45 of the 274 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz S500 are about the lighting — 16% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2000.
45
Complaints
16%
Share of all complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
INTERIOR LIGHTING
See attached document for complaint.
NHTSA complaint #11637417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The dash board lights lose their ability to illuminate the dashboard and the back airbags on the suspension keep deflating
NHTSA complaint #11443151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
The contact owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact stated that the instrument cluster had started to flicker and had eventually gone completely blank without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where he was informed that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V028000 (Interior Lighting). The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and provided the contact with the same information as the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000. The defective instrument cluster also prevents the owner of these cars not knowing when the vehicle air shocks can and will suddenly drop without warning like the rear air shocks completely dropped.
NHTSA complaint #11441273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED UPON START-UP, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT BLANK. THE CONTACT CALLED MERCEDES-BENZ OF LOS ANGELES (1801 S. FIGUEROA ST, LOS ANGELES, CA 90015) WHERE THEY INFORMED HIM TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE INSPECTED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THE POSSESSION OF THE DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. ## VIN PASSED ## 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S500 ##
NHTSA complaint #11353233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INSTRUMENTAL CLUSTER LIGHT NOT WORKING
NHTSA complaint #11228415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. ALSO, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT VERY HARD TO SEE SPEED/FUEL/GEAR SELECTION. THESE ARE BOTH SAFETY CONCERNS THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. WE CAN SEND YOU A PICTURE OF THE DEAD DASH IF NEEDED. ALSO VIDEO OF A STUCK SEAT BELT. THANKS, KURT.
NHTSA complaint #11153939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
IN REFERENCE TO CAMPAIGN 06V028000 WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR EXCLUSION OF SOME CARS OF THE SAME YEAR VS OTHERS? JUST BECAUSE THE 7 CARS THAT WERE PART OF THE ORGINAL COMPLAINT FALL IN THE NARROWLY DEFINED VIN RANGE DOES NOT MEAN OTHER CARS OF THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR DO NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEFECTIVE CLUSTERS ARE THE SAME. I HAVE A 2000 S500 WITH A FAILED CLUSTER. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME PART FOR THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR THAT OTHER CARS ARE BEING REPAIRED FOR FREE, BUT MY CAR IS EXCLUDED BECAUSE ITS VIN RANGE IS STATISTICALLY NOT IN THE SAME NARROW VIN RANGE CORRESPONDING TO THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT? THIS SEEMS VERY EXCLUSIONARY GIVEN MY CAR IS THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR AND THE PART IS THE SAME AND THERE IS NO BASIS TO EXCLUDE IT. I AM REQUESTING NHTSA TO WIDEN THE RECALL RANGE TO BE FAIR TO ALL OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR WHERE SOME ARE BEING RECALLED AND SOME NOT. IF THE FAILED CLUSTERS WERE FROM DIFFERENT MANUFATURERS THAT WOULD BE ONE THING, BUT TO EXCLUDE CARS DUE TO VIN RANGE CORRESPONDING TO THE ORIGINAL 7 CARS AS PART OF THE COMPLAINT IS VERY LOP SIDED. I REQUEST YOU TO PLEASE WIDEN THE RECALL. MY VIN ENDING RANGE IS YA060424
NHTSA complaint #11078738 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ONE NIGHT WHILE I WAS DRIVING, SUDDENLY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT SLOWLY DIM, FLICKED, AND 95% LIGHTS WERE SHUT OFF INCLUDED SPEEDOMETER, THE REST WERE VERY DIM HARDLY SEE ANYTHING. INSIDE MY CAR WAS TOTALLY DARK AT THAT POINT, I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT. IMMEDIATELY, I HAD TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THAT WAS VERY SCARY!! DUE TO THIS KIND OF DEFECTIVE, THE CAR IS NO LONGER IN DRIVING CONDITION AT NIGHT. THIS CAR IS ONLY 90K MILE. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, I SEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND I HAD FOUND FEW FORUMS DISCUSSED ABOUT THE SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH S500. BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANY RECALL FOR MY CAR WHICH RELATED TO THIS SAFETY ISSUE IN NHTSA. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. THIS WAS ALMOST CAUSED MYSELF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. WOULD YOU PLEASE REVIEW THIS SAFETY MATTER. GREATLY APPRECIATED.
NHTSA complaint #10960329 — 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
LICENSE PLAYE LIGHT OUT SHORT CAUSES SRS LIGHT TO COME ON AND HAVE TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THERE IS NOW AN SIS DEFECTIVE LIGHT DUE TO THE WIRING. MY TRUCK DOES NOT POWER CLOSE. HAPPENS AT ALL TIMES. AND WHILE TURNING IT CAUSED AN ERROR FOR TURN LIGHTS
NHTSA complaint #10779591 — 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.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
I WAS HAVING AN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PROBLEM AND I LOOKED IT UP TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL. I FOUND OUT THERE WAS AND I WROTE DOWN THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER (06V028000) AND WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN MY AREA TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT MY VIN WAS IN THE RECALL BUT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. THIS WAS JULY 2014. I ALSO CALLED MERCEDES (1-800-367-6372) AND THEY STATED THE SAME THING. HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTING THIS RECALL FIXED? IN ADDITION TO THIS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF MY VIN EXPIRED OR DO I HAVE TIME TO GET IT FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #10668104 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE BACK LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAVE FAILED TO ILLUMINATE.
NHTSA complaint #10651752 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ S500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000. UPDATED 12/2/14*CN UPDATED 08/30/2017
NHTSA complaint #10643349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE... AS LIKE THE NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE VERY SAME DEVICE-FAILURE; I'VE COME TO NOW KNOW THAT THIS' A WIDELY KNOWN MBUSA VEHICLE RECALL ISSUE THAT WAS QUICKLY & EXTREMELY DISCRIMINATORY & NON-EXHAUSTIVE RECALL (HALF)EFFORT... AT BEST! I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO ATTEMPT CONTACTING THE PREVIOUS OWNER(S) AND INQUIRED AS TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THIS RECALL &/OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE NOTIFIED BY MBUSA OF THIS RECALL... ALL OF WHICH THE ANSWER(S) WERE NO. THIS VEHICLE HAS EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND HAS BEEN KEPT PRISTINE... TO DATE! AS LIKE THE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS; MBUSA'S WELL AWARE OF THIS YET THE RECALL HAS BEEN CLOSED KNOWING THAT THERE ARE POTENTIALLY THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES THAT HAVE THESE FAULTY DEVICES AND KNOW THAT THEY HAVE NOT EXHAUSTIVELY ATTEMPTED TO NOTIFY VEHICLE OWNERS; HENCE KNOWING THAT THERE'S MILLIONS TO BE MADE AT OWNERS' EXPENSE ONCE WE START ROLLING IN AFTER THE RECALL CLOSURE DATE ($$$$)!!! NEVER WAS THERE ADEQUATE, EXHAUSTIVE NOR EXTENSIVE EFFORTS PUT FORTH WITH THIS RECALL; AS WELL AS A SMALL WINDOW TO TOTALLY & EFFECTIVELY RECALL THE VAST NUMBER OF VEHICLES ASSOCIATED WITH IT... PLEASE NOTE THE NUMEROUS & IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS YOU'VE RECEIVED REGARDING THIS ISSUE! AT LEAST FORCE/MANDATE MBUSA TO COVER PARTS/DEVICE TO THIS RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR... OWNERS SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO COVER THIS WELL DOCUMENTED RECALL! I'VE OWNED MANY VEHICLES IN MY LIFE AND HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL MAJOR RECALLS; THIS' A FIRST OF SUCH CONDITIONS & LIMITATIONS PUT FORTH ONTO THE OWNER... PLEASE REMEMBER THIS' SOMETHING MBUSA KNEW WAS DEFECTIVE/FAULTY AND HALF-HEARTEDLY ATTEMPTED A JOKE-OF-A-RECALL; IF DEATHS BECOME AN ISSUE WHAT WOULD YOU DO KNOWING THAT OWNERS HAVE SOUGHT ASSISTANCE TO NO AVAIL OF MBUSA NOR THIS AGENCY'S DECISIONS? PLEASE HELP!!! I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM A MINOR SURGICAL PROCEDURE WHEN IT WENT OUT!
