2003 Mercedes-Benz S 500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S 500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts433.3%
- Electrical216.7%
- Engine18.3%
- Exterior lighting18.3%
- Powertrain (other)18.3%
- Brakes18.3%
- Suspension18.3%
- Heating & air conditioning18.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DURING HOT WEATHER THE SEAT BELT GETS STUCK AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE SEAT BELT AT ALL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED UNDER HOT WEATHER. THIS IS IN THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST 1 YEAR.*DT CONSUMER STATED SEAT BELT GETS JAMMED WHEN TEMPERATURE GOES OVER 90 DEGREES AND IS UNABLE TO USE SEAT BELTS AS WELL AS PARK THE CAR OUTSIDE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE SEAT BELTS BUT MALFUNCTIONING.*JB
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER LIGHTS FLASHED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE FRONT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS MECHANIC AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.
SPECIAL ACQUISITION MODULE (SAM) MY CAR WOULD NOT START THE MERCEDES ROADSIDE CAME OUT AND STARTED THE CAR AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTIC. UPON REVIEW THE DEALER STATED THE SAM MODULE PLASTIC COVER HAD WATER DROPS ON IT. THEY ALSO STATED THE MALE AND FEMALE CONNECTORS TO THE MODULE WAS CORRODED, AND I WOULD NEED A NEW SPECIAL ACQUISITION MODULE (SAM) AT THE COST OF $1590.00. THEY ASK IF I HAD LEFT THE WINDOWS DOWN, BUT I HAD NOT THE INSIDE OF THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN WET, BUT I DID NOTICE EVERYTIME I WENT TO THE CAR WASH THE INFORMATION SYSTEM WAS SHOWING ALERTS I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE. MY CONCERN IS EVEN WITH A NEW MODULE IF THE OLD ONE GOT WET AND IT IS CLEAR THE WATER IS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR WHAT WILL KEEP THE NEW MODULE (SAM) FROM GETTING WET. SOMETHING IS ALLOWING THE (SAM) MODULE TO GET WET FROM UNDER THE CAR. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE GEARS BECAME STUCK, AND THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF, CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE GEARS BECAME STUCK, AND THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF, CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLOWLY CONTINUE INTO THE CENTER OF THE INTERSECTION. THE OWNER LATER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS OCCURRED WITH ALL BRANDS OF CARS NOT JUST MERCEDES AND THAT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF BRAKE FAILURES IS ACCEPTABLE IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY SO LONG AS THAT PERCENTAGE DOES NOT GET TOO HIGH. *JB CONSUMER STATED THAT THE INFO WAS HARD TO ACCEPT WHEN HE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY CROSS TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTION WHERE HE COASTED THROUGH A REDLIGHT. *TC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 147,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR FINAL REPAIRS, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED ON WITH AIR CONDITIONER. *LA NAR *CB *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .