What 51 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Mercedes-benz S-class Phev

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY 2015 MERCEDES BENZ S-550 ON THE 14TH OF AUGUST, 2019. SHE HAD STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN CROSSED A 6 LANE INTERSECTION. SHE WAS MOVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION WHEN SHE WAS HIT BY A VW PASSET WHO RAN THE RED LIGHT AT AN ESTIMATED 40 TO 50 MPH. THE PASSET HIT DEAD CENTER ON THE B PILLAR BETWEEN THE DOORS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE MERCEDES. ALL AIR CURTAINS AND A REAR SEAT AIR BAG DEPLOYED ON THE UNOCCUPIED PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR, NONE DEPLOYED TO PROTECT DRIVER'S HEAD ABEAM THE B PILLAR.. MY WIFE'S HEAD WHIPPED VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT TOWARDS THE CRASH, THEN WHIPPED BACK VIOLENTLY TO THE LEFT HITTING THE LARGE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR PROTRUSION BUILT INTO THE B-PILLAR. SHE WAS BRIEFLY UNCONSCIOUS AND SUFFERED A SEVERE CONCUSSION AND MAYBE MORE AS MEDICAL TESTS ARE STILL ON GOING. IN ADDITION, SHE SUFFERED 4 HERNIATED DISCS IN HER NECK, 2 SEVERE. SHE ALSO SUFFERED AN ACUTE HERNIATED DISC IN HER LOWER BACK AS WELL AS NOW HAS SOME TMJ ISSUES WITH HER JAW AND HAS TO WEAR A MOUTHPIECE TO SLEEP. NO AIR BAGS OR SIDE AIR CURTAINS DEPLOYED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR, THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED PROTECT HER HEAD AND LIKELY LESSENED THE SIDE TO SIDE WHIPLASH CAUSING THE HERNIATED DISC ISSUES. WHEN I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ TO INQUIRE WHY NO DRIVERS SIDE AIR CURTAINS OR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, I RECEIVED A LETTER BACK SAYING THEY WERE NOT DESIGNED TO DEPLOY IN THIS CASE THE CAR, WAS A TOTAL LOSS WITH A $65,000 SETTLEMENT CHECK. MB IS SAYING ONLY THE SIDE CURTAINS ON THE SIDE THE CRASH OCCURRED DEPLOY IN THIS CASE PROTECTING NO ONE. AT THIS HIGH RATE OF SPEED, WITH MB STATING IN A LETTER THAT THE CAR'S AIR BAG PREFORMED AS PROGRAMMED, I THINK THERE IS A MAJOR SAFETY FLAW THAT LIKELY HAS CAUSED OTHER SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH.

NHTSA ODI 11298177

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ S550. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED ON THE HIGHWAY, ANOTHER DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST CAUSED A SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO THE MEDIAN. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK OVER TO THE HIGHWAY, THE FORCE CAUSED THE CONTACT'S WIFE TO HIT THE DOOR AND IT OPENED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO BRING TO THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GET THE DOOR CLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SMAIL MERCEDES WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT FAILURE WAS INHERENT TO GERMAN VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHERE A CASE WAS OPENED AND THEY OFFERED $5,000 TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF A NEW MERCEDES VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S WIFE SUFFERED FROM TROUBLE BREATHING, MODERATE MUSCLE PAIN. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,500. UPDATED 08/29/17*LJ *CN

NHTSA ODI 11006490