NHTSA complaint #10626776 — 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.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
MY 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S500'S INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF IN MAY 2013. THEN, JANUARY 2014, THE CLUSTER WENT DARK FOREVER. YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY; THE CAR IS 14 YEARS OLD, IN PERFECT SHAPE, ALWAYS GARAGED, W/ ONLY 45,000 MILES, AND THE CLUSTER COMPLETELY FAILED! QUITE SHOCKING THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT DATA CENTER WOULD FAIL AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE ON THIS PRICEY $90K CAR. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CONTROLS THE INTERIOR DOOR AND FLOOR LIGHTS, STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS, LOCKS, TRUNK; THERE IS TOO MUCH TO LIST THAT NOW DOESN'T WORK. NOTE: THE TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN UNLESS YOU USE THE STICK KEY AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND AWKWARD. BEWARE: IF YOU'RE IN A DARK PARKING LOT AT NIGHT AND WANT TO PUT SOMETHING IN YOUR TRUNK, FORGET IT, AS YOU HAVE NO LIGHTS AND IT TAKES SO LONG TO OPEN THE TRUNK THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY GET MUGGED IN THE MEANTIME, PLUS, THERE'S PROBABLY A MUGGER IN YOUR CAR TOO AS YOU CAN'T LOCK THE CAR AND THE ALARM DOESN'T WORK; ONLY THE TRUNK LOCKS, PERMANENTLY. ALSO, SINCE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS COMPLETELY DARK, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE, HOW FAST YOU'RE GOING, ENGINE LIGHT TROUBLE, OVERHEATING, BRAKE PROBLEMS, MAINTENANCE ISSUES, ETC. MY VIN NUMBER IS EXCLUDED FROM BEING CORRECTED BY MBUSA. MY CAR WAS IN THE EARLY DATES OF MANUFACTURE FOR THE 2000 S500. THIS IS VERY EXCLUSIONARY GIVEN MY CAR IS THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR PLUS THE PART IS THE SAME AS THOSE S500'S INCLUDED IN THE RECALL; WHY? I AM IMPLORING NHTSA WIDEN THE RECALL RANGE TO BE FAIR TO ALL OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR WHERE SOME ARE BEING RECALLED AND SOME ARE NOT. THIS MERCEDES BENZ USA "VIN DISCRIMINATION" IS UNFAIR & UNETHICAL, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AND IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE RE-OPEN INVESTIGATION #PE05-062 AND WIDEN THE RECALL IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
NHTSA complaint #10569114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S500'S INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF IN MAY 2013. THEN, JANUARY 2014, THE CLUSTER WENT DARK FOREVER. YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY; THE CAR IS 14 YEARS OLD, IN PERFECT SHAPE, ALWAYS GARAGED, W/ ONLY 45,000 MILES, AND THE CLUSTER COMPLETELY FAILED! QUITE SHOCKING THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT DATA CENTER WOULD FAIL AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE ON THIS PRICEY $90K CAR. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CONTROLS THE INTERIOR DOOR AND FLOOR LIGHTS, STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS, LOCKS, TRUNK; THERE IS TOO MUCH TO LIST THAT NOW DOESN'T WORK. NOTE: THE TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN UNLESS YOU USE THE STICK KEY AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND AWKWARD. BEWARE: IF YOU'RE IN A DARK PARKING LOT AT NIGHT AND WANT TO PUT SOMETHING IN YOUR TRUNK, FORGET IT, AS YOU HAVE NO LIGHTS AND IT TAKES SO LONG TO OPEN THE TRUNK THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY GET MUGGED IN THE MEANTIME, PLUS, THERE'S PROBABLY A MUGGER IN YOUR CAR TOO AS YOU CAN'T LOCK THE CAR AND THE ALARM DOESN'T WORK; ONLY THE TRUNK LOCKS, PERMANENTLY. ALSO, SINCE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS COMPLETELY DARK, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE, HOW FAST YOU'RE GOING, ENGINE LIGHT TROUBLE, OVERHEATING, BRAKE PROBLEMS, MAINTENANCE ISSUES, ETC. MY VIN NUMBER IS EXCLUDED FROM BEING CORRECTED BY MBUSA. MY CAR WAS IN THE EARLY DATES OF MANUFACTURE FOR THE 2000 S500. THIS IS VERY EXCLUSIONARY GIVEN MY CAR IS THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR PLUS THE PART IS THE SAME AS THOSE S500'S INCLUDED IN THE RECALL; WHY? I AM IMPLORING NHTSA WIDEN THE RECALL RANGE TO BE FAIR TO ALL OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR WHERE SOME ARE BEING RECALLED AND SOME ARE NOT. THIS MERCEDES BENZ USA "VIN DISCRIMINATION" IS UNFAIR & UNETHICAL, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AND IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE RE-OPEN INVESTIGATION #PE05-062 AND WIDEN THE RECALL IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
NHTSA complaint #10569114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.