2001 Mercedes Benz S500 headlight problems

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

INSTRUMENTAL CLUSTER LIGHT NOT WORKING

NHTSA complaint #11228415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT ON 225 AND CHAMBERS AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AS SOON AS A HIT THE GAS MY ENTIRE DASHBOARD WENT BLANK. I NO LONGER HAD LIGHT AND MY GAUGES WERE NOT RESPONDING EITHER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I SEEN SOME FORUMS ABOUT THE RECALL SO I CALL THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT EVEN THOUGH ACKNOWLEDGED AS A SAFETY CONCERN THE RECALL WAS CLOSED JUNE 2011. I PURCHASED THE CAR JUNE 2010 AND NO ONE REACHED OUT. I HAVE ONLY ONE CAR AND I CAN NOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE I CANT SEE THE SPEED OR IF I EVEN HAVE GAS. I HAVE KIDS AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE I WORK BUT I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY $1800.00 TO FIX THIS AND I SHOULDNT HAVE TO. I CANT UNDERSTAND HOW A SAFETY RECALL CAN EXPIRE. SEEMS AS IF THERE IS NO TRUE REGARD TO SAFETY.

NHTSA complaint #10940293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 2010 IN JUNE AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BALL BEARING AND JOINTS AND THEY HAVE STOPPED WORKING ONCE AGAIN I WAS DRIVING LAST WEEK IN TRAFFIC AT AROUND 5 PM WHEN MY ENTIRE DASHBOARD WENT OUT NONE OF THE GAUGES ARE WORKING I COULDNT SEE ANYTHING.

NHTSA complaint #10939271 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

FOR THE SECOND TIME THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTING HAD TO BE REPLACE BY THE DEALER. IT DID THE SAME THING IT DID UNDER THE ORIGINAL RECALL. NO LIGHTING IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.

NHTSA complaint #10872037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE BACK LIGHTS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT ILLUMINATE THE SPEED MARKINGS STARTED TO FLICKER FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN TURNED OFF AND WENT DARK. THEN AFTER A FEW MINUETS, THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT DARK AND THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHAT SPEED YOU ARE GOING AT.

NHTSA complaint #10694437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHILE DRIVING ON A 400 MILE TRIP HOME IN THE DARK, THE ENTIRE CLUSTER LIGHTING TURNED OFF AND SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE. THE SITUATION WAS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY TO FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG. AS NO FUSES OR RELAYS WERE BLOWN OUT, I HAD TO USE A SMALL FLASHLIGHT TO ILLUMINATE THE CLUSTER TO GET HOME.

NHTSA complaint #10621393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WAS DRIVING AND DASH BOARD AND GAUGES WENT OUT CAN NOT SEE TACHOMETER SPEEDOMETER OR ANY VEHICLE SAFETY FEATURES.

NHTSA complaint #10524369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENTIRE DASH GAUGE CLUSTER FLICKERED AND WENT TOTALLY DARK AND STOPPED WORKING. I WAS SO DISTRACTED THAT I ALMOST RAN INTO THE CAR THAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME. THE INTERIOR LIGHTING WENT OUT AS WELL. NOW, THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE OR OF SEEING ANY OF THE OTHER IMPORTANT GAUGES INCLUDING GEAR SELECTION. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE CAR SAFELY. THE MERCEDES DEALER IN MANHATTAN AND NORTH AMERICA MERCEDES CENTER IN NJ SAYS THE CAR IS NOT COVERED AND THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE HAS EXPIRED. THEY HAVE BASICALLY SAID" TOO BAD" FOR ME IN A VERY ARROGANT AND COLD MANNER. ALMOST LIKE I SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR ASKING THEM TO FIX IT. THIS IS A LOW MILES WELL CARED FOR VEHICLE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PAMPERED AND GARAGED. IT BELONGED TO MY FATHER. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR PRICE FROM THE DEALER FOR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS OVER $4,000.00. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY SITTING IN MY GARAGE UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. FRANKLY, I AM SURPRISED AT MERCEDES' REFUSAL TO FIX THE CAR CONSIDERING THAT THERE WAS A NATIONAL RECALL CONCERNING THIS VERY ISSUE AND THAT ALSO THERE WAS A NEED FOR A MB EXTENDED WARRANTY TO FIX THIS VERY SAME LIGHTING/CLUSTER ISSUE. NOT TO MENTION THE EXORBITANT PRICE FOR THE S500 BOTH RETAIL AND WHEN IT WAS NEW. I EXPECTED WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR THAT IT WOULD PROVIDE THE TYPE OF RELIABILITY AND ENGINEERING THAT MERCEDES CLAIMS TO HAVE BUILT IT'S REPUTATION ON.

