2002 Mercedes-Benz S Class Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ABC SUSPENSION FAILED AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY LOWERED IN A DOWNWARD MOTION TOWARDS THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FUSE LINK, AIRMATIC PUMP RELAY AND AIRMATIC COMPRESSOR WERE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V263000 (SUSPENSION). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,268.

NHTSA ID

10416475

Incident

Sep 24, 2009

Mileage

71,268 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S55. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ALSO FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COLLAPSE. AFTER COASTING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUSPENSION PUMP WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

NHTSA ID

10409218

Incident

Jan 1, 2011

Mileage

99,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE DROPPED TOWARDS THE GROUND. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH EXTREME CAUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

NHTSA ID

10384095

Incident

Feb 23, 2011

Mileage

160,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE REAR SUSPENSION MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DROP TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE AIR SHOCK SYSTEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR PUMP COMPRESSOR MALFUNCTIONED THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10374956

Incident

Dec 31, 2010

Mileage

140,000 mi

THERE WAS NO WARNING IT JUST GAVE A ALERT THAT THE CAR WAS RIDING LOW AND TO STOP. AIRMATIC SUSPENSION FOR A 2002 S430. VERY COSTLY, I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR MERCEDES S CLASS. I BELIEVE IT IS A DEFECT AT THE MANUFACTURER AND MB SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNT FOR SAID DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10355005

Incident

Sep 7, 2010

Mileage

105,236 mi

I OWN A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430 AND FEB. 2010 THE "AIRMATIC SYSTEM" WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THERE ARE ONLY 43,000 MILES ON MY CAR.THE DEALER WANTS CLOSE TO $1000 TO PUT A 'KIT" ON TO REPLACE THE FAILING SEALS ON THE AIRMATIC STRUTS, WHICH THE MFG HAS SINCE CHANGED THE DESIGN AND OFFERED RECALLS ON OTHER MODELS. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE AS I WAS TOLD IF THE PUMP BURNS UP FROM THE AIR LEAKING OUT THE SUSPENSION WILL DROP THE CAR, CAUSING THE CAR TO BE UNDRIVABLE, AND IT COULD BE DANGEROUS IF THE CAR IS IN MOTION. I HAVE 2 CHILDREN AND CAN NOT TAKE THE CHANCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10351789

Incident

Feb 25, 2010

Mileage

43,912 mi

I'M THE OWNER OF A 2002 MERCEDES S430 AND HAVING TROUBLE REPAIRING THE RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED MERCEDES DIRECTLY AND THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEIR ARE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE WHEN IN FACT THERE IS. PLEASE HELP ME RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10296216

Incident

Nov 10, 2009

AIRMATIC SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT INDICATED THAT THE CAR WAS TOO LOW TO DRIVE. HENCE, HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO GET SAID CAR S430 MERCEDES REPAIRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10291651

Incident

Oct 27, 2009

Mileage

42,000 mi

REGULAR DRIVING THEN FRONT RIGHT OF CAR FALLS TO THE GROUND. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278310

Incident

Jul 25, 2009

Mileage

88,000 mi

I HAVE A 2002 430S MERCEDES BENZ WITH ONLY 69,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE REPLACED THE AIRMATIC PUMP AND PAID $641.89 ON SEPT 25, 2008 AT RICK HILL IMPORTS IN KINGSPORT TN AND MY CAR IS AGAIN LOWERING TO THE GROUND WHILE DRIVING SPEEDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. I HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO AIR MY CAR UP WHICH IS DANGEROUS. I TOOK IT BACK TO RICK HILL IMPORTS THEY TELL ME THE SHOCKS ARE LEAKING AIR AND THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. I HAVE STARTED DOING RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THAT THEIR ARE SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THIS CAR YR MAKE AND MODEL. I AM TOLD THAT I WILL HAVE TO SPEND ANOTHER 3000-4000 TO GET MY CAR IN THE RUNNING CONDITION IT NEEDS TO BE IN. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN HARD OR THAT MUCH. THE YR OF MY CAR SHOULD HAVE ABOUT 100000 MILE ON IT, AND IT DOES NOT. I ALSO FOUND WHERE THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ALREADY IN PLACE FOR THE AIRMATIC SYSTEM. I HAVE MADE MERCEDES AWARE OF MY PROBLEM THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I FEEL THAT I HAVE DEFAULTY SYSTEM AND I WANT THEM TO REPLACE IT AFTER ALL THEY ARE KNOWN FOR EXPENSE LUXURY DEPENDABLE CARS AND THAT IS WHY YOU PAY 70,000 DOLLARS FOR THEIR CARS. THIS LEMON AIRMATIC SYSTEM IS GOING TO CAUSE ME OR ONE OF MY FAMILY MEMBER TO GET KILLED LOWERING TO THE GROUND AT SPEED OF 40-50MPH AND PULLING OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO LET IT AIR UP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10274389

