2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Complaint Log

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NOT OR WILL NOT BE A RECALL ON THE "SUSPENSION" ISSUE. I TOO HAD THE FATE OF MY CAR COLLAPSING ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK-WHICH IS 35 MILES AWAY-IT HAPPENED. ON THE DASH IT STATED IN BID BOLD LETTERS "AIRMATIC CAR TOO LOW". I PULLED OVER AND STEPPED OUT-MY HEART FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO COME THROUGH MY CHEST. EVERYONE IN THAT SITUATION UNDERSTANDS JUST HOW I FELT AT THAT TIME. THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY COVERING HALF OF THE FRONT TIRES-IF I TURNED THE WHEEL IT WOULD HAVE SCRAPED THE FENDERS. I LEFT THE CAR THERE OVERNITE. THE NEXT DAY {SUNDAY} MY PARTNER'S BROTHER -WHO IS A MECHANIC-WENT TO RETRIEVE MY CAR NOT BEING FAMILIARIZED WITH THE MERCEDES BRAND HE STARTED THE CAR AND PUSHED EVERY BUTTON ON THE DASH-HE CALLED ME TELLING ME THE CAR WAS FINE IT WAS "FINE". HE DROVE MY CAR TO MY HOME-MUCH TO MY PUZZLEMENT. THE CAR LOOKED NORMAL. THE NEXT DAY ON MONDAY I STARTED THE CAR AND ON THE DASH IN BIG RED LETTERS AIRMATIC . THOUGH THE CAR LOOKED FINE I SAW ON CLOSER INSPECTION THAT ONE SIDE IN FRONT WAS SAGGING LOWER, TO SUM THIS UP-GOT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE " AIR WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE BAGS IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION".THAT COST $1,000 TO REPAIR-I THINK ITS CHEAPER TO PAY THAT THAN THE ALTERNATIVE. AS I WRITE I AM FURIOUS YES- I HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT THIS COMING MONDAY FOR MY SRS SYSTEM. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. THIS TIME IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE ETR-THEY STATE THERE IS A FAULT. I HAVE TO PAY $540.00 TO HAVE A SAFE CAR? THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE SRS LIGHT HAS COME ON-SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED TOO-ONLY THAT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE 74,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT? MERCEDES SUBMITTED A VIDEO SHOWING AN S CLASS WITH A COLLAPSED SUSPENSION SHOWING THAT IT WAS FIT TO BE ON THE ROAD ALONG WITH OTHER CARS-PEOPLE WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE SAFEST CARS ON THE ROAD! THAT'S WHY WE BOUGHT IT .AND ABOUT THE SRS LIGHT? *TR

THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE MALFUNCTIONING IN MY CAR AND I CAN'T READ MY GAUGES ON THE SPEEDOMETER DURING THE DAY OR AT NIGHT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

ACTIVE BODY CONTROL FLUID LEAK. *TR

THE AIRMATIC WARNING CAME ON MY VEHICLE WITHOUT PRIOR INCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY LAST WEEK, I SUDDENLY NOTICED THE PANEL FLASHING THIS WARNING. THE CAR DID NOT COMPLETELY FAIL, BUT THE CAR IS MUCH LOWER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE. WHEN I SEARCHED THIS ON-LINE I CAME ACROSS A FORUM CALLED BENZWORLD.ORG OR COM. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND MANY PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR MBUSA TO RECALL THIS ITEM. I CALLED THE CORPORATE HQ AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER, I WAS TO ASK THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR A" AFTER WARRANTY ASSISTANCE". I AM NOT SURE WHAT THIS MEANS, BUT THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE ITEM TO REPAIR AND THERE MAY BE MANY THINGS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROBLEM. MBUSA SHOULD STAND BEHIND THIS FAULTY FEATURE AND RECALL THIS ITEM. I WILL TAKE THE CAR IN ON 07/28/08 AND SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME IS. I SUSPECT THIS WILL COST ME CLOSE TO 1K ON A CAR THAT HAS 73K MILES. I WILL ASK FOR THE OLD PARTS AND HOLD THEM IN RESERVE FOR YOUR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. *TR

BAD GAS FROM SUNOCO GAS STATIONS. NEW GAS BLEND. 6 MERCEDES BENZ SERVICED FOR ALL 4 OXYGEN SENSOR BURNED OUT IN BOSTON MA. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. DURING HOT WEATHER, THE BELT WILL NOT EXTEND. PASSENGER IS UNABLE TO PULL THE BELT OUT ENOUGH TO FASTEN IT IN THE LATCH. THE CATCH MECHANISM WHICH NORMALLY LATCHES DURING A CRASH OR RAPID STOPPING SEEMS TO BE STUCK CATCHING ALL THE TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK AUTOMATIC PUSH BUTTON FAILED, CAUSING THE TRUNK TO CLOSE ON INDEPENDENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION WOULD DROP NUMEROUS TIMES, CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR PREMATURELY AND THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE SUSPENSION FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW WHAT PART THE DEALER REPLACED FOR THE SUSPENSION FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT PROPERLY WHENEVER THERE WERE WARMER TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK LID WOULD EITHER BECOME RESISTANT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE HATCH, OR IT WOULD CLOSE INDEPENDENTLY. ON ONE OCCASION, THE TRUNK LID CLOSED UNEXPECTEDLY ON THE CONTACT AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE ITEMS FROM THE TRUNK AREA. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONTUSION TO THE RIGHT LEG. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY FOB FAILED TO ENGAGE THE TRUNK LID. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V285000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES: TRUNK LID SPRINGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. DURING WARMER OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES, THE FAILURE WOULD WORSEN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

