2000 Mercedes-Benz S430 Owner Complaints

The contact called on behalf of his wife who owns a 2000 Mercedes-Benz S430. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed, the instrument panel was inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to the NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V028000 (Interior Lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.

NHTSA ID

11474799

Incident

Jun 20, 2022

Mileage

96,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ S430V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE DOORS FAILED TO PROPERLY CLOSE DUE TO A FUSE MALFUNCTION WITH THE DOOR VACUUM SYSTEM. MERCEDES-BENZ OF AUGUSTA (3061 WASHINGTON RD, AUGUSTA, GA 30907, (706) 860-1111) REPLACED THE FUSE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 232,000.

NHTSA ID

11209429

Incident

Jan 2, 2019

Mileage

232,000 mi

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS NOT WORKING. ONLY 20,000 MILES SINCE OWNING THE CAR SINCE 1999. THE RECALL FOR SIMILIAR CAR WITH SAME ISSUES BUT THEY SAID NOT THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID

11142538

Incident

Oct 10, 2018

Mileage

20,000 mi

DEFECT IN ACCELERATOR AND ELECTRONIC ATTACHMENTS, PART NO220 300 00 04. WHEN PART FAILED, INITIALLY, CAR ONLY POWERED TO LOW SPEED UNDER LOAD. HAD TO DRIVE IT OUT OF DESERT AND OVER MOUNTAIN AT LOW SPEED, BUT DOWN HILL OK. EVENTUALLY PARKED IT OFF ROAD. WHEN NEXT STARTING IT, IT REVVED TO 3500 RPM AND HELD. TRIED TO MOVE IT, IT DROPPED TO IDLE SPEED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I PARKED IT AND HAD MECHANIC CHECK IT. DETERMINED THE ACCELERATOR WAS FAULTY. GAS PEDDLE DID NOT AFFECT ENGINE SPEED. HE POUNDED ON PEDDLE WITH HAND. ENGINE JUMPED TO 5000 RPM. TURNED IGNITION OFF, REPEATED PROCEDURE SEVERAL TIMES, ENGINE SPEED VARIED, CONTROLLED ENGINE SPEED BY TURNING KEY OFF AND ON WHILE IN DRIVERS SEAT. ONE TIME RIVVED TO 5000 RPM, PUT IT IN GEAR WHILE STEPPING ON BREAK. ENGINE KEPT ON REVVING WITH FULL POWER, REAL WHEELS SPINNING ON DIRT, HELD BY BRAKE. TURNED ENGINE OFF IMMEDIATELY AND REMOVED PART DESCRIBED ABOVE. CAR IS OLD, ABOUT 160K, NOT ALL THAT GOOD CONDITION. I EXPECT TO REPLACE THE PART WITH ONE FROM A MERCEDES DISMANTLER, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THE MALFUNCTION IS DUE TO AGE AND GETTING A USED PART MIGHT RECREATE THE SAME PROBLEM LATER. THE SYMPTOM FOR THE PROBLEM IS AT LEAST CONSISTENT WITH THAT OF CARS JUST RUNNING AWAY UNCONTROLLABLY, LIKE A DRIVER STARTS HIS CAR IN THE GARAGE, AND IT JUST TAKES OFF RIGHT THROUGH THE GARAGE WALLS. WHEN I REPLACE IT, I WILL KEEP THE OLD UNIT. YOU CAN HAVE IT TO INSPECT. THE ELECTRONICS ARE SEALED. I SHOULD LIKE YOU TO TELL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY SIMILAR REPORTS REGARDING MERCEDES S SERIES, AND IF YOU INSPECT THE PART, TELL ME WHAT YOU FIND.

NHTSA ID

11139238

Incident

Oct 6, 2018

Mileage

165,000 mi

MESSAGE IN DISPLAY AIRMATIC VISIT WORKSHOP. DIAGNOSED AUTOMATIC STRUT LEAK. REPLACED STRUT ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR & VALVE BLOCK SUSPENSION VALVE. I STILL HEAR AIR LEAKING. I'VE REPLACES ALL FOUR AIR STRUTS OVER THE YEARS. THE STRUTS ARE NOT CHEAP. IN MY OPINION MERCEDES MFG SHOULD REIMBURSE ME TOTAL COST FOR ALL FOUR. I'M SURE YOU AGREE!

