The current spate of HB failures is not a first for M-B.

A Recall Campaign (Safety Recall #96-0413) occurred in April, 1996; approx. 152 MY '96 vehicles (R129, W140, W202 & W210) equipped with the M104 were affected. W210 vehicles were most prevalent in the affected chassis list. The campaign was initiated because MBAG determined that the "engine damper pulley may break due to a manufacturing fault."

M-B acknowledged that:

"The drive belt pulley on your car's engine could develop fatigue cracks in the metal and break. If the drive pulley breaks, your car would not have engine cooling, battery charging and power steering. Loss of these systems could cause you to lose control of the car."

An improved pulley was offered, installed free of charge; the working time required was approximately 1.5 hours.

In the letter that accompanied the Recall Campaign Bulletin, M-B of NA stated, with emphasis:

"WE SENT YOU THIS NOTICE BECAUSE WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR SAFETY."



Skip forward 8 years and we now have HB failures in the hundreds (thousands?) in a different engine family... and M-B denies a problem exists... guess they're now more concerned about their bottom line than our safety.