2001 Mercedes-Benz 600

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.

AT APPROXIMATELY 1:45AM ON JULY 4, 2009 WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 65 NEAR MARSHALL, ARKANSAS I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION (IN THE INSURED VEHICLE A 2001 S600 MERCEDES-BENZ) WITH A COW THAT RAN ONTO TO THE HIGHWAY IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 AND STATE FARM. THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEIR STATE FARM APPROVED AUTO REPAIR SHOPS IN THE AREA, STEVE'S BODY SHOP, WHICH IS NOT A CERTIFIED MERCEDES REPAIR FACILITY. DUE TO STATE FARM'S REQUIREMENT THAT I LEAVE THE CAR AT STEVE'S BODY SHOP, A NON-MERCEDES CERTIFIED REPAIR FACILITY, THE CAR TOOK OVER TWO MONTHS TO REPAIR AND WAS REPAIRED INCORRECTLY DUE TO STEVE NOT BEING A CERTIFIED MERCEDES MECHANIC/FACILITY. WHILE DRIVING HOME I NOTICED THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON (IT HAD NOT BEEN ON PRIOR TO THE CRASH), THE RIGHT SIDE HEAD LAMP WAS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND WINDOW DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, THE ABC HYDRAULIC WAS NOT FUNCTIONING, AND THERE WAS A DENT ON THE TOP OF MY CAR. NONE OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS EXISTED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. I TOOK STEVE'S AUTO BODY SHOP'S REPAIR ESTIMATE TO A CERTIFIED MERCEDES MECHANIC WHO THOROUGHLY REVIEWED AND RESEARCHED THE REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE, THE PARTS USED, THE COST OF THE PARTS, AND THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. AFTER REVIEWING THE ESTIMATE THE CERTIFIED MERCEDES BENZ MECHANIC INFORMED ME THE ONLY WAY THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE AMOUNT STEVE CHARGED WAS IF NON-MERCEDES BENZ AFTERMARKET PARTS WERE USED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE ASSUMPTION MADE BY THE MERCEDES CERTIFIED MECHANIC PROVED TO BE TRUE. AFTER BRINGING THIS VERY SERIOUS MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF STATE FARM THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE PROPERLY REPAIRED. INSTEAD THEY ARE TRYING TO TOTAL MY VEHICLE AND PAY $9200 AS SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM. THE AFOREMENTIONED AMOUNT IS MORE THAN $12,000 LESS THAN THE MARKET VALUE OF THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE CAR IS NOW UNSALVAGEABLE AND HAS BEEN UNDRIVEABLE FOR 5MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10294096

Incident

Jul 4, 2009

OIL LEAK ON 2001 MB S600 MODELS. THEY ALL HAVE BAD OIL COOLERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10251018

Incident

Dec 7, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

1. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER I PURCHASED THE AUTO. SOMETHING IN THE FRONT PART OF THE AUTO MAKES A THROBBING NOISE. IT CAUSES EITHER THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL OR THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO LOSE ITS BALANCE. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IN A ONE HOUR TRIP, IT WILL HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE AND FOR A PERIOD OF FROM 5 MINUTES TO 20 MINUTES. 2. ONE OF THE FRONT WHEELS OR BOTH LOSE THEIR BALANCE. IT FEELS AS IF THE SOME OF THE LUGS HOLDING THE WHEEL ARE LOSE. I WAS STOPPED ONCE BY THE POLICE BECAUSE THE POLICE THOUGHT IT WAS DANGEROUS. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AUTO DEALER. IT OCCURS WHEN I CHANGE LANES AND GO OVER THE LANE MARKERS. THE WHEELS START VIBRATING. IT CAUSES EITHER THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL OR THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO LOSE ITS BALANCE. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IN A ONE HOUR TRIP, IT WILL HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE AND FOR A PERIOD OF FROM 5 MINUTES TO 20 MINUTES. THE CONSEQUENCE IS THAT THE PROBLEM CAUSES THE FRONT TIRES TO BE EATEN UP FROM JUST THE SIDE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 5,000 MILES. ALSO THE RIMS BECOME BENT AND I HAVE TO REPLACE THE RIM AT MY EXPENSE EVEN THOUGH MY AUTO WAS UNDER ORIGINAL WARRANTY. I HAVE LEARNT SINCE FROM THE DEALER THAT THERE IS A COMPUTER THAT HAS SOFTWARE THAT BALANCES THE TIRES, THAT THE SOFTWARE WAS MADE FOR GERMANY WHERE THERE ARE NO LANE MARKERS, AND SO HERE IN THE USA, THE LANE MARKERS TRIGGER THE SOFTWARE. HOWEVER, THE SOFTWARE CANNOT KEEP UP, BECAUSE THE SOFTWARE WAS NOT WRITTEN FOR SUCH A HAPPENING ( GOING OVER LANE MARKERS ), SO WHEN IT HAPPENS, THE COMPUTER GOES BESERK, AND THE TIRES LOSE COMPLETE BALANCE. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED ON FUTURES YEARS OF S600. MY 2001 S600 WAS THE FIRST YEAR MAKE. 3. *TR

