NHTSA Complaint #10476954 — 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S CLASS

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ISSUE I AM EXPERIENCING BEGAN APPROXIMATELY JULY, 2012. INITIALLY, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER BRIEFLY AND THEN ILLUMINATE AGAIN. SUBSEQUENT TO THE FREQUENT FLICKERING INCIDENTS, THE CLUSTER LIGHTING DIDN'T ILLUMINATE AT ALL, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SMALL DIAGNOSTIC VIEWER. CURRENTLY, ALL LIGHTING, GAUGES, AND ANY DIAGNOSTIC INSTRUMENTS, INCLUDING THE CONTROL BUTTONS LOCATED ON THE STEERING WHEEL DO NOT FUNCTION. IN ADDITION TO THE FOREMENTIONED, THE HEADLIGHTS NOW CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATE AND THE TURN SIGNAL IS COMPLETELY SILENT AND NOT VISIBLE FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I IMMEDIATELY INQUIRED WITH A CERTIFIED MERCEDES BENZ TECHNICIAN REGARDING THE LIGHTING CLUSTER AND CONTROL ISSUE AND THROUGH THAT INQUIRY WAS MADE AWARE OF THE VEHICLE RECALL RELATED TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. WITH THAT SAID, I CALLED THE LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND PROVIDED THE VIN NUMBER; AND THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE REFERRED ME TO MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATE; I PROVIDED THE VIN NUMBER AGAIN, AND WAS THEN TOLD I DIDN'T RESPOND TO THE RECALL NOTIFICATION. THE FACTS ARE CONTRARY TO THAT ASSERTION; BECAUSE IF I HAD RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION I WOULD HAVE ACTED UPON THE REQUEST. CURRENTLY THE AUTOMOBILE HAS NO LIGHTS AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT, NOR AM I AWARE IF THERE IS GASOLINE IN THE AUTOMOBILE. I HAVE CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATION FOR ASSISTANCE, WHO HAVE COMPLETELY EXCUSED THEMSELVES OF THIS VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. YOUR ASSISTANCE TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT MATTER IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. *TR