2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Complaint Log

INSTANT FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. CLUSTER UNDER RECALL #06V028000. WAS CHARGED BY DEALERSHIP. SAID MAKE AND MODEL WERE UNDER RECALL, BUT MY VIN # WAS NOT. *JB

INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS FAILED, NO ILLUMINATION. I CAN NOT SEE MY GAUGES. I CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID MY VIN # DOES NOT APPLY TO THE RECALL. IT IS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430. *JB

1. DRIVING VEHICLE ON LONG DISTANCE TRIP 2.. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND ALL GAUGES FAILED WHILE DRIVING. REPLACED FUSE TO RESTORE GAUGES, BUT FUSED FAILED WITHIN 5 MINUTES, REPEATED ATTEMPTS RESULTED IN THE SAME OUTAGE. 3. APPOINT WITH DEALER ON 9/11/06 TO REPAIR ESTIMATED $1400 COST. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DARKENED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FROZE . THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

MY DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW IS DEVELOPING SPOTS. I FOUND THE MANY OWNER OF THIS W220 S-CLASS MERCEDES BENZ HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. DEALER (CALIBER MOTORS) INSPECTED AND INFORMED ME THAT THE WINDOW STARTED TO DE-LAMINATE. SINCE MY BASIC WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 50,000 MILES I HAVE TO PUT UP THE BILL FOR THE REPAIR. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT 61K MILES. ONLY 4 YEAR OLD. THE FRONT 2 WINDOW DELAMINATING IS NOT MY FAULT BUT A DEFECTIVE PART. WINDOWS ARE NOT A WEAR ITEM THEREFORE IT SHOULD NOT FAIL OR IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT BEFORE THE LIFE OF THE CAR EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF AN IMPACT. COST OF REPLACEMENT IS SUBSTANTIAL.. COST CAN EXCEED $700 PER WINDOW FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT MAY BECOME A VISIBILITY SAFETY ISSUE IF MANUFACTURER REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE. CAR OWNER MAY MOST LIKELY NOT CHANGE THE WINDOW DUE TO COST ISSUES. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS PERTAINING TO THE ALTERNATOR, SPEEDOMETER, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING ENGINE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERS WHO DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO BE SERVICED BY THE DEALERS. AS VEHICLE WAS BEING RELEASED FROM SERVICE THE SPEEDOMETER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE RPM NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE DASHBOARD ALSO GAVE OFF A FOUL BURNING/ GAS ODOR THAT CAUSED THE PASSENGER TO GET SICK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERS AND CONTACT STATES THAT THE DEALERS REFUSED TO INSPECT VEHICLE OR TO PROVIDE SERVICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER/ DIRECTOR OF THE DEALERS HAS CALLED AND HARASSED THE CONTACT ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATES THAT SHE SPOKE TO AN NHTSA REPRESENTATIVE WHO WAS ABLE TO CHECK IN THE DATABASE FOR RECALLS AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEM RECALL MATCHED THE SAME SYMPTOMS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY SEEKING SERVICE FOR THE EXISTING PROBLEMS.

FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

THE AIRMATIC SYSTEM FAILS AND THE BODY OF VEHICLE CAME DOWN TO TOUCH ALL 4 WHEELS WHILE DRIVING HIGH SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE I-66 HIGHWAY. -THE DASHBOARD INDICATION SHOWED "AIRMATIC-------STOP, CAR TOO LOW" MAKING SCRAPING NOISE IN THE FRONT WHEEL WELLS BOTH SIDES. *NM

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE, UNABLE TO READ GAUGES, HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK, GOT TICKET FOR SPEEDING-CHECKED ON LINE AND SAW RECALL 2/1/06-NHTSA 06V028000-CALLED 3 DEALERS AND THEY KNEW NOTHING AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL, ALSO CALLED MB SERVICE 800-367-6372 AND THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT RECALL--I WAS QUOTED PRICE TO FIX $1850.--WHAT IS GOING ON? DO I HAVE TO WAIT AND NOT DRIVE VEHICLE UNTIL JUNE 10-OR PAY $1850 TO GET PROBLEM FIXED NOW? DOES MB EVER COMMUNICATE WITH ITS DEALERS ABOUT THESE RECALLS? *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STOPS AND THEN COLLAPSES TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP EACH TIME. THE STRUT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE AXLE CALIBRATED, AND THE WHEELS ALIGNED. THESE EFFORTS HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG, THEN SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE SUSPENSION EXPLODED, BUT ARE NOT AWARE HOW TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE.

DURING NIGHTTIME DRIVING, INSTRUMENT BACK LIGHTING WAS LOST. *NM

AFTER DRIVING AND PLACING GEAR OF 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430 IN PARK, MY CAR COLLAPSED SO LOW THAT CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN, LEAVING ALL OCCUPANTS STRANDED. AIRMATIC COMPRESSOR SYSTEM, WHICH IS CAR'S SUSPENSION SYSTEM TOTALLY FAILED. CAR TOWED ON FLAT BED TO DEALERSHIP. SEVERAL PARTS REPLACED, INCLUDING AIRMATIC COMPESSOR, SENSOR, FUSE, PUMP, AND MORE. CAR REPAIR COST ME $1000. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THERE WAS A THREE SECOND DELAY. THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE SUDDENLY. THE DELAY PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE WHILE DRIVING AND EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND AT ALL. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE GAS PEDAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE LOCKED IN PARK; IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE GEAR SELECTOR HOUSING. *AK THE GEAR WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK. UPDATED 021/21/06. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ON THE 405 FREEWAY SOUTH IN LA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA MY DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT ALONG THE SIDEWALLS. THE TIRE BRAND AND MAKE IS CONTINENTAL CONTI-TOURING CONTACT 225/60R16. THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 MERCEDES S430. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IN MY MERCEDES. POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, LIGHTS, DISPLAY, POWER WINDOWS ETC.*AK

2002 MERCEDES-BENZ S500 EXPERIENCING TIRE BLOW OUTS. *MR THERE WAS A RIGHT REAR GASH IN THE SIDEWALL AND A BULGE HIGH ON THE SIDEWALL NEAR THE REAR OF THE RIM, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT DUE TO FISSURE IN THE SIDEWALL, THE THIRD TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE. THE FOURTH TIRE WAS STARTING TO FRAY. (MODEL/S 500) *SCC *JB

2002 MERCEDES S430 HAS A DESIGN FLAW, NON INJURY TYPE BUT IT IS VERY ANNOYING, WINDSHIELD WASHER TANK IS MOUNTED IN A LOCATION WHICH CAUSES THE O RINGS IN THE TANK TO FAIL AND DISCHARGE ALL THE FLUIDS, RETURNED TO DEALER COUPLE OF TIMES, HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT FOR FREE LAST TIME. *NM

HESITATES ON ACCELLERATION(DANGEROUS AT INTERSECTIONS AND PASSING) HAVE COMPLAINED 4 TIMES TO SELLER AND THEY CAN NOT CORRECT IT. PLEASE ADVISE ME. THANKS DT

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, NO SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION GIVEN. *YH

ATTORNEY REQUESTS CERTIFIED COPIES OF RECALLS APPLICABLE TO 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S500V *TGW