2006 Mercedes-benz Ml500 Base Sport Utility 4-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Mercedes calling in CLS, E-Class over rubber seal fire risk

Mercedes-Benz has discovered a problem with certain E-Class and CLS-Class models and has notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of a recall it's undertaking to resolve the issue. The problem is with the rubber seal at the back of the engine bay, which according to the statement below "may temporarily stick to the hood when it is opened and then may fall into the engine bay when the hood is closed." If it then comes into contact with the exhaust system, it could start a fire. And fires in the engine bay are never a good thing, unless they're contained entirely within the combustion chamber. The issue affects an estimated total of 147,224 E-Class and CLS-Class vehicles, all told, across America – including four-doors, wagons, hybrids and AMG performance models (but no E-Class coupes or convertibles) from the 2013-15 model years. To fix the problem, Benz dealers will simply need to attach four additional clips to keep the seal in place, and will start doing so midway through next month. RECALL Subject : Rubber Seal may Dislodge and Contact Exhaust Report Receipt Date: FEB 13, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V088000 Component(s): STRUCTURE Potential Number of Units Affected: 147,224 Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. SUMMARY: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 E350 Sedan, E350 4Matic Sedan, E350 4Matic Station Wagon, E400 Hybrid Sedan, CLS 550 CGI, and CLS550 4Matic, 2013-2014 E550 4Matic Sedan, 2013 E63 Sedan, E63 Station Wagon and CLS63, 2014-2015 CLS63 4Matic, E63 4Matic Sedan, E63 4Matic Sedan "S", and E63 4Matic Station Wagon, 2015 CLS400, 2015 E400 Sedan, E400 4Matic Sedan and CLS400 4Matic and 2014 CLS63 "S". The affected vehicles have a rubber seal at the back of the engine bay that may temporarily stick to the hood when it is opened and then may fall into the engine bay when the hood is closed. CONSEQUENCE: If the rubber seal falls into the engine compartment, it may contact parts of the exhaust system, increasing the risk of a fire. REMEDY: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will attach four additional retaining clips to the rubber seal, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by mid-March 2015. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-201-573-5339. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2015020001. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Daimler buying 12% stake in Beijing Auto

Daimler and Beijing Automotive are officially going steady, with the German company set to take a 12-percent stake in the Chinese brand tomorrow. The two are already tied up in a Mercedes engine plant in Beijing, of which BAIC will increase its stake in, from 50 to 51 percent. Daimler will also get two seats on the Chinese company's board. BAIC may also gain the ability to produce cars on Mercedes-Benz platforms, according to Automotive News Europe.
The investment in BAIC comes ahead of that company's initial public offering, according to a report form Bloomberg, which indicates the deal will be inked tomorrow in the Chinese capital. According to the report, if the circumstances are right, BAIC may turn around and invest in the Germany company "soon."
It's not entirely clear just how much the 12-percent cut is costing Daimler, although it seems reasonable to assume that, as it's ahead of the IPO, the parent company of Mercedes is getting a bit of a bargain.

Daimler cutting Mercedes and Smart prices by 18% in Switzerland

Automakers including Daimler and PSA are now offering substantial discounts in Switzerland to make it more affordable for Swiss customers to buy their cars, according to the latest from Bloomberg. The move, instituted by two of Europe's largest automakers, comes in response to the surprise decision last week by the Swiss National Bank to suddenly abandon its longstanding policy of capping trading of the Swiss Franc to 1.20 francs per euro. The policy has sent the value of the franc soaring, making imports into Switzerland less expensive while increasing the value of its exports. The discounts being offered by the automakers could therefore be viewed more as price adjustments to better match the changing currency value rather than an actual incentive. But whichever way you look at it, a new Mercedes or Smart will now cost Swiss buyers 18 percent less than the list price, while Peugeot and Citroen dealers in the Confoederatio Helvetica are chopping 1,000 francs ($1,144) off the price of a new passenger car or 1,500 francs ($1,716) for a new commercial vehicle. Conversely, high-end Swiss watchmakers like Rolex and Patek Philippe are looking at increasing their prices to keep up with the currency fluctuation, particularly in Japan, where the yen has dropped 17 percent against the franc in the past few days. News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Sandro Campardo/Keystone/AP Mercedes-Benz smart Car Buying Citroen Peugeot switzerland