MY 2003 MERCEDES S500 HAS TWICE ELECTRONICALLY SELF-CLOSED IT'S TRUNK ON TWO SEPARATE USERS, ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO TWO SEPARATE MERCEDES DEALERS FOR THE PROBLEM. ONE OF THOSE DEALERS REPLACED A NUMBER OF PARTS. DESPITE DOING SO, THE SECOND OCCURRENCE (LAST NIGHT), LEFT MY OTHER HALF IN TEARS, PAIN, WITH A RECESS IN HER HEAD AND A HEADACHE. THE ELECTRONIC TRUNK LID HAS HAD INSTANCES WHERE IT DOES NOT OPEN ALL THE WAY, DOES NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY, OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. THEN THERE IS THE MORE SERIOUS AND I BELIEVE POTENTIALLY LIFE TREATING, UNPROVOKED, UNEXPLAINED AND AS YET UN FIXED ELECTRONIC CLOSING THAT HAS TWICE OCCURRED WHEN PUTTING IN OR REMOVING GOODS FROM THE TRUNK. I WOULD FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I AM THE ONLY OWNER WHO HAS HAD SUCH A PROBLEM. THE METAL TRUNK LID COMES DOWN WITH FORCE STRIKING DIRECTLY ON THE TOP OF AN ADULTS HEAD. IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT IT WOULD DO TO A NON-ADULT. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A REPRESENTATIVE FOR MERCEDES WHO STATES TO HER KNOWLEDGE THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO GET THE CAR IN AND ATTEMPT TO FIX IT, BUT CAN NOT GUARANTEE THEY CAN. THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED, IT HIT ME AND NEARLY KNOCKED ME OUT. AFTER BRINGING THE CAR IN I ASSUMED IT WAS FIXED, HOWEVER, AFTER LAST NIGHT, IT CLEARLY IS NOT. THOUGH I CAN NOT MAKE IT PERFORM UPON COMMAND, I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE IT WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN. *JB

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WHEN CAR JUST STOPPED. I HAD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND PUSH IT FOR IT TO START AGAIN. AFTER 500 IT STOPPED AGAIN AND HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY. *JB

WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLOWLY CONTINUE INTO THE CENTER OF THE INTERSECTION. THE OWNER LATER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS OCCURRED WITH ALL BRANDS OF CARS NOT JUST MERCEDES AND THAT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF BRAKE FAILURES IS ACCEPTABLE IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY SO LONG AS THAT PERCENTAGE DOES NOT GET TOO HIGH. *JB CONSUMER STATED THAT THE INFO WAS HARD TO ACCEPT WHEN HE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY CROSS TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTION WHERE HE COASTED THROUGH A REDLIGHT. *TC

THE AIR BAGS ARE DEPLOYING. SO FAR NO INJURIES. THE AIR BAGS HAVE DEPLOYED ON TWO SERVICE TECHS. AND ONE TOW TRUCK DRIVER. DEPLOYMENT IS DO TO A DEFECT. THE CAR IS AN SLK 320. *AK

L/F WHEEL BENT; L/R WHEEL CRACKED. *AK

THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED WHILE PARKED. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM *MR

THE TRUNK LID ON MY NEW 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S-430 OPENS AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND KNOCKED A PACKAGE FROM MY WIFE'S HANDS MISSING HER FACE BY A SECOND.*AK

2003 S5004MATIC BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER. AT 9000 MILES HAD REAR ROTORS WARPED BY PARKING BRAKE. AT 11000 MILES HAD FRONT ROTORS WARPED BY UNKNOWN REASONS. AT 11500 MILES SHIMMY IN STEERING WHEEL CANNOT BE FIXED. DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX IT ON 4 OCCASIONS. UNABLE TO DO SO. *LA

SHIFTER STUCK IN PARK. THERE ARE PROBABLY HUNDREDS, POSSIBLY EVEN THOUSANDS OF MERCEDES OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE SHIFTER LOCKS IN PARK. YOU TURN THE CAR ON AND IT WILL NOT MOVE EVEN IF USING A 16 POUND RUBBER MALLET TO BANG THE SHIFTER. I WOULD CONSIDER THIS AS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF THE PERSON WAS OUT IN THE WILDERNESS OR A MOTHER TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED AT HTTP://WWW.MBWORLD.ORG THIS PARTICULAR FORUM IS A GREAT SOURCE FOR PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH MERCEDES BENZ. IT IS CAUSED BY A $4 PIECE OF PLASTIC LOCATED INSIDE THE SHIFTER BOX THAT MOVES BACK AND FORTH TO ACTIVATE THE SOLENOID.. ONCE THE PLASTIC PIECE BREAKS IT LOCKS THE SHIFTER IN PLACE. MERCEDES COULD EASILY FIX THIS PROBLEM BY USING MORE DURABLE MATERIALS. INSTEAD, THEY CHARGE YOU UP TO $1500 TO REPLACE THE SHIFTER BOX. I KNOW BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE I PERSONALLY KNOW. THE CAR LITERALLY CAN NOT BE MOVED AND HAS TO BE DRAGGED ON A FLAT BED TRUCK AND TAKEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP. FOR A CAR THIS EXPENSIVE, IT IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS. *TR

RE: 2003 S600 [XXX] MY RELATIVELY NEW (3000 MILES) S600 HAS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE NEW V12 ENGINE THAT HAS NOW DEVELOPED INTO A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK FOR THE DRIVER. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN SERVICE MORE THAN 4 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM - IT HAS BEEN ESCALATED TO THE TECH CENTER BY MY DEALER - IT HAS NOT EVER BEEN FIXED. THE SPARK PLUGS ARE REGULARLY FOULED BY MISFIRING CYLINDERS (1,2,7,8) - THE DEALER SAYS IT MAY BE A SOFTWARE PROBLEM THAT MBUSA HAS FAILED TO FIX..AND NOW - WHEN DRIVEN AT SPEED OVER RELATIVELY MODEST BUMPS - THE CAR TOTALLY DIES AND ALL POWER IS GONE...THE SRS LIGHT COMES ON FOR A MOMENT BUT ALL STEERING ON THE CAR IS GONE AND (IF YOU ARE NOT KILLED IN THE MEANTIME) YOU NEED TO STEER THE CAR MANUALLY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS IT COASTS TO A STOP. THIS IS A DEADLY DRIVING HAZARD - MBUSA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND PERMITTING IT TO CONTINUE...YOU HAVE FAILED TO RESPOND TO MY PRIOR WRITTEN MATERIALS INCLUDING THOSE CONTAINED IN YOUR OWN SURVEYS TO ME...THE CAR IS A LEMON AND I WANT A NEW CAR OR WE WILL BEGIN SUIT AS WELL AS STATE AND FEDERAL LEMON AND FRAUD PROCEEDINGS ..WE WILL ALSO FILE A DEMAND WITH NHTSA THAT AN IMMEDIATE RECALL BE REQUIRED OF MBUSA ON ALL S6OO CARS WITH THIS ENGINE... NOTE THIS CYLINDER PROBLEM BEGAN TO APPEAR AT 700 MILES&.IN MARCH, 2003 IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN APRIL, 2003 AT 1000 MILES IT HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED&. IN THE MEANTIME, THE NEW PROBLEM OF THE POWER FAILING ENTIRELY HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS [XXX] [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE ENGINE STALLED 3 TIMES. MODEL S430. *JB ON ONE OCCASION THE SPEED SUDDENLY DROPPED FROM 47-15MPH. SCC

I WAS RECENTLY LOOKING AT THE PURCHASE OF A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS SEDAN AND WAS REVIEWING THE FEATURES TO ORDER. ONE OF THE OPTIONS WAS A "TRUNK CLOSER". THE DEALER HAD A UNIT IN STOCK WHICH HAD THIS OPTION AND I HAD ITS OPERATION DEMONSTRATED. MUCH TO MY SURPISE, IT DID NOT HAVE AN AUTOMATIC REVERSE NOR SHUTOFF FOR OBSTRUCTIONS. THE SALESMAN WAS UNABLE TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS OVER THIS DANGEROUS AND FLAWED DESIGN. AS A PHYSICIAN AND FATHER OF A FOUR YEAR OLD CHILD, I FEEL AN OBLIGATION TO DRAFT THIS COMPLAINT IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I WILL ALSO FORWARD THIS TO MERCEDES-BENZ AS WELL. THANK YOU.

THIS AUTO'S COMMAND (COMMUNICATIONS) SYSTEM (RADIO/CASS/CELL PHONE/NAVIGATION SYSTEM) HAS FAILED, INTERMITTANTLY ELEVEN TIMES OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS. SINCE I PURCHASED THIS AUTO FOR MONTHLY TRIPS BETWEEN MAINE AND GEORGIA, I REALLY NEED SAFE AND CONSISTENT COMMUNICATIONS AND NAVIGATION SYSTEMS TO OPERATE PROPERLY. I'VE NOW LOST FAITH IN THE SAFE OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE; PURCHASED EXPRESSLY FOR SAFE, LONG DISTANCE, ALL-WEATHER, & DEPENDABLE TRIPS OF 2,600 MILES EACH MONTH. WHILE THE FACTORY HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE COMMAND SYSTEM TEN TIMES, IT HAS NOW FAILED FOR THE ELEVENTH TIME! THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDITIONALLY DOCUMENTED IN THE PAST THREE ISSUES OF THE STAR: MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS CLUB MAGAZINE. *AK

THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR FINAL REPAIRS, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED ON WITH AIR CONDITIONER. *LA NAR *CB *JB

THE GEARS BECAME STUCK, AND THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF, CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE.*JB