2001 Mercedes Benz S Class

I OWN A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S500. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON FRIDAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE LIGHTS IN THE DASHBOARD WENT OUT. IT FRIGHTENED ME BECAUSE I COULDN'T TELL HOW FAST I WAS GOING AND IT HAMPERED ME FROM BEING AS ALERT AS I NEEDED TO BE BY TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THESE LIGHTS NEED TO BE FUNCTIONAL WHENEVER YOU ARE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE OF THE TIME, THE DEALERSHIPS HAD CLOSED AND I COULDN'T DRIVE IT TO THEM WHEN IT HAPPENED. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MY HAVING AN ACCIDENT AND HURTING AND/OR POSSIBLY KILLING MYSELF AND/OR SOMEONE ELSE. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO OTHERS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *NM

DEFECT IN MERCEDES BENZ 2001 S500 WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER YOU LOOSE ALL YOUR IN DASH LIGHTS, GAUGES THE WHOLE PANEL GOES DEAD YOU CAN'T TELL HOW FAST YOUR GOING, HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE ,OR IF YOUR CAR IS OVERHEATED, NOTHING WORKS, NO MILES,NOTHING THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND MERCEDES IS DOING NOTHING TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM,THERE DROPPING THE BALL I WENT IN TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND WAS TOLD IT COST 2300.00 TO REPAIR THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ,THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD A RECALL IS VERY MUCH NEEDED THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS OUT THERE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE MERCEDES DO THE RIGHT THING AND PROTECT IT CUSTOMER FROM A DEALER MALFUNCTION, WE SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY ON MERCEDES CARS TO HAVE THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN. PLEASE, PLEASE DO SOMETHING FOR IT'S TO LATE AND SOMEONE GETS HURT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE ENGINE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DARKENED. AFTER THIS INCIDENT OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCURRED; FUSES BECAME BLOWN, THE HIGH BEAMS, RADIO AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER DECLARED THERE IS A RECALL FOR S MODELS AND PROVIDED THE CAMPAIGN NUMBER 06V08000. THE VEHICLE'S VIN# WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 8/17/2006 - THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD AN INTERNAL SHORT WHICH CAUSED THE FUSES TO BLOW. THE DEALER REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *NM

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S500. ONCE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILS, THE GAS GAUGE, CHECK ENGINE, ODOMETER, INSIDE INDICATORS FOR TURN SIGNALS, PARKING ASSIST LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. EVERYTHING IS LINKED TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ONE DAY THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE A REAL SERIOUS PROBLEM. MERCEDES CHARGES AROUND $1800 TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. PHONE INTERVIEW UPDATE (SEPTEMBER 23, 05): NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BLACKOUT. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT HE COULDN'T SEE THE GAUGES AND WAS TOLD BY M-B ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE RESPONDER THAT THE GAUGES WERE NOT WORKING.

VEHICLE IS A 2001 S-500. ALMOST WORD FOR WORD THE SAME ISSUE(S) AS ODI ID NUMBER : 10100807. SAME CAR, SAME PROBLEMS, SAME SENTIMENT. REPLACING FUSES ONLY RESULTS IN FLICKERING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTING, AND EVEN THEN THE BACKLIGHT IS STILL NON-FUNCTIONAL. GAUGE NEEDLES FLICKER AS WELL, UNTIL THEY TOO GO OUT COMPLETELY. FUSES LAST ONLY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, WHEREUPON THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REMAINS ENTIRELY BLACK. PROBLEM COULD BE REMEDIED SIMPLY BY REPLACING FAULTY TRANSISTORS, OR REDESIGNING AN IMPROPERLY LAID-OUT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, IE COOLING THE TRANSISTORS MUCH MORE ADEQUATELY. THIS CREATES A TREMENDOUS SAFETY RISK BY ESSENTIALLY CREATING AN INFORMATION BLACK HOLE: THE OPERATOR DOES NOT KNOW HIS/HER OWN