What 193 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Mercedes-benz CLA

BOUGHT BRAND NEW CLA250 A YEAR AGO AND DRIVING LAST WEEK ON THE HIGH WAY AND "INOPERATIVE MODE" WENT ON AND YOU LOSE ALL ACCELERATION POWER. AFTER I PULLED OVER FINALLY RESTARTING THE CAR A FEW TIMES I REGAINED ACCELERATION. CURRENTLY AT DEALER BEING ASSESSED

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WHILE TRAVELING AT 50MPH DOWN A BUSY STREET DURING MY MORNING RUSH HOUR COMMUTE, THE VEHICLE CUT OFF ALL POWER AND WENT INTO "PRE-SAFE MODE" WHICH IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS "LIMP HOME MODE." WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE DRIVER HAS NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND IF THE DRIVER IS UNABLE TO PULL OVER IN A SAFE AREA, PUTS THEM AT EXTREMELY HIGH RISK OF SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH ESP (TRACTION CONTROL). A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH OF THIS ISSUE WILL VALIDATE THIS AS A WIDESPREAD MAJOR DESIGN FLAW IN MERCEDES BENZ PRODUCTS. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK INTO THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, AS MANY OTHER MERCEDES OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCE THIS IN MORE DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES (ON THE HIGHWAY).

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WHAT IS THE PROBLEM-PRE SAFE MALFUNCTION ERROR WHEN DOES IT HAPPEN-WHILE DRIVING IS IT PREDICTABLE-NO IS IT SAFE-NO WHY-THE CAR SUDDENLY LOSES ACCELERATION ,WHEN THE PRE-SAFE ERROR COMES ON. SCENARIO-DRIVING A CLA 250 AT 60 MPH ON A MOTORWAY ON A QUIET ROAD IN FRONT OF A TRUCK.... PRE-SAFE MALFUNCTION KICKS IN THE CAR SLOWS DOWN AND LOSES ACCLN. THE TRUCK DRIVER CANNOT PREDICT THIS BEHAVIOR A THIS IS NOT A NORMAL PATTERN TO SLOW DOWN SUDDENLY FROM 60MPH ON A QUIET FREEWAY. VERY VERY DANGEROUS.

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BROUGHT CLA250 6/2015 AFTER THREE MONTHS LOSS POWER, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON CAR DECELERATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER 3 DIFFERENT INCIDENTS, TO BE TOLD THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON MY CAR. WILL KEEP YOU POSTED AFTER PICK UP. CAR WAS AT THE STOP LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATION WENT DOWN.

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WHILE DRIVING MY CLA THAT I HAVE ONLY HAD 4 MONTHS THE CAR TURNED OFF AND SAID IT'S INOPERABLE! I WAS ALMOST HIT MULTIPLE TIMES, WHEN DROPPED IT OF AT DEALER THEY WOULDN'T EVEN GIVE ME A LOAN. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW! *TR

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INOPERATIVE - PRE-SAFE FUNCTIONS LIMITED - I'VE HAD THIS ERROR COME UP 3X SO FAR, IT HAPPENED 2X JUST LAST NIGHT ON A 10 MINUTE DRIVE. FIRST TIME WAS ON THE FREEWAY, HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE 2X OTHER TIMES HAPPENED LAST NIGHT, DRIVING 10MINS IN THE EVENING, BOTH HAD TO PULL OVER AND RESTART. THE SECOND TIME, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP. I HOPE THIS IS ADDRESSED QUICKLY AS I CAN SEE THAT THE COMPLAINTS ARE PILING UP ON HERE. *TR

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I LEASE A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ CLA250. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AS THE MESSAGE BOARD DISPLAYED INOPERATIVE PRE SAFE FUNCTIONS LIMITED SEE OWNERS MANUAL. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1600. *TR

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I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY SURFACE STREET IN LOS ANGELES WHEN MY CAR LOST ALL ACCELERATION AND THE MESSAGE POPPED UP, "INOPERABLE, SEE MANUAL". I TRIED TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL TO QUICKLY MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE WHERE I COULD PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS BUT I COULD NOT ACCELERATE. I TURNED OFF THE CAR QUICKLY AND STARTED IT AGAIN AND IT WENT BACK TO WORKING FOR NOW. I AM TERRIFIED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IF IT HAPPENED ON A LOS ANGELES FREEWAY, I COULD EASILY BE KILLED. I AM 8 MONTHS PREGNANT AND FEAR FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY CHILD. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ CLA250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER THE INOPERATIVE MODE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,700.