NHTSA complaint #10480149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES 500S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, ALL OF THE LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR THE INTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. UPDATED 11/03/11 *BF UPDATED 11/04/11

NHTSA complaint #10430795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

I HAVE A 2001 S500 THAT HAD INSTRUMENTAL CLUSTER FAILURE. MY DEALER INFORMED ME THAT MERCEDES BENZ HAS AN INSTRUMENTAL FAILURE RECALL. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ AND WAS TOLD IT IS A LIMITED RECALL. MY CLUSTER HAD THE EXACT FAILURE THAT THE LIMITED RECALL HAS.

NHTSA complaint #10170405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTING BEGAN FLICKERING, AND AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES WENT COMPLETELY DARK. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS FAILURE IS HAZARDOUS, THE DRIVER HAS NO INFORMATION AS TO THE STATUS OF ANY OF THE CAR'S SYSTEMS. ALL OF THE FOLLOWING GAUGES AND DISPLAYS ARE DISABLED AND NONFUNCTIONAL AS A RESULT: FUEL GAUGE, VEHICLE TEMPERATURE, MPH, RPM'S, THE GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN, TURN SIGNAL OPERATION, AS WELL AS, ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS AND DISPLAYS. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS WHICH PROVIDE THE DRIVER CERTAIN SYSTEMS INFORMATION, AND THE ABILITY TO OPERATE THE RADIO, CD PLAYER, TELEPHONE AND VOLUME ARE DISABLED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE AS YOU ARE BASICALLY "DRIVING BLIND". I HAVE NOT YET FIXED THE INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER (ALSO REFERRED TO AS: INTERIOR LIGHTING) AND I CAN PROVIDE ANY NECESSARY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #10167680 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST MERCEDES BENZ USA. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY COMPLAINED IN AN EMAIL TO MR. GARY BOWNE, MANAGER OF PRODUCT COMPLIANCE AND SAFETY ENGINEERING, MBUSA. HE HAS IGNORED MY CORRESPONDENCE. I HAVE A 2001 S500 MERCEDES CAR THAT HAS THE EXACT DEFECT REFERRED TO IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V028000 MY CAR IS THE 220 TYPE MANUFACTURED IN THE 2000 TIME PERIOD IDENTIFIED IN THE CAMPAIGN. MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STARTED HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS LAST SPRING, JUST LIKE THOSE DESCRIBED IN THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN, AND THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. BOTH MERCEDES BENZ CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE DEALER (AMERICAN SERVICE CENTER IN ARLINGTON, VA) HAVE DECLINED TO REPAIR MY CAR, SINCE THEY CLAIM THERE IS NO RECALL ATTACHED TO MY CAR'S VIN AS YET. I AM REQUESTING THAT MBUSA INSTRUCT AMERICAN SERVICE CENTER TO REPAIR MY CAR WITHOUT DELAY. THEY HAVE THE PART AVAILABLE, IN STOCK. I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #10167698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS DEAD MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ALL THE GAUGES INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER. THERE IS A RECALL BUT MERCEDES SAID THAT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, BUT IT IS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10161975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

WHENEVER THE TURN SIGNALS ARE IN USE THEY WOULD MALFUNCTION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE MECHANIC REPAIR THE PROBLEM. MECHANIC REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND SEVERAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA complaint #10044261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.