Unfortunately, NHTSA does not do a complete and impartial assessment of the different prolems out there among the driving public. I have a feeling that unless an issue has dire graphic mortal consequences, NHTSA shies away from issues that are expensive for a company to recall. Recalling all the defective engine wiring harnesses and defective throttle actuators (which also suffer brittle insulation and are actually more expensive to replace than the engine wiring harness, yet hasn't been widely discussed in this forum) would be rather expensive for MBUSA.

I had a personal experience with the Ford flex fan blade problem back in the late 70s. The blades had a tendency to break off and sometime injure the mechanics working under the hood tuning the engine. NHTSA forced a recall on these flex fans. The one on my car broke. When I went to the dealer, they told me my car doesn't qualify because my engine wasn't big enough!!! The recall was only for the 400 engine, and for some unknown reason excluded the 351 engines.... as if the 351 engines turned at slower rpm's!!!...... how infuriating!! All I can think of is that NHTSA compromised with Ford on this issue.

The Chrysler electronic 4-speed transmissions of the 90's was another lousy design and expensive fiasco that came within an inch of being recalled. This was a design where nearly every owner with these transmissions would have to replace it at least once during the lifetime of the vehicle, roughly every 80,000 miles. They never were recalled, but occasionally replaced under dealer goodwill policy.

It's unconscionable to allow a company to produce new products that are not thoroughy tested and proven before marketing to the public, then expect the public to pay for their mistakes. This is nothing more than using the public to field test new products. There must be some disincentive for manufacturers to continue this practise.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K