The following was posted on the bulletin board from www.bekkers.com:

Hello,
I am posting this as a warning to everyone who has bought the 99 E430 sport. Two days ago while I was at my office a nurse from the office next to mine came to my office frantic, and told my office manager that my car was burning. I walked outside to see that my 4 month old car was completely ingulfed in flames. The car was a complete loss.

I just learned today from my insurance carrier that after their investigation they found that the battery somehow was touching the metal of the seat springs. This is what caused the fire.

I have talked to my local service adviser and she has assured me this has not been observed before, and this is an isolated event.

I would suggest everyone with the rear battery should check to see that the terminals are covered.

IF ANYONE HAS HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS, PLEASE POST A RESPONSE HERE. IF THIS IS HAPPENING SOMEONE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

Dr. Steven Schaub

BMW started putting batteries under the rear seat over 10 years ago. I haven't heard of any M.B. or BMW ever with fire problem. Now battery acid damage is another story, esp/BMW.

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MERCEDES BENZ MASTER GUILD TECHNICIAN
ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN
27 YEARS M.B. TECH

just looked under seat in my 99 E-300TD.
The seat bottom is plastic with no exposed
metal of any kind. Then there is another layer of pad, also plastic over the Bat. the Bat. itself has a cover over the + terminal.
...I guess they fixed the problem <G>

I hate to point the finger at anyone, but it sounds like an installation error to me. I have never heard of this before on an MB.

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Benzmac:
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
LEAD TECHNICIAN FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

Sounds like what used to happen in the old VW Bugs.....

I will check mine..

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Chris Ecklund
98 300 DT

I also have a 99 E430 Sport. I don't have the fire hazard yet. Can someone tell me how to open up the rear seat to check the battery? It didn't say in the manual.

There is locks at rear seat button left & right just unlock then pull up seat button.

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MB STARS Master Guild Technician,12 years MB tech
5 years independent shop owner

This may sound like an expensvie fix, but if you're keeing your Benz for the long term and want to aviod any problems with leaking batteries, try to find a gel-type battery. These batteries use no internal fluid, so they do not leak. Many racers use them as they can be used in any orientation (on side, etc.) I do not have any knowledge on longevity etc, anyone who does please post?

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10702312013187

also on gel-cel batteries, the standard one in my 99 td is 54lbs, but optima deep cycle is approx 47lbs.

http://www.optimabattery.com/optima.html check out this web site for more specs and prices

Delroy, the prices on that page are excellent! I recently paid over $130 for an Optima 800U.

The Optima was not the exact same size as my stock battery, and I had to "stretch" the cables to just reach the battery terminals. Hoping for no problems as the cables shrink in cold weather!

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Robert W. Roe
1984 300SD 165,505 miles