Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S 500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
WHEN DRIVING MY CAR MAKES NOISES LIKE I'M PULLING A TRAILER AND I'M NOT.. IN JULY MY RIGHT SHOCK WENT OUT SO I REPAIRED IT.. THEN PRIOR TO THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS DETECTED SO I REPAIRED THAT AND JUST LAST WEEK MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT OUT. MY SUSPENSION IS REALLY MESSED UP AND I CAN'T SHIFT AT ALL
WE PURCHASED OUR 2001 MERCEDES S-500 USED. EVERYTHING RAN FINE. AFTER RUNNING IT THROUGH AN AUTO CARWASH WITH A UNDER BODY SPRAY, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT HAYWIRE. I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR WAS SOAKED. ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS INCLUDED NON FUNCTIONING LOCKS, WINDOWS, AIR, ALL LIGHTS FLICKERING, SEAT CONTROLS, HORN, HAZARD LIGHTS, SUNROOF, DASH CONTROL, VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL. THESE MALFUNCTIONS OCCURRED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND WHILE PARKED. WHEN WE TURNED THE KEY OFF AND REMOVED THEM, THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN. WE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN STILL FOR AN ADDITIONAL 5 MINUTES. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, WE HAVE DISCOVERED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME SITUATIONS INCLUDING PASSENGER FLOOR BEING SOAKED RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL FAULTING. (SEE ATTACHED PICTURE) COMPLAINT BELOW MENTIONS A STUPID REPAIR KIT AT OWNERS COST MEANING MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS POSSIBLY DEADLY FAULT IN THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
TAKATA RECALL. I WAS RIDING MY VEHICLE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT HAYWIRE. I THOUGHT IT WAS BATTERY BUT IT WASN'T THE CAUSE IT DRAINED 4 BATTERIES I HAD ON WARRANTY AND 1 I HAD TO PURCHASE. I FOUND OUT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DRAINS THE BATTERY AND LOSS OF POWER. I REACHED TO A MECHANIC AND HE LET ME KNOW THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS CAUSING THE POWER LOSS AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND REALIZE THEIR WAS A RECALL FOR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FOR THIS DEFECT. THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE A SERIOUS INCIDENT IF WASN'T PROPERLY AWARE. I WOULD TO HAVE A RECALL IF POSSIBLE.
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.
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. *TR
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S500. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING BECAME VERY DIM AND SHUT OFF. THE ELECTRICAL FUSE WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED, BUT EVENTUALLY RECURRED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. ...UPDATED 06/03/15 *BF UPDATED 06/17/15.*JB
WHEN BACKING UP IN REVERSE THE CAR BEGINS TO SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE. ONCE IN DRIVE IT BEGINS TO SHAKE AND MOVES SLOWLY IN TRAFFIC THEN SLOWLY PICKS UP SPEED AFTER AN UNUSUALLY LONG DURATION. DASHBOARD IS ALMOST TOTALLY BLACKED OUT CANNOT READ GAUGES (GAS LEVEL,SPEED ODOMETER, ENGINE TEMPERATURE, MILEAGE). FINALLY, THE AIR CONDITIONING SUDDENLY STOPPED BLOWING. *TR
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. *TR
WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON A TWO LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT UP-SHIFT GEARS AND GOT STUCK IN THIRD GEAR WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PASS A TRACTOR TRAILER WITH OTHER VEHICLES BEHIND ME ATTEMPTING TO DO THE SAME. SUBSEQUENTLY, I MANAGED TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO A PARKING LOT TO EXAMINE THE ISSUE. I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING EXTERNALLY WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD STAND OUT IN A VISUAL INSPECTION. NEXT, I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON, FORCEFULLY PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, AND FOUND THAT IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED OVER 150 MILES TO A SHOP. THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE DESIGN AND MATERIALS USED FOR THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS THAT ENABLES TRANSMISSION FLUID TO WICK UP THE WIRING HARNESS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE UP INTO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT THAT IS ENCASED IN PLASTIC AND LOCATED UNDER THE HOOD. AS IMPOSSIBLE AS IT SOUNDS, TRANSMISSION FLUID TRAVELS UP THIS BUNDLE OF WIRES AND POOLS IN THE ENCASEMENT DISRUPTING THE ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION. EQUALLY CONFUSING, THE ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM THE WIRES PULLS THE TRANSMISSION FLUID UP THE WIRING HARNESS. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY THIS DESIGN OR MATERIALS WOULD BE UTILIZED ON THIS OR ANY OTHER CAR KNOWING WHAT THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME WOULD BE FOR CONSUMERS, $$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE GAUGES AND WARNING INDICATORS TO STOP WORKING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10/03/14*LJ UPDATED 05/12/2015 *JS
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. *TR
WAS DRIVING AND DASH BOARD AND GAUGES WENT OUT CAN NOT SEE TACHOMETER SPEEDOMETER OR ANY VEHICLE SAFETY FEATURES. *TR
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. *TR
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL HAS BEEN SHUTDOWN, I AM UNABLE TO SEE MY SPEED OR ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION, WHILE DRIVING. *TR
MY INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS (DASH BOARD) WENT OUT ON MY 2001 S500 MERCEDES BENZ CAR. THE LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER ON OCCASIONALLY AND GO BACK OUT. I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER THE SIGNAL LIGHTS BY CHANGING THE FUSES. WHILE ON A ROAD TRIP MY KIDS NOTICED A SMELL AND SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE DASH BOARD. WE EXITED THE CAR AND FLAGGED DOWN A POLICE OFFICER. WE WERE TOLD TO GET AS MUCH AS WE COULD OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE. WITHIN IN SECONDS MY DASH BOARD WAS IN FLAMES. I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION AND IGNITED INTO FLAMES. I CONTACTED MERCEDES TO FIND OUT ABOUT A POSSIBLE RECALL AND TO REPORT THAT THERE IS A MORE SERIOUS DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH THE MALFUNCTION OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I WAS ASKED WHAT DID I EXPECT FOR THEM TO DO? THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REMOVED THE CLUSTER FROM THE DASH BOARD TO ASSURE THE FIRE WOULD NOT RESTART AND IDENTIFIED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS AS THE CAUSE OF FIRE. *TR
RECALL ID#06V02800 - I REPLACED MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AFTER THE RECALL DATE BUT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE NUMBER DOES NOT FALL WITHIN A RANGE, MERCEDES WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIR. I HAVE A 2001 S500. *TR
2001 S500 DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER FAILED, PAID $2364.83 FOR REPLACEMENT. WAS NOT EVEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF RECALL ON THIS. I FOUND OUT VIA FRIEND THAT THEY HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEIR S500 AND WERE REIMBURSED THE REPAIR COSTS. *AK
2001 BENZ S-500. SPEEDOMETER CLUSTER MALFUNCTION. CLUSTER FLICKERS ON AND OFF. *JB
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. *JB
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.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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