NHTSA Complaint #10874041 — 2004 MERCEDES BENZ S430

MY INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL BACKLIGHTING EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION RESULTING IN THE FAILURE TO ILLUMINATE THE GAUGES. THE CONDITION WAS DIAGNOSED BY MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON 06/06/16. IN DOING SO HE INFORMED ME OF RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 06V-028. I WAS TOLD THAT THE REMEDY IS FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE THE CLUSTER MODULE FREE OF CHARGE AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO CALL MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATE TO SCHEDULE A REPLACEMENT. I CALLED MERCEDES AND SPOKE WITH ERIC AT EXT 7806 WITHOUT ANY SATISFACTION AT ALL. AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE DISCOURAGED ME FROM ESCALATING MY CALL TO HIS BOSS FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE I BECAME IRATE AND DEMANDED TO SPEAK WITH A MANAGER. AT THAT POINT I SPOKE WITH CASE MANAGER JOE FROM EXT 6299. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS CORPORATE POLICY TO NOT GIVE OUT THEIR LAST NAMES. AFTER LENGHTLY VERBAL SPARRING THAT DIDN'T AMOUNT TO ANY SATISFACTION, I WAS TOLD THE CAMPAIGN EXPIRED IN 2013. JOE SAID HE COULD OFFER ME SOME ASSISTANCE IF I WANTED TO PURCHASE A NEW MERCEDES. (SERIOUSLY?) I THEN CALLED THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION AND GOT A DIFFERENT CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAMPAIGN EXPIRED 10 YEARS FROM THE RULING DATE OF 2006. IN THIS CASE, THAT WOULD MEAN THE CAMPAIGN WOULD END IN 2016. WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE 2013 EXPIRATION DATE CAME FROM. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I FEEL THE NEED TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES OF GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS CONFLICTING INFORMATION. I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO A MB DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS AT MY COST, FOLLOWED BY A REPLACEMENT AT MY COST AS WELL. CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS VERY CURT AND DIDN'T ATTEMPT TO CARE ABOUT MY PLIGHT NOT EVEN SLIGHTLY. I'M TAKING THIS MEASURE AS I CANT AFFORD TO INCUR THIS COST FROM A MB DEALERSHIP. BTW, THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY DURING A LONG TRIP WHEN THIS OCCURRED. VERY FRIGHTENING!