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SUMMARY: PRE-SAFE FUNCTION LIMITED MESSAGE AND ESP LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH AND MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. ALMOST GOT TAKEN OUT BY AN 18 WHEELER. I TRIED HARD TO MOVE OVER TO THE SHOULDER. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TURNED IT BACK ON. IT WORKED AFTER THAT. THEN IT HAPPENED 40 MINUTES LATER. VERY BIG SAFETY ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. THIS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN 5 DAYS. *TR

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PRE-SAFE FUNCTION MESSAGE AND ESP LIGHTS APPEARED AND THE CAR STOPPED ALLOWING ME TO ACCELERATE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I HAD TO TRY TO MOVE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE RODE. AFTER MOVING TO THE SIDE, I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TURNED IT BACK ON. IT WORKED AFTER THAT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ CLA250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE PRE SAFE FUNCTION UNAVAILABLE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO UPDATED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

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DRIVING VEHICLE HOME ON I-95 SOUTHBOUND AT NIGHT. THE "ECO" DRIVE BLANKS OUT, A MESSAGE "RESCUE" APPEARS, THE SPEED DECREASES UNTIL STOPS, EVEN THOUGH THE MOTOR IS RUNNING. IF YOU TURN THE ENGINE OFF, WAIT A MINUTE AND THEN RE-START, YOU CAN DRIVE IT AGAIN. IT HAPPENED EIGHT TIMES TO ME BETWEEN FORT LAUDERDALE AND MIAMI. *TR

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DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 70-75 MPH ENGINE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING AND SPEED REDUCED TO 30 MPH WITH NO RESPONSE FROM GAS PEDAL. A SEMI RAN UP BEHIND ME AND SWERVED TO THE FIRE LANE. THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT IN ONE MONTH. THE OTHER TWO WERE AT 45 MPH. EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP THE CAR. ONCE IT IS STARTED IT RUNS AT FULL POWER, UNTIL IT DECIDES TO STALL AGAIN. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND WILL NOT DRIVE AGAIN. I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I AM IN DISCUSSION WITH GM AT DEALERSHIP TO WORK SOMETHING OUT. I WILL BE UNABLE TO SELL THIS CAR LATER IN MY OPINION BASED UPON THE COMMONALITY OF THE PROBLEM, YET THE DEALER ACTED LIKE THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT. I SHOULD HAVE GOOGLED IT FIRST AND THEN REMINDED THEM OF THE ISSUE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

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THIS IS ACTUALLY THE THIRD TIME THAT THIS HAPPENS TO MY CAR BUT THIS TIME I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND IT WAS A PRETTY SCARY EXPERIENCE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH. ALL OF THE SUDDEN, MY CAR LOST SPEED AND POWER. A WARNING MESSAGE SHOWED ON MY DASHBOARD READING "PRE-SAFE FUNCTIONS LIMITED SEE OPERATOR'S MANUAL" AT THIS POINT MY CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT AT A LOW SPEED AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FAST LANE OF THE FREEWAY. I PUT MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON AND LIKELY THE CAR BEHIND ME NOTICED THAT I WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH MY CAR. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, WAITED ABOUT A MINUTE AND TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AS I HAD DONE THIS THE OTHER TWO TIMES THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED. ONCE I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. HOWEVER THIS WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE AS THE CAR LOST SPEED AND THE CAR BEHIND ME COULD HAVE REAR ENDED ME. ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THIS CAR IS THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON ABOUT 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH AFTER RECEIVING A WARNING MESSAGE "INOPERATIVE". ANOTHER ISSUE "HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS MALFUNCTIONING" I HAVE LEFT A MESSAGE TO TAKE MY CAR FOR SERVICE. I AM WAITING FOR A CALL BACK. *TR