NHTSA ID

10239926

Incident

Jan 2, 2002

Mileage

27,600 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ 600. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID. THE ANTI-SKID INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,000.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187761

Incident

Apr 9, 2007

Mileage

62,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION BLINKED ON AND OFF, THEN FAILED COMPLETELY, MAKING THE GAUGES DIFFICULT TO READ IN THE DAYTIME AND IMPOSSIBLE AT NIGHT. THE SERVICE DEALER'S MOBILE TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL # 06V028000 FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL DUE TO THE VIN.

NHTSA ID

10172911

Incident

Nov 3, 2006

Mileage

40,433 mi

THE FRONT WHEELS LOSE THEIR ALIGNMENT EASILY AND FREQUENTLY. THE FRONT TIRES START WOBBLING AND CONTINUE WOBBLING FOR MINUTES. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY FRONT TIRES FREQUENTLY. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY LEFT WHEEL. THE AUTHORIZED MERCEDES DEALER IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10124960

Incident

Jun 10, 2005

Mileage

27,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED ON ITS OWN. THERE WAS NO WARNING. *AK THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD SUDDENLY DISENGAGE AND WAS INTERMITTENT, THE WINDOW HAD BLOWN OUT DURING BAD WEATHER, THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL DID NOT FUNCTION MOST OF THE TIME, THE ABC WARNING HAD COME ON, THEN SUDDENLY THE BRAKE LIGHT HAD GONE OUT, THE BRAKE-LINING HAD GONE THIN, THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED EMPTY WHEN THE TANK WAS FILLED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD GONE OUT (AGAIN), THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CAR WASH WHEN WATER GUSHED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WITH THE WINDOWS CLOSED, THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE JUMP STARTED TWICE AND THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, THE TURN SIGNAL HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE AND THE CONSUMER FOUND THE "REAR SAM" FUSE BOX WITH CORROSION ALONG WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10040317

FAILURE OF TRUNK TO CLOSE EVENLY. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THIS PROBLEM IS WITH ALL THE MERCEDES S600 VEHICLES AND THAT IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED WITHOUT THE INSTALLATION OF A SECOND MOTOR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRUNK. THIS WILL CAUSE WATER TO ENTER IN THE TRUNK, AND CAUSE RUST TO THE BODY OF THE CAR.*JB

NHTSA ID

10010389

Incident

Feb 1, 2003

Mileage

27,542 mi

MERCEDES: AIRBAG DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY. AIR BAG SRS CONTROL MODULE (N2/2) DOES NOT HAVE A SET SHELF LIFE AND WILL NORMALLY BE RELIABLE FOR THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. WITH 164, 216 221, 251 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET FIVE TIMES. WITH MODES 202, 210 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET THREE TIMES. EARLIER MODELS WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEIR AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT AND TRIGGERED RESTRAIN COMPONENTS CHANGED ONLY AFTER AN ACCIDENT. NO MODELS OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE