2003 Mercedes-Benz S600

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER 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 HEAT AND HUMIDITY. OVER TIME, CORROSION MAY DETERIORATE THE INNER STEEL PORTIONS OF THE HOSE.

Risk. THIS MAY RESULT IN ABC HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKAGE. UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID MAY COME IN CONTACT WITH HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS AND LEAD TO A POSSIBILITY OF FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW, CORROSION RESISTANT ABC HIGH-PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSES. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 31, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

WHILE MY DAUGHTER DRIVING MY CAR ABC LIGHT CAME ON AND SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL AND HAD ACCIDENT. CAR WENT OVER THE CENTER LINE, CLIMBED OVER BARRICADE AND DESTROYED THE CAR. INSURANCE COMPANY TOTLALED THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. WHILE DRIVING A HIGH PRESSURE HOSE BLEW UP AND CAR WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BOTTOM OF THE SUSPENSION, MERCEDES DOES NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILTY FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WHEN I SEARCHED THE INTERNET I FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINS FOR THE INCIDENTS LIKE THIS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S-600. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK AND THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE NEITHER THE FUEL GAUGE NOR THE SPEEDOMETER. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT DUE TO THE FAILURE HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S600. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE DISTRIBUTION HOSE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V263000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) BUT HIS ADVISED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS THEN CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,988.

MERCEDES BENZ, S-600 (MODEL 2003), IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR IN THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR ALMOST LOST CONTROL AFTER IT'S ACTIVE BODY CONTROL (ABC) LIGHT FLASHED ON SUDDENLY IN THE DASHBOARD AND THE CAR BODY CAME DOWN GRINDING AGAINST THE WHEEL/TIRES ON 11/16/2009. THE CAR WAS SENT TO MB DEALER IN EDISON, NJ FOR REPAIRS THAT SAME DAY AND THEY FOUND THAT THE ABC HYDRAULIC FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT DUE TO CORROSION THAT HAD OCCURRED IN THE INNER STEEL PORTIONS OF THE ABC HIGH PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSE ALREADY. THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL; LEAKING ABC FLUID MAY HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. BUT, THE CAR DEALER MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO MB RECALL (ID # 07V263000) ISSUES. HOWEVER, I FEEL THIS ABC QUALITY PROBLEM ISSUE IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED RECALL. IF NOT, PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND CONSIDER THIS ABC SYSTEM QUALITY ISSUE FOR A NEW RECALL. NOW, THE MB CAR DEALER HAS REPLACED DEFECTIVE ABC SYSTEM AFTER I PAID THEM. BUT I THINK MB SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS QUALITY PROBLEM SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS REPORT. THANK YOU. *TR

MERCEDES BENZ, S-600 (MODEL 2003), IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR IN THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR ALMOST LOST CONTROL AFTER IT'S ACTIVE BODY CONTROL (ABC) LIGHT FLASHED ON SUDDENLY IN THE DASHBOARD AND THE CAR BODY CAME DOWN GRINDING AGAINST THE WHEELS/TIRES ON 12/03/2009 AGAIN AFTER THE CAR'S ABC SYSTEM WAS REPLACED ON 11/19/2009 AT MB DEALER IN EDISON, NJ. I HAVE REPORTED SAFETY COMPLAINTS ON THIS CAR ABOUT ABC SYSTEM QUALITY PROBLEM (ODI NUMBER IS: 10294645). THE CAR WAS SENT TO MB DEALER IN EDISON, NJ FOR CHECKS AT SAME DAY AND THEY FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WATER PUMP DEAD AND MADE ENGINE BELT BROKEN AND ABC SYSTEM AT MALFUNCTION. I FEEL THE ABC QUALITY PROBLEM HAS AFFECTED ENGINE WATER PUMP'S QUALITY. ABC SYSTEM MALFUNCTION IS SAFETY CONSIDERATION. IT LOOKS LIKE MB HAS A INCORRECT DESIGN OF ENGINE WATER PUMP AND ABC SYSTEM FOR S-600. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND CONSIDER THIS ISSUE FOR A NEW RECALL. THANK YOU. *TR

ACTIVE BODY CONTROL FLUID LEAK. *TR