2000 Mercedes-Benz 500

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON SEVEN REPORTS INDICATING THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2000-2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS VEHICLES FAILED IN THAT CONSUMERS WERE UNABLE TO READ ANY OF THE GAUGES WHILE OPERATING THEIR VEHICLES AT ANY SPEED DURING THE DAY OR NIGHT.IN ITS 573 REPORT TO NHTSA DATED FEBRUARY 1, 2006, MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC (MERCEDES-BENZ)STATES THAT THERE ARE THREE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE MODES THAT WOULD RESULT IN UNDESIRABLE OPERATION.THESE THREE FAILURE MODES ARE SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN DATES OF PRODUCTION (SEE BELOW) FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLE, AND MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING THOSE VEHICLES WITHIN THOSE DATES.SPECIFIC INFORMATION REGARDING THE FAILURE MODES IS DESCRIBED IN MERCEDES-BENZ'S REPORT (SEE NHTSA RECALL 06V028).THREE OF THE ODI COMPLAINTS SUBMITTED TO MERCEDES-BENZ INVOLVE VEHICLES THAT WERE PRODUCED BEFORE THE DATES OF PRODUCTION OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE THREE FAILURE MODES.BASED ON REVIEW OF THOSE THREE COMPLAINTS, MERCEDES-BENZ WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY A RELATION OF THOSE THREE TO THE DEFECTS IDENTIFIED IN THE RECALLED VEHICLES.ALL OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ COMPLAINTS WITH VINS IDENTIFIED WERE WITHIN THE RECALL POPULATION (ONLY 2 VEHICLE VINS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO POSITIVELY IDENTIFY VEHICLE BUILD DATE).THE RECALL POPULATION WILL INCLUDE 36,911 S CLASS AND CL CLASS MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES BUILT IN THE PRODUCTION DATES RANGING FROM JUNE 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2000, JANUARY 2002 THROUGH APRIL 2002, AND MAY 2004 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2004.THESE DATES OF PRODUCTION COVER VEHICLES FROM THE 2000-2002 MY AND THE 2004-2005 MY.TO CORRECT THE CONDITION, MERCEDES-BENZ WILL REPLACE ALL AFFECTED INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS WITH IMPROVED ONES THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE FAILURE MODES.MERCEDES-BENZ WILL BEGIN OWNER NOTIFICATION DURING THE 1ST QUARTER OF 2006.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS ABLE TO BE INSERTED IN THE IGNITION BUT COULD NOT BE TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10453566

Incident

Mar 8, 2012

Mileage

120,000 mi

2000 MERCEDES BENZ SL 500 HAD THE HOOD LINERS REPLACED THREE TIMES IN 5 YEARS.*MR THE FIRST HOOD LINER BECAME BRITTLE AND DISINTEGRATED. THE SECOND HOOD LINER BECAME POWDERY AND LITERALLY FELL APART LESS THAN 2 YEARS AFTER INSTALLATION. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE HEAD LINER WAS CONSIDERED WEAR AND TEAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10124695

Incident

Jan 1, 2003

WHILE DRIVING 40-45 MPH SUSPENSION/AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE BECAME LOWER TO THE GROUND. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK 9-25-07 PHONE CONVERSTAION: WAS RUN OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH. AIR SUSPENSION WORKED FINE BEFORE, AFTER CRASH LIGHT WAS ON AND VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. [SMCH]

NHTSA ID

10101389

Incident

Nov 18, 2004

Mileage

50,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVNG THE VEHICLE SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHICH CAUSE THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOYED AT 200 MPH CAUSING A LOT OF PHYSICAL THE DAMAGE ON THE CONSUMER. MR

NHTSA ID

8020396

Incident

Apr 9, 2002

THE 4 ORIGINAL CONTINENTAL TIRES ON THIS MERCEDES ARE WORN OUT WITH THE WEAR BARS SHOWING. THE MILEAGE IS 17262. THIS WAS VERIFIED BY THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER, SEARS & 2 OF THE 3 LOCAL CONTINENTAL TIRE DEALERS IN THIS CITY. EVERYONE SAID THIS IS COMMON WITH THESE TIRES & NO ADJUSTMENT FROM THE COMPANY IS AVAILABLE. IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT 4 TIRES WORN OUT AT 17,000 MILES IS A JOKE ON THE CONSUMER, & I THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.*AK (TIRESIZE: P22560H16)

NHTSA ID

759466

Incident

Mar 7, 2002

THE BAS AND ESP SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN ISSUING VISUAL WARNINGS FOR MONTHS, CAR HAS BEEN IN MANY TIMES TO REVIEW PROBLEM WITH NO SUCCESSFUL REPAIRS. ON 8/29/01 I APPLIED THE BRAKES ABOUT 1/2 INCH, IN PREPARATION OF STOPPING FORM A 5MPH ROLE IN A PARKING LOT AND THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR, THE CAR STOPPED INSTANTLY AND THE CAR BEHIND ME RAN IN TO MY CAR CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

751350

Incident

Aug 29, 2001

MAIN INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER INTERMITTENTLY SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND REMAINS INOPERABLE. DRIVER LOSES ALL TECHINCAL INFORMATION AND OPERATING STATUS OF VEHICLE. DURING DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, AN ACCIDENTAL MOVEMENT OF THE GEARSHIFT LEVER FROM "DRIVE" TO "NEUTRAL" AND BACK TO "DRIVE" RESULTS IN TRANSMISSION NOT ENGAGING IN "DRIVE" UNTIL THE CAR SLOWS TO 20MPH. DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL OVER CAR UNTIL IT REACHES THE 20MPH RANGE AND THE TRANSMISSION THEN ENGAGES IN GEAR. WHEN STOPPED ON A HILL, WITH ENGINE RUNNING, IN "DRIVE" WHEN BRAKES ARE RELEASED TO PROCEED FORWARD, THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARD QUICKLY, WITH TRANMISSION ACTING AS IF IN "NEUTRAL" AND ENGINE STALLS AFTER MOVING BACKWARD ABOUT TEN FEET. DRIVER LOSES ALL CONTROL AND POWER OVER CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

716765

Incident

Dec 2, 1999

WHEN DRIVING THE AUTOMOBILE ABOVE 50 MPH IT SWAYS FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND GOES UP AND DOWN. CONSUMER THINKS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE SUSPENSION. *AK

NHTSA ID

854483

Incident

Dec 28, 1999