NHTSA Complaint #10160666 — 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S500

THE MERCEDES S-CLASS HAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND EVEN WHEN RECALLS ARE MADE, MERCEDES BENZ NORTH AMERICA UNDERSTATES THE NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED TO MINIMIZE THEIR LOSS DUE TO DEFECTIVE ENGINEERING. MY MERCEDES DEALER (CROWN MERCEDES IN DUBLIN, OHIO - TEL 614-799-4666) HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, WHICH DOES NOT ILLUMINATE, NOR DO THE GAUGES WORK, EVEN THOUGH A RECALL WAS MANDATED AS PER NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 06V028000. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF HONORING THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM UNLESS CASH PAYMENT IS MADE IN THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE COST. MY CLUSTER DOES NOT ILLUMINATE, THE GAUGES ARE ALL STUCK SO THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT SPEED I AM GOING AT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE LEFT, I DON'T KNOW THE MILEAGE OF THE CAR, OR ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE OF A KNOWN MECHANICAL DEFECT OF MERCEDES BENZ INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS, BUT THEY ARE REFUSING SERVICE. I AM FORCED TO TAKE THE CAR BACK UN-REPAIRED ALTHOUGH THEY REQUIRED A $210.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE, AND I AM VERY WORRIED THAT I MAY RUN INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH IT DUE TO THEIR NEGLIGENCE AND LACK OF CONCERN WITH THE RECALL. PLEASE HELP. YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT CELL (614) 446-6180. YOUR HELP IS VERY IMPORTANT AND CONCERNS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. I AM FORCED TO DRIVE WITHOUT SEEING MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT SPEED I AM GOING AT, WITHOUT KNOWING HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE LEFT, WITHOUT KNOWING ANY OF THOSE THINGS. I AM IN DANGER AND EVEN THOUGH THEY ADMIT THAT IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OF THE CLUSTER, THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR IT WITHOUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN PARTS & LABOR. IS IT FAIR TO PUT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY AT RISK BECAUSE OF THE CORPORATE WRONG DOINGS AND UNDER REPORTING AND ARROGANCE OF MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATION? DO I NEED TO ENDURE THE RISK OF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BEFORE NHTSA TAKES SOME ACTION? PLEASE HELP. *JB