NHTSA ID

10984756

Incident

Apr 21, 2017

Mileage

215,180 mi

ON 11/18/16 I WAS DRIVING MY 2000 S430 WHEN WILE ACCELERATING TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY MY TRANSMISSION SLIPPED CAUSING MY ENGINE TO REV. I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL & TRIED TO PRESS IT AGAIN TO RE ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PLACED THE CAR IN PARK, THEN BACK TO DRIVE. I CAUTIOUSLY DROVE BACK HOME & PARKED THE CAR UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET A SHOP APPOINTMENT. ON 11/21/16 I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP, THEY SAID THE FLUID WAS FULL BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED? SO I TOOK IT HOME TO THINK, (NO PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING HOME). ON 11/22/16 I DROVE THE CAR OUT OF TOWN & AFTER ABOUT 20 MILES MY CLUSTER GAUGE STARTED FLICKERING THEN WENT OUT. HOWEVER, THE BLINKERS STILL WORKED ALONG WITH THE HAZARDS. SO WHEN I WAS DONE WITH MY APPOINTMENT I CHECKED MY FUSES & REPLACED THE ONES INDICATED ON THE CHART. WHILE A SMALL PORTION OF THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON IT WAS BRIEFLY & THEN EVERYTHING WENT OUT, BLINKERS & ALL. SO IN ALL MY FRUSTRATION, I'VE PARKED THE CAR & AM ATTEMPTING TO GET HELP. I FOUND THERE WERE RECALLS ON THE GAUGES BUT NOT MY VIN? IS THIS SOMEHOW CONNECTED TO MY TRANSMISSION? PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10937111

Incident

Nov 18, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 142,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10810049

Incident

Dec 11, 2015

Mileage

142,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN FLASHED A RED WARNING SAYING "STOP CAR " WARNING " DO NOT DRIVE CAR TO LOW" THE CAR STARTED DROPPING TO THE ROAD RUBBING TIRES. I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO CUT TRAFFIC AND PULL TO THE RIGHT TO GET OUT THE WAY OF MOVING VEHICLES. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY SCARY TRAGIC AND HAZARD! I AM IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING IT TO THE SHOP NOW TO SEE EXACTLY THE PROBLEM. BEWARE

NHTSA ID

10794537

Incident

Nov 10, 2015

Mileage

88 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY DASHBOARD IS DARK AND I CAN'T SEE HOW FAST I WAS GOING. THEN AFTER A WHILE, THE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN. AND THIS ON AND OFF INCIDENTS HAPPENS EVERY DAY FROM THE FIRST DAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10715126

Incident

Apr 12, 2015

Mileage

136,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONED AND THE GAUGES FAILED TO WORK DUE TO THE INTERMITTENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10694158

Incident

May 11, 2009

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S430L (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS NOT ILLUMINATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10670141

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

IN REFERENCE TO CAMPAIGN 06V028000 WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR EXCLUSION OF SOME CARS OF THE SAME YEAR VS OTHERS? JUST BECAUSE THE 7 CARS THAT WERE PART OF THE ORGINAL COMPLAINT FALL IN THE NARROWLY DEFINED VIN RANGE DOES NOT MEAN OTHER CARS OF THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR DO NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEFECTIVE CLUSTERS ARE THE SAME. I HAVE A 2000 S430 WITH A FAILED CLUSTER. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME PART FOR THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR THAT OTHER CARS ARE BEING REPAIRED FOR FREE, BUT MY CAR IS EXCLUDED BECAUSE ITS VIN RANGE IS STATISTICALLY NOT IN THE SAME NARROW VIN RANGE CORRESPONDING TO THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT? THIS SEEMS VERY EXCLUSIONARY GIVEN MY CAR IS THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR AND THE PART IS THE SAME AND THERE IS NO BASIS TO EXCLUDE IT. I AM REQUESTING NHTSA TO WIDEN THE RECALL RANGE TO BE FAIR TO ALL OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR WHERE SOME ARE BEING RECALLED AND SOME NOT. IF THE FAILED CLUSTERS WERE FROM DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS THAT WOULD BE ONE THING, BUT TO EXCLUDE CARS DUE TO VIN RANGE CORRESPONDING TO THEORIGINAL7CARS AS PART OF THE COMPLAINT IS VERY LOP SIDED. I REQUEST YOU TO PLEASE WIDEN THE RECALL. MY VIN ENDING RANGE IS[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)*JS

