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Malice4you

so, my trip to the range didn't go so well...

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19 hours ago, Malice4you said:

Car is a 2000 Mercedes

well i hate to say it, first stop on the unexplained electrical anomoly check list, is it german or gm? :p

19 hours ago, voyager9 said:

 

I thought airbag activation had two triggers: a sizable acceleration/deceleration as well as actual crumple sensors. I’m not a car guy but I can’t think of a scenario that would cause the systemic activation like that. 

it is supposed to take multiple sensors including accelerators yaw sensors and impact sensors to trigger a deployment

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2 hours ago, SuRrEaLNJ said:

well i hate to say it, first stop on the unexplained electrical anomoly check list, is it german or gm? :p

it is supposed to take multiple sensors including accelerators yaw sensors and impact sensors to trigger a deployment

Yup, normal operation is multi-sensor. Unless the control module is shorted. Had a vehicle that was REAL strict about sensor input to deploy to the point people wanted to sue for lack of deployment. Their control module sitll had a HUGE warning about battery disconnect and cap discharge before removing the wiring harness because you could trigger ALL the airbags. 

 

 

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On 6/11/2018 at 8:13 PM, Malice4you said:

It was flat bedded home.  Driver said in 21 years, he had not seen an example of spontaneous airbag deployment.

Glad you're ok. Would have been a lot worse if it had been a case of spontaneous human combustion!

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If you are going to be in the market for an affordable and reliable used car I highly recommend the last generation (2004 - 2008) Pontiac Grand Prix.  They have the very reliable 3800 engine under the hood.  "Bullet proof" is a term you'll hear often associated with the 3800.

Low mileage ones can be found for around $5k or so depending on miles, trim level and options.  

Again, glad you are okay.  Keep us posted as to what MB says and does for you.

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On 6/11/2018 at 7:13 PM, Malice4you said:

mercedes_airbags.jpg

airbags_arm.jpg

 

Car is a 2000 Mercedes E320 4matic wagon, with around 150,400 on it.  Transmission had not been acting up prior to today, so really no clue, if it even was the trans.  At first, I thought I had either a tire blowout or a rim had come apart, but all 4 are intact and holding air.  I suppose it's possible a diff went, I know too little about cars to guess much beyond that.  No fluids anywhere though.  I had it towed home instead of a shop - no reason since I'm considering it a total loss.

 

Scary - yeah, that's an understatement.  I'm glad more than anything that the airbags didn't knock me out....going 55 with no driver and no airbags to go off again would be...unpleasant....  It is also difficult to see out of the now much smaller viewing areas...I was glad i was already safely changing lanes when it happened.

 

Amazingly, no new underwear needed.

probable driveshaft couplings. they're not u-joints on mb....they're thick rubber. sorta like the rag joint on older steering shafts.

 

 glad you're ok.

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16 hours ago, raz-0 said:

Their control module sitll had a HUGE warning about battery disconnect and cap discharge before removing the wiring harness because you could trigger ALL the airbags. 

to think of all the warnings and procedures i disregarded when i was still turning wrenches

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2 minutes ago, Krdshrk said:

Honestly - it's an 18 year old car so they'd be like "Meh buy a new one you cheap bastard" :D

 

Recalls happen on old cars all the time. Like the chassis replacements on tacomas.. not THIS old, but certainly older.

Regardless, that should NOT happen, im sure we can agree on that, lol. The OP is a champ. Id have shat my pants and crashed into something for sure!

Correction; the tacomas and tundras were the same age and older, and they spent more than the vehicles were worth fixing them or buying them back, IIRC.

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2 hours ago, 1LtCAP said:

probable driveshaft couplings. they're not u-joints on mb....they're thick rubber. sorta like the rag joint on older steering shafts.

 

 glad you're ok.

 

That's exactly right (I have a 2002 AMG).  You'd know they were failing (usually slowly) if you have a 'clunk' when you shift into reverse from park or vice versa.   It's not impossible that the front flex joint came apart suddenly.

Your 2000 is too old to be affected by the Takata recall.

Sorry this happened to you!  Please let us know what you find out.

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Ah, Mercedes electrical gremlins...I remember them well.  I had a 2002 C230 Kompressor-widely acknowledged as one of the few true lemons made by Mercedes.  During the 36 month warranty period, it was in for service 36 times to address electrical system problems, with only a few being repeat problems.  Then the warranty period ended, it ate two automatic transmissions in a matter of months, and I limped in to a Mazda dealer in the only gear still working, with the car alarm blaring (the dealer couldn’t silence it) to get what little trade in value I could.   I’ve never been so glad to get rid of a car. 

And I don’t think my experience was as bad as the spontaneous 7 airbag deployment the OP experienced!

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