive shaft failure a major mechanical fault on mercedes part on a car 2 years old

ELIJAH123

MEMBER
2009 MERCEDES BENZ
28,000 MILES

Hi, I have a 2009 clc 200 kompressor which I have had for 20 months now. It has about 25,000 miles on the clock. About 8 months after I bougt the car I noticed that it was making a making a loud noise when driving over 60mph but I assumed that it was the balancing or the tyers. As I only drive in town I dont often drive at high speeds so I didnt notice the problem that often. A few days ago the car was struggling to drive over 40mph without shaking badly and then changing into reverse and drive was making a loud clunking sound. The car is still in warantee so I called mercedes and they came to collect it straight away. The engineer that came said that the drive shaft at the rear of the car had no bolts on it what so ever and it was being held together by a rubber thing (sorry not very experienced). He said that he has never come across something like this before and neither had the guy that recovered the car. He said that the drive shaft would of come off at the back and swung out which I am guessing could of caused a serious accident. Although they are going to fix the car do I have any grounds to ask for compensation as that day I was driving on the M25 with my son and was finding really difficult to control the car I would not like to imagine what would of happened to me if I had continued my journey.

Sunday, January 8th, 2012 AT 1:09 PM

3 Replies

JACKSPRAT

MEMBER
46 POSTS

You would probably have to hire an independent assessor to look into it

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Sunday, January 8th, 2012 AT 1:59 PM

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

I'M NO LAWYER

YOU COULD ASK ONE

I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT WITHOUT PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR ONE'S SELF.A "WHAT IF" SCENARIO WOULD BE PASSED OFF AS SOMETHING THAT DID NOT OCCUR. UNLESS MAYBE YOU COULD PROVE SOMEONE WAS "TRAUMATIZED" AND PERMANENTLY PSYCHOLOGICALLY DAMAGED

ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU SAID THAT YOU/ SON WAS HAVING PROBLEMS CONTROLLING IT AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT ANYWAY WITH OUT GETTING IT CHECKED OUT

SOMETHING TO SORTA PONDER ON--EVEN THOUGH IT IS FAIRLY NEW---IF YOU HAD PURCHASED IT AND DRIVEN IT OFF OF THE LOT, AND DID NOT NOTICE A TIRE WAS GOING FLAT---ONE HOUR LATER--IT GOES FLAT. WHERE DID THIS OCCUR. SHOULD YOU CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT? IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE NEW! WHOSE FAULT IS IT. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

I WOULD BE HAPPY THEY ARE REPAIRING IT AND IT WILL COST YOU NOTHING

IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, AND FULLY KNOWING NOTHING "LEGAL" MOST LIKELY WILL OCCURWHINING AND BEGGING SOMETIMES MAY GET YOU SOME KIND OF BENEFIT ANYWAY.I AM GOOD AT THAT IN EVERYDAY SITUATIONS.I WILL PRESENT MY LEGITIMATE GRIEF IN A GROWN-UP--SOMETIMES HUMOROUS MANNER, SOMETIME IT WORKS--SOMETIMES IT DON'T, I'D SAY 50% OF THE TIME I GET A FREEBIE OF SOME SORT

THE 50% OF THE TIME THAT DOES NOT WORK, GETS MY WIFE ALL P. ISSED OFF AT ME, IN THAT (IN HER EYES) I'M BEGGING, AND IT IS EMBARRASSING TO HER

THE 50% OF THE TIME THAT I AM SUCCESSFUL, SHE PRAISES ME, AND BRAGS TO OTHERS.I HAVE GOTTEN SOME REALLY GOOD DEALS AND FREEBIES. NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT ME SPEAKING UP!

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT--FREAKING OUT USUALLY GETS YOU NOTHING!

THE MEDIC

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Sunday, January 8th, 2012 AT 3:08 PM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Thumb of rule, when vehicle does not feel right, you should stop and get it checked immediately.

When propeller shaft bolts gets loose, they don't drop off immediately and it took sometime for it to drop off completely so you had ample time to look at it.

Whether you can get any compensation is another matter, if an accident had occurred, would any compensation be sufficient?
You knew vehicle had a problem but chose to ignore it and in the process put the safety of you and your family and those on the road at risk.

You are lucky this time, so are those who might have been in the way then. Hope it is a lesson well learnt.

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Sunday, January 8th, 2012 AT 5:05 PM