NHTSA ID

10617013

Incident

Jul 20, 2014

Mileage

133,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

NHTSA ID

10615255

Incident

Jul 20, 2014

Mileage

133,000 mi

BAD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, HAD A RECALL AND WONT REPLACE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10605929

Incident

Jun 12, 2014

Mileage

140,000 mi

THE WHOLE CAR WAS LAYING ON THE FLOOR AND. THE RED LIGHT FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD THAT SAID "STOP CAR TOO LOW , BECAUSE OF HOW LOW IT WAS THE TIRES WERE RUBBING ON THE FENDER AND CAUSED THE TIRES TO BALL UP ,I. GOT THE CAR TOWED TO MERCEDES BENZ DEALER AND GOT THE AIRMATIC SYSTEM FIXED A YEAR LATER THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENS AND THE DIDN'T WANT TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10596800

Incident

May 20, 2013

Mileage

150,000 mi

DASH LIGHTS OUT, LOSING SPEEDOMETER AND ALL INSTRUMENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10550872

Incident

Oct 15, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

DASH LIGHTS GO OUT LOSING SPEEDOMETER AND ALL INSTRUMENT AIDS SUCH AS LIGHTS HIGH & LOW, TURNING SIGNALS, AND AIR BAG JUST TO MENTION A FEW. THE DASH PANEL CLUSTER CONTROLS SO MANY FUNCTIONS THAT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BECOMES DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. MANUFACTURE HAS TREATED PROBLEM AS A WARRANTY ISSUE BUT IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10525737

Incident

May 1, 2012

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE FAILURE AFFECTED THE ALL OF THE GAUGES, TURN SIGNALS, HEAD LIGHTS, THE HORN AND PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10525736

Incident

May 14, 2012

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON DASH GOES BLANK/DARK, CAUSING DANGEROUS DRIVING AT NIGHT DUE TO LOSS OF SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE, TEMPERATURE, AND ALL OTHER GAUGES ON DASH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10525504

Incident

Jul 9, 2013

Mileage

94,500 mi

TRAVELING WITH A FAMILY OF FOUR, THE CAR LOWERED COMPLETELY TO GROUND AND CAUSED TO ALMOST SPIN OUT OF CONTROL IT WAS THE AIRMATIC SHOCKS ALMOST $ 2,000 IN REPAIRS...NOW RECENTLY IS DROPPING CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING RESEARCHED AND FOUND HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES INCLUDING ONE THAT LOST CONTROL DUE TO FRONT AIR SHOCK SUDDEN DROP MERCEDES ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THESE MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10486624

Incident

Jun 24, 2008

Mileage

93,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ACTIVATED, HE SMELLED A PLASTIC BURNING ODOR THEN SUDDENLY THE AIR CONDITIONED FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT FAULTY BLOWER MOTOR REGULATOR WIRES MELTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT AND THEY STATED THAT ON APRIL 20, 2005 THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V141000 (EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:AIR CONDITIONER). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 246,000.

NHTSA ID

10469367

Incident

Jul 26, 2012

Mileage

246,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED IN 2005, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE LOWER DOOR STRIP SEAL. THE CONTACT STATED THE LOWER BOTTOM EDGE OF ALL FOUR DOORS WAS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,264.

NHTSA ID

10445641

Incident

Nov 2, 2011

Mileage

93,264 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR DOORS WERE BEGINNING TO RUST FROM THE EXTERIOR. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 87,000. UPDATED 12/29/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DOOR SEALS WERE DEFECTIVE. UPDATED 12/30/11

NHTSA ID

10438841

Incident

Aug 24, 2004

Mileage

27,000 mi