2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430 Electrical System Problems

2 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING MY 2001 S430 FROM LOCAL DEALER (CRITZ BENZ OF SAVANNAH) FOR SERVICE THAT WAS DONE INCORRECTLY.I NOTICE WHILE DRIVING THE BURNED OUT ODOR COMING THE AIR VENTS. I NOTICED MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTING START TO FLICKER AS I WAS DRIVING BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. THE NEXT DAY HOWEVER WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED NO LIGHTS WERE ON THE DASHBOARD WHAT SO EVER, IT WAS TAKEN BACK TO LOCAL DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE FOUND YOUR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER COMPLETELY SHORTED OUT. IT SEEMS TO BE SOME FORM OF INTERNAL ELECTRICAL FAULT. WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED. PARTS AND LABOR TOGETHER IS $1905.60 TO REPLACE IT. I ASK ABOUT THE RECALL ON THIS PART THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED. VEHICLE HAS 188,XXX MILES ON IT. IVE ALSO HAD BOTH AIRBAGS REPLACED WITHIN 3 MONTHS AND...

2001 WAS WHEN THE AIRMATICS FIRST CAME OUT MERCEDES PERFECTED IN 2002 THERE WAS A RECALL BUT I DID NOT GET THE LETTER TIL AFTER THE DATE AND MERCEDES WOULDN'T HONOR IT I PURCHASED THIS CAR AND IT'S BROKEN SUCH A WASTE THE AIRMATICS WON'T GO UP IT'S SLAMMED LOW WE'LL NEED TO TOW IT W THE BIG TOW TRUCK BECAUSE IT'S TOO LOW IT'LL SCRATCH

THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL CLUSTER THE PIXELS SLOWLY FADE IN AND OUT CANT READ ANY THING THAT GOING ON WITH CAR MILES OR PROBLEMS WITH CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S430. WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 320,000.

I DROVE MY WORK TO WORK WHICH IS ONE KILOMETER AWAY. AFTER DROPPING, I PARKED FOR 5 MINUTES. WHEN I TRIED TO START, IT WON'T START. AFTER FEW MINUTES, I TRIED TO START AND IT DID. AFTER A FEW YARDS, THE CAR STOPPED IN THE ROAD. I CALLED THE TOWING COMPANY AND BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE BATTERY WAS CHANGED BUT WHEN THEY STARTED, THEY JUST HEARD A SOUND OF NOT GOING THRU. THEY DIAGNOSED THE CAR AND THEY CHANGED THE CRANK CENSORCSS 825. I DROVE THE CAR BACK HOME.

TWO YEARS AGO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER JUST QUIT WHILE IN HEVEY TRAFFIC. NO SPEED NO TAC NO GAS NO NOTHING AND IT COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT INJURY AND FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE CAR ALSO. THIS ITEM WAS A FEDERAL MANDATE RECALL AND MERCEDES SAYS NOT SO AFTER 10 YEARS AND WONT HONOR THE LAW WHICH STIPULATES ITS FOREVER, AND DEALERS INSIST ON A BUY OF A NEW ONE CANT EVEN GET ONE AT COST.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND GAUGES STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 10/06/16*LJ *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE LIGHTS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND THE DRIVER HAD DIFFICULTY READING THE INSTRUMENT GAUGES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, FUEL GAUGES, ETC) LIGHT WENT COMPLETELY OUT. I CANNOT SEE HOW FAST I'M GOING, HOW HOT MY ENGINE IS RUNNING, HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE LEFT, ETC. MY MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR WAS KNOWN TO HAVE DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING (UNDER MERCEDES RECALL CAMPAIGN 2006080004) BUT MERCEDES REFUSES TO HONOR THE RECALL CAMPAIGN AND WANTS $2000 TO FIX THIS DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE GAUGES AND LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V028000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HVAC HEATER AND THE AIR CONDITIONER ACTIVATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR FUSE HOLDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000. UPDATED 04/06/15*LJ UPDATED 9/27/2017*CN

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER JUSTER FLICKERED A FEW TIMES AND THEN IMMEDIATELY WENT DARK. NO GAS GAUGE, THE SPEEDOMETER OR OTHER IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE CLUSTER ARE NOT WORKING. CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ, STILL WAITING FOR THEM TO ESCALATE. I AM UNABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS DUE TO THIS. I AM LOCATED IN DEKALB, GEORGIA. PLEASE ASSIST AS THIS A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO NO FAULT OF MY OWN. THERE WAS A RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY, HOWEVER I WAS UNAWARE OF IT. *TR

IS DRIVING FROM WORK, ON THE WAY BACK HOME, WHEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OF MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S430 SUDDENLY TURNED BLACK. SINCE IT WAS GETTING DARK, I PANICKED DUE TO MY INABILITY TO GAUGE THE SPEED OF MY DRIVING, AS OCCASIONED BY A NON-FUNCTIONING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT IT WAS ALREADY GETTING DARK. THIS PART WAS ACTUALLY REPLACED BACK IN 29 SEPT 2006, AS PART OF A RECALL. I WAS THEREFORE DISAPPOINTED THAT DESPITE THE RECALL, THE PART THAT THEY INSTALLED IN 2006 WOULD SUFFER THE SAME FATE. CLEARLY, THIS ISSUE WAS NEVER RESOLVED THROUGH A DESIGN CHANGE. WHAT MADE MATTERS WORSE WAS THAT MERCEDES-BENZ CORPORATE HAD REFUSED TO WORK WITH ME TO SHARE IN THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT PART. I AM SURPRISED SINCE I HAD SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN SERVICE AND REPAIR COSTS, SINCE RELIABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT IS DEFICIENT IN MERCEDES-BENZ PRODUCTS. FOR...

MERCEDES BENZ 2001 S430. DOOR ASSIST NOT OPERATIONAL AND FOB/KEY WILL NOT LOCK DOORS NOR WILL OPEN TRUNK. CAN NOT LOCK DOOR WHILE DRIVE AS USUAL WHILE VEHICLE. DOORS HAVE TO BE FORCED CLOSE AND NO INDICATION THAT DOOR IS AJAR SAFETY INDICATOR SHOW IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEI. THERE IS NO WAY YOU WILL KNOW THE DOORS ARE AJAR. CORRECTED BY SLAMMING DOOR CLOSE BEFORE STARTING BUT KEY STILL WON'T OPERATE TRUNK. DEALER THINKS IT'S THE PSE OR SOMETHING ELSE. *TR

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FUSE KEEPS BLOWING LEAVING MY SPEEDOMETER, FUEL, ETC. COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED IN NOVEMBER OF 2006 AND I WAS TOLD, BY BOTH THE DEALER AND MBUSA, THAT IT EXPIRED IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH A LOCAL MB DEALERSHIP AND MBUSA AND BOTH HAVE DECLINED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE UNIT AFTER SEVERAL REQUESTS. THEY SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE IT, BUT AT A COST OF $1600. CURRENTLY, I CAN NOT SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING, HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE IN MY CAR, ETC. BECAUSE THE OBVIOUS SAFETY DEFECT (AND DESIGN DEFECT) HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, I FEEL MBUSA SHOULD BACK THEIR PRODUCT COMPLETELY. I HAVE 184K MILES ON THE CAR (WHICH IS NOTHING FOR A MERCEDES BENZ). IT HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND MAINTAINED VERY WELL, SO THE "DEFECT" IS NOT THE RESULT OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THANK...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS BLANK AND NONE OF THE GAUGES WOULD PROVIDE ACCURATE READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 173,704.

CONSUMER OF A 2001 S430 V FAULTY SUNROOF, LED SIDE MIRRORS, AND TURN SIGNALS. CUSTOMER STATES THE VEHICLE HAS COST HIM A LOT OF MONEY TO REPAIR AND WOULD LIKE IT TO BE FIXED AND BE REPAID IN SOMEWAY. **NAR**KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SUCH AS PERSISTENT TAIL LIGHT AND HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILURES, ENGINE, FUEL, ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY, ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, VACUUM DOOR PUMP, ELECTRICAL, FRONT SUSPENSION FAILURES SUCH AS THE AIRMATIC SHOCKS, THE THRUST ARMS, BALL JOINTS AND THE AIRMATIC PUMP/RELAY. THE TRANSMISSION SEALS LEAKED, THE WASHER FLUID HOSE HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE BLOWER MOTOR HARNESS, FAN BELT, DIMMER SWITCH, TRUNK SPRINGS WERE ALL REPLACED. THE PLASTIC TRIM ON THE FRONT SEAT WAS REPLACED DUE TO CRACKING. THE FRONT DOOR SILL STRIP COVER WAS REPLACED. THE THRESHOLD BELLOWS WERE COMING APART, THE SIDE MARKER LIGHT WAS REPLACED. *JB

COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THUS LEAVING ME WITH NO INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THE FUNCTIONS OF THE AUTOMOBILE. "IN THE DARK. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MALFUNCTIONED. THE INDICATOR LIGHTS /INDICATOR WERE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER HAD THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REPLACED. WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FIRST WENT OUT THE GAUGES WOULD NOT WORK EITHER. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THIS WAS A INSTRUMENTATION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, BUT DID HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK THE REPLACEMENT CLUSTER FAILED SEVERAL MONTHS LATER. *JB PHONE INTERVIEW (SEPTEMBER 23, 05) UPDATE: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS FLICKERED FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES BEFORE IT BLACKOUT COMPLETELY. AFTER THAT, THE CONSUMER COULDN'T READ THE GAUGES AND THERE WAS NO TURN SIGNAL INDICATION. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS AN ERROR WITH THE MANUFACTURING OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.

DT: CONTACT STATES THE THERE WAS COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE AT 23,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SERVICE DEALER STATED THEY COULDN'T FIND WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. *AK WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. ON SEVERAL OCCASION THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THIS RESULTED IN SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND CONCLUDED THAT THE BRAKE WEAR WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND THAT THEY JUST NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CENTER CONSOLE WOULD NOT OPEN PROPERLY. THE STEREO'S VOLUME GOES UP AND DOWN. THE POWER STEERING MADE A GROANING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS TIGHTENED. THIS PROBLEM WAS WORSE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS COLD. THE GLOVE BOX WOULD NOT OPEN. THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON WAS INOPERATIVE. *NM