Incident

Sep 25, 2008

Mileage

58,067 mi

THE SEALS ON THE FRONT AIR SHOCKS CRACKED CAUSING THE CAR TO DROP ALMOST DOWN ON THE TIRES. I SEE THE 12 CYL.CAR HAS ALREADY HAD A RECALL TO CORRECT THIS WAS THE S-500 WITH THE 5.0 ENGINE IN THIS RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ID

10215832

Incident

Jan 15, 2008

Mileage

59,950 mi

IN APRIL 2007 I NOTICED THE CAR DROPPING AND THE HISSING SOUND OF AIR WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. ON APRIL 12, 2007 THE CAR DROPPED EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE TIRES AND I WAS FORCED TO IT FOR REPAIR SINCE MY CAR IS MY LIVELIHOOD. I WAS TOLD MY REAR SUSPENSION COMPRESSOR AND FRONT SUSPENSION ON ONE SIDE NEEDED REPLACING ALONG WITH THE R/F STRUT COSTING ME A TOTAL OF $2086.00. I HOPE THAT I WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY TRAGIC. TO THIS DATE THERE STILL SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH SUSPENSION AS I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP IN DECEMBER 2007 AND A HOSE WAS REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212667

Incident

Apr 12, 2007

Mileage

96,423 mi

2002 MERCEDES BENZ S500 SPORT. AFTER VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF A VERY LOAD GROWL CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE RIGHT SIDE. IT WAS APPARENTLY THE AIR COMPRESSOR AND IT WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. THE GRUMBLE OR GROWL SHOOK THE CAR AND SMELLED OF ELECTRICAL. THE HEIGHT OF THE CAR DID NOT CHANGE. THE GROWL STOPPED AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES. I HAVE PARKED THE CAR OUTDOORS AS TO NOT TEMPT FATE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A CAR FIRE IN THE GARAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A FAILURE IN THE AIR RIDE SYSTEM. WHILE I REALIZE EVERYTHING MECHANICAL HAS THE CHANCE TO FAIL I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THIS COMPONENT WAS RUNNING AND HAS A CHANCE TO START A FIRE WITH THE IGNITION IN THE OFF POSITION. IF THIS COMPONENT FAILS WHILE DRIVING AND DROPS THE VEHICLE RIDE HEIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY THE RESULTS COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207906

Incident

Nov 5, 2007

Mileage

85,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430. ON DECEMBER 8, 2006, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SHOCK FAILED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT 10 MPH. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS AIRMATIC MALFUNCTION. ON MAY 16, 2007, THE REAR SHOCKS FAILED. THE CONTACT HAS NOT RECEIVED A DIAGNOSIS FOR THE FAILURE, BUT THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE REAR SHOCKS FAILED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 94,264 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10191144

Incident

May 16, 2007

Mileage

90,000 mi

I OWN A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S-430 WITH 69,000 MILES THAT I PURCHASED NEW. ON FEBRUARY 7TH & 8TH I HAD THE DEALER PERFORM A SCHEDULED SERVICING OF MY CAR WHICH WAS AN EXTENSIVE CHECKUP (COST OVER $1,000) DESPITE HAVING NO PROBLEMS. THE FOLLOWING DAY MY FAMILY TOOK AN AUTOMOBILE TRIP OF 140 MILES. ON FEBRUARY 10TH, WHILE DRIVING I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE CAR'S WARNING SYSTEM ALERTED ME TO STOP THE CAR AND NOT DRIVE IT. AFTER TALKING TO MERCEDES ON THEIR EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY DEALER 140 MILES AWAY. THIS MORNING,2/12/2002, I WENT TO THE DEALER AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A FAILURE OF A HYDRAULIC STRUT/SHOCK WHICH SUSPENDS THE CAR. HAD I TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL BEFORE NOTICING THE PROBLEM I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO NEGOTIATE A CURVE AND WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. WHILE AT THE DEALER, I WAS SHOWN 5 OR 6 MERCEDES BENZES, SOME MUCH NEWER THAN MINE, WHOSE CARS HAD COLLAPSED OVER THE FRONT WHEELS. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO OTHERS. THE DEFECT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE S CLASS THAT I HAVE SINCE I WAS SHOWN AN E CLASS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT A REPLACEMENT PART WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL PART BUT RATHER AN IMPROVED PART THAT MERCEDES ENGINEERS CAME UP WITH AFTER MANY REPORTED PROBLEMS. SINCE THE PART HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED, THE REPAIR WILL PROBABLY COST ME WELL OVER $1,000 DESPITE MERCEDES BEING AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MORE IMPORTANTLY, DRIVERS, PASSENGERS AND OTHER VEHICLES ARE IN SERIOUS DANGER IF THE MERCEDES BECOMES UNMANAGABLE. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED NOR DO I KNOWN EXACTLY WHAT FAILED, BUT GIVEN THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM I DID NOT WANT TO WAIT BEFORE REPORTING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT SINCE I OBSERVED MANY OTHER VEHICLES AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.*JB

NHTSA ID

10182366

Incident

Feb 10, 2007

Mileage

69,000 mi

TL* - THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT VEHICLE BECAME LOWER TO THE GROUND AS HE WAS DRIVING AT 20 MPH. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE CONTACT WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 HOURS, WHEN HE RETURNED AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EVEN LOWER THAN BEFORE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN AIRMATIC SYSTEM FAILURE. THE AIRMATIC SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT REMEMBER ANY WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. *AK UPDATED 1/31/2007 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10177636

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

Mileage

8,000 mi

THE AIRMATIC SYSTEM FAILS AND THE BODY OF VEHICLE CAME DOWN TO TOUCH ALL 4 WHEELS WHILE DRIVING HIGH SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE I-66 HIGHWAY. -THE DASHBOARD INDICATION SHOWED "AIRMATIC-------STOP, CAR TOO LOW" MAKING SCRAPING NOISE IN THE FRONT WHEEL WELLS BOTH SIDES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10155687

Incident

Apr 18, 2006

Mileage

53,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STOPS AND THEN COLLAPSES TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP EACH TIME. THE STRUT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE AXLE CALIBRATED, AND THE WHEELS ALIGNED. THESE EFFORTS HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG, THEN SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE SUSPENSION EXPLODED, BUT ARE NOT AWARE HOW TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10152584

Incident

Mar 13, 2006

Mileage

33,000 mi

AFTER DRIVING AND PLACING GEAR OF 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430 IN PARK, MY CAR COLLAPSED SO LOW THAT CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN, LEAVING ALL OCCUPANTS STRANDED. AIRMATIC COMPRESSOR SYSTEM, WHICH IS CAR'S SUSPENSION SYSTEM TOTALLY FAILED. CAR TOWED ON FLAT BED TO DEALERSHIP. SEVERAL PARTS REPLACED, INCLUDING AIRMATIC COMPESSOR, SENSOR, FUSE, PUMP, AND MORE. CAR REPAIR COST ME $1000. *NM

NHTSA ID

10150390

Incident

Dec 31, 2005

Mileage

5,100 mi