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ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2014 AND SEPTEMBER 21, 2014, VEHICLE 'PRE SAFE FUNCTIONS LIMITED, INOPERATIVE' LIGHT COMES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER. BOTH TIMES DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50-60 MPH. FIRST TIME DRIVING ON STREET AND WAS ABLE TO COAST HOME. SECOND TIME I WAS ON MAJOR HIGHWAY....VERY DANGEROUS! UNABLE TO ACCELERATE BOTH TIMES. TOOK VEHICLE INTO LOCAL DEALERSHIP ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE ISSUE AND RETURNED CAR. DID NOT DRIVE VEHICLE FOR 1 WEEK DUE TO TRAVEL, RETURNED AND WITHIN 2 DAYS OF DRIVING THE CAR, ERROR MESSAGE RETURNED AND I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE CAR. TO GET THE CAR TO FUNCTION, MUST TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON AND THEN IT DRIVE-ABLE. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THIS ISSUE ACTUALLY OCCURRED SEVERAL WEEKS PRIOR BUT I DID NOT REPORT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE LIGHT CAME ON AND QUICKLY WENT BACK OFF. ALSO EXPERIENCED SLOW ACCELERATION ISSUES WHEN MOVING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. *TR

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I WAS DRIVING ON A MAIN ROAD WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY. I COULD NOT GET IT TO START, NOR PUT IT ON NEUTRAL GEAR, TO AT LEAST PUSH IT AWAY. A MESSAGE IN RED POPS UP ON THE SCREEN THAT SAYS "SERVICE REQUIRED, DO NOT SHIFT GEARS, VISIT DEALER". I COULD NOT PUSH THE CAR AT ALL, BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFTED AUTOMATICALLY TO PARKING AND IT WON'T MOVE TO NEUTRAL. I WAS STUCK ON THE MAIN ROAD FOR 15 MINUTES. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO GET HIT OR RUN OVER BY THE INCOMING TRAFFIC. I CAUSED A PANIC ON THE STREET BECAUSE I WAS BLOCKING IT. FORTUNATELY, A POLICE CAR SHOWED UP, AND THE OFFICER HELPED ME BY DIVERTING THE TRAFFIC AWAY FROM ME. I HAD THE CAR CHECKED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT AT THE DEALER, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, AND THAT THEY HAVE UPDATED ITS SOFTWARE TO THE LATEST VERSION. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MERCEDES-BENZ NOW, AND WILL WAIT THE RESULTS. *TR

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TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 15MPH AND SLOWLY ACCELERATING, VEHICLE BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE TO THROTTLE INPUT, AND ENGINE REMAINED AT IDLE SPEED. DISPLAYED SHOWED THE MESSAGES "PRE-SAFE INOPERABLE" AND "SEE OWNER'S MANUAL." AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, THE CAR DROVE NORMALLY. IT WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR, AND WAS RETURNED TO ME AFTER THE SERVICE ADVISER ADVISED ME THAT THEY COULD "FIND NO CODES." THE VERY SAME ERROR OCCURRED A FEW DAYS LATER. THIS TIME THE SERVICE ADVISER SAID THAT ERROR CODES WERE FOUND, THAT THERE WAS A "CONFLICT IN THE PROGRAMMING", THAT ALL OF THE HARDWARE CHECKED OUT, AND THAT "REPROGRAMMING THE MODULE" WILL FIX IT. 36 HOURS LATER IT OCCURRED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE ADVISER SAID THAT A MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE DATABASE INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH A WIRING HARNESS IN THE THROTTLE, AND THAT REPLACING THAT HARNESS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THE CAR STALLED WITH NO WARNING. A NUMBER OF DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING THE PARKING BRAKE, TRACTION CONTROL, ABS, ENGINE, TIRES, AIRBAG, ETC... THERE WAS A RED MESSAGE IN THE INFORMATION DISPLAY THAT READ "SERVICE REQUIRED. DO NOT SHIFT GEARS. VISIT DEALER.", THAT ALTERNATED WITH A YELLOW MESSAGE THAT READ "TRACTION CONTROL INOPERATIVE. SEE OPERATOR'S MANUAL." I WAS ABLE TO COAST CLOSE TO THE CURB TO MOVE OUT OF THE TRAFFIC LANE BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER. A FLAT BED WAS CALLED TO TAKE IT TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. *TR

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I JUST PICKED UP MY CAR FROM MERCEDES SERVICE TODAY, 7/10/2014 FOR THE ISSUE DESCRIBED BELOW. IT HAD BEEN IN SERVICE SINCE 7/1/2014. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. ONE PART THEY NEEDED WAS BACK-ORDERED AND UNAVAILABLE FROM MERCEDES SO THE MECHANIC REBUILT THE CONNECTION. THAT STILL DID NOT STOP THE FAULT CODE SO IN CONSULTATION WITH MERCEDES THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND BELIEVED THEY RESOLVED THE ISSUE. THE EXACT SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED TODAY, APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER PICKING THE CAR UP. WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THE CAR STALLED WITH NO WARNING. A NUMBER OF DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING THE PARKING BRAKE, TRACTION CONTROL, ABS, ENGINE, TIRES, AIRBAG, ETC... THERE WAS A RED MESSAGE IN THE INFORMATION DISPLAY THAT READ "SERVICE REQUIRED. DO NOT SHIFT GEARS. VISIT DEALER.", THAT ALTERNATED WITH A YELLOW MESSAGE THAT READ "TRACTION CONTROL INOPERATIVE. SEE OPERATOR'S MANUAL." I WAS ABLE TO COAST CLOSE TO THE CURB TO MOVE OUT OF THE TRAFFIC LANE BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER. A FLAT BED WAS CALLED TO TAKE IT TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY THE ACCELERATOR STARTED TO HAVE A DELAYED RESPONSE. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR BETWEEN 3 TO 5 SECOND AFTER THE CAR WAS STOPPED. AFTER THE DELAY, THE CAR WOULD RESPOND AND WAS DRIVABLE, BUT AFTER EVERY SUBSEQUENT STOP, THE 3 TO 5 SECOND DELAY WOULD RETURN. THIS CONTINUED FOR THE 20 MILES THAT I DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE CAR AND REPAIR IT. I BELIEVE THIS UNRESPONSIVENESS OF THE ACCELERATOR TO BE A DANGEROUS CONDITION AS IT PREVENTED ME FROM BEING ABLE TO DRIVING NORMALLY AND COULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM MOVING MY VEHICLE IF IT WAS STOPPED AND A SITUATION REQUIRED IT TO BE MOVED QUICKLY. AT THIS TIME THIS OCCURRED THE FOLLOWING WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE ESP WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, THE ESP SYSTEM "OFF" LIGHT CAME ON, AND A MESSAGE STATING THAT "PRESAFE FUNCTIONS WERE UNAVAILABLE" APPEARED ON THE DASH BOARD COMPUTER SCREEN. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL. I PULLED THE CAR OVER. RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE CONDITION FIXED ITSELF. THIS TIME, RESTARTING THE CAR DID NOT CLEAR THE CONDITION. *JS

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TODAY I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND APPROACHED THE LIGHT TO EXIT AND MY DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH A PRESAFE SYSTEM FAILURE, SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE AND MY CAR SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND THE ERROR CLEARED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF IT HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY OR WHILE DRIVING ON A CROWDED STREET. I CALLED THE DEALER TODAY AND WAS TOLD IF THE ERROR WAS NOT CURRENTLY ON THE DASH THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND THEY NEEDED TO LOOK AT THE CAR. GOD FORBID I AM ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT DISABLED. LAST WEEK MY BROTHER-IN- LAW SAW THE SAME CAR DISABLED IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY. I HOPE MB FIXES THIS PROBLEM FAST BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT. *TR

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