2003 Mercedes Benz S Class

Defect. ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, CORROSION MAY OCCUR IN THE INNER STEEL PORTIONS OF THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL'S (ABC) HIGH PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSE DUE TO EXTENSIVE EXPOSURE TO HUMIDITY CAUSING DETERIORATION OF THE HOSE.

Risk. THIS MAY RESULT IN ABC HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKAGE NEAR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. LEAKING FLUID MAY COME IN CONTACT WITH HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS AND LEAD TO A POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW CORROSION RESISTANT ABC HIGH PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 2, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Defect. ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE TRUNK LID SPRINGS COULD FAIL IN THE CLOSED TRUNK LID POSITION.

Risk. IF THE TRUNK LID IS MANUALLY LIFTED, IT MAY NOT REMAIN IN THE UP POSITION AND COULD CAUSE INJURY IF IT COMES DOWN WHILE SOMEONE IS REACHING INTO THE TRUNK.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH TRUNK LID SPRINGS. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES- BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

THE SRS SYSTEM (AIRBAGS) HAVE BEEN DEEMED INOPERABLE BY THE DEALER AND MAY EITHER DEPLOY AT ANY TIME OR NOT DEPLOY AT ALL IN A COLLISION. THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SEATBELT BUCKLE AND A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER RECOGNITION SENSOR PAD LOCATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WHICH DISABLES/ENABLES THE AIRBAGS FUNCTIONALITY. BOTH A VERY COMMON DEFECT IN THE 2000 TO 2006 MODEL YEAR MERCEDES BENZ S CLASS VEHICLES. THE SEATBELT BUCKLE CONTAINS A SENSOR THAT EVENTUALLY FAILS FOR NO APPARENT REASON OR WARNING WHICH COMPROMISES THE AIR BAG'S FUNCTIONALITY. THE PASSENGER RECOGNITION SENSOR PAD LOCATED IN THE SEAT EVENTUALLY MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO FATIGUE.THIS ALSO DISABLES THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SRS SYSTEM.THIS MALFUNCTION HAS RECENTLY BEEN ADDRESSED AND RECALLED BY BMW FOR THE SAME ISSUES BUT MERCEDES BENZ HAS YET TO ISSUE A RECALL CAMPAIGN ALSO THE GEAR SHIFTER IS STUCK IN PARK AND CAN NOT BE SHIFTED IN REVERSE. THIS IS DUE TO A SMALL PLASTIC PART LOCATED IN THE SHIFTING MECHANISM WHICH IS RELEASED BY A SOLENOID WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE PLASTIC PART EVENTUALLY CRACKS AND RENDERS THE CAR INOPERABLE.THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE NOR PRODUCED BY MERCEDES BENZ AND THE ENTIRE MECHANISM MUST BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE CRACKED PART CAN ALSO AFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER AND PEDESTRIANS. IF IT CRACKS WHILE THE CAR IS IN DRIVE, THE SHIFTER CAN NOT BE MOVED FORWARD TO NEUTRAL OR PARK AND WILL REMAIN STUCK IN DRIVE DUE TO A BROKEN PIECE OF PLASTIC BLOCKING THE SHIF

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.

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY DURING HOT WEATHER. MORE PARTICULARLY, THE BELT WILL NOT EXTEND. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL THE BELT OUT ENOUGH TO FASTEN IT. THUS, THE ONLY WAY THE CAR CAN BE DRIVEN IN HOT WEATHER IS WITHOUT THE DRIVER WEARING A SEAT BELT. THE BELT WORKS PROPERLY IN THE MORNING WHEN LEAVING OUR AIR-CONDITIONED GARAGE, BUT WHEN RETURNING TO THE CAR WHILE IT HAS BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE IN HOT WEATHER THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK. *JS

WHEN VEHICLE GETS COLD( OUTSIDE TEMP BELOW 17 F), THE CAR WILL LOWER, AND AIROMATIC WARNING MESSAGE COMES ON SAYING AIROMATIC VEHICLE TOO LOW STOP VISIT SHOP. *TR

WHEN TEMPERATURE FALLS BELOW 17 DEGREES F, THE VEHICLE DROP TO UNSAFE LEVEL, AND MESSAGE SAYS AIRMATIC STOP CAR VEHICLE TOO LOW. THE TIRES WILL START RUBBING ON LINER. CALLED DEALER THEY SAID TEMPERATURE IN GERMANY DOES NOT GO THAT LOW, WELL THIS CAR IS SOLD IN US, AND THEY NEED TO MAKE IT WORK. *TR

AIR BAG-DRIVERS SIDE, STEERING WHEEL. I RECENTLY BECAME AWARE OF YOUR SITE AND THOUGHT IT APPROPRIATE TO INFORM YOU OF THIS ISSUE. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER CLEARED THE FAULT CODE. THIS LASTED ONE WEEK AND THEN THE WARNING REAPPEARED. THEY DID NOT KNOW IF THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN A DEPLOYMENT WHETHER WARRANTED OR NOT. IT SEEMED TO US THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE REGARDLESS. THEN, DESPITE THE 7 YEAR ,100,000 MILE WARRANTY, THEY SAID AIR BAGS ARE NOT COVERED. WE THEN INCURRED AN EXPENSE OF $1,841 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE UNIT. IT SEEMED THE MANUFACTURER TRIED TO AVOID ANY AND ALL COMPLAINTS ABOUT AIR BAGS BEING PROBLEMATIC. *TR

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

SHIFTER STUCK IN PARK DUE TO THE ONLY PLASTIC PART ( SHIFTER MODULE) IN THE SHIFTER BOX. MERCEDES HEADQUARTERS TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE FIX WHEN PLASTIC PART BREAKS. *TR

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

MY SUSPENSION IS HORRIBLE!! WITHOUT WARNING MY S430 AIRMATIC LIGHT DISPLAYED "VISIT WORKSHOP", I PULLED OVER AND NOTICED MY VEHICLE WAS RIDING EXTREMELY LOW...ALMOST TOUCHING MY FRONT AND BACK TIRES. FURTHERMORE, THERE IS A RUBBING SOUND WHEN THE WHEELS ARE BEING TURNED. I CONTACTED 4 DEALERS AND THEY ALL CLAIMED THE SUSPENSION AND/OR AIRMATIC SYSTEM HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM ...MY CONCERN IS WHY WASN'T I NOTIFIED ABOUT A RECALL? SECONDLY, AFTER SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT FOR THIS WEEK, MB IS CLAIMING THAT I WILL BE CHARGED FOR SERVICE A. THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE>>>WHY IS MERCEDES LOOSING THEIR REPUTATION FOR POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE? PLEASE CONTACT ME...I NEED MY VEHICLE IN OPERABLE CONDITION AND WILL EXPECT TO BE REIMBURSED BY MERCEDES ONCE THIS RECALL MATTER IS APPROVED AND/OR ACTIVE. I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT NHTSA CARES...THANK YOU. *TR

MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CONTINUES TO CUT OFF RANDOMLY ON MY 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S430 . WHILE I THOUGHT THIS WAS A MB RECALL THEY TOLD ME NY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. A CLEAR PROBLEM THAT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET IS BEING IGNORED BY MERCEDES. THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT LAST NIGHT WITH MY TEENAGE SON DRIVING. HE HAD NO DASH LIGHTS AT ALL AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND CALLED. WITHOUT SPEED, GAS ,TURN INDICATORS ETC THIS KNOWN ISSUE IS SERIOUS. *TR

INCIDENT ONE: 1. WHILE DRIVING IN ATLANTA, GA IN FEBRUARY OF 2007. THE FRONT AIRMATIC SUSPENSION FAILED WHILE CROSSING AN "INACTIVE" RAILROAD TRACK. JUST IMAGINE IF IT WAS ACTIVE. MERCEDES-BENZ TOWED THE CAR AND REPLACED THE DEFECT. 2. A FEW DAYS AGO, I'M DRIVING ON A 40 MPH SPEED LIMIT ROAD AND MY CAR STARTS TO LOWER. AGAIN. I WAS LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME, OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT OUTCOME. HOW MANY TIMES WILL SOMEONE NEED TO REPORT THIS "SAFETY HAZARD" TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DIE, IN ORDER TO BE HEARD? PLEASE HELP ME. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE CAR I PURCHASED, AS THE SALESMAN SAID, "THE SAFEST CAR ON THE ROAD," BECOME THE REASON FOR SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH TO ME AND OTHERS. THANK YOU, I HOPE YOU'LL CONTACT ME WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. WE NEED TO BE HEARD. WE WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING, BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE US FEEL THAT YOU GENUINELY CAR ABOUT LISTENING AND CREATING ACTION ON THESE COMPLAINTS. WHAT DOES IT COST YOU TO RECALL SOMETHING? I KNOW WHAT IT'LL COST ME OR THE PUBLIC IF YOU DON'T. *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

MY CAR IS HAVING ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS INSIDE MY CAR ARE MALFUNCTIONING. THE LIGHTS ON MY DASHBOARD ARE MALFUNCTIONING. I CAN'T SEE HOW FAST I'M DRIVING BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE THE SPEEDOMETER. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE FOR ME. WHEN THE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS OCCUR, NOTHING ELECTRICAL, LIGHTS, SEATS WORK IN THE CAR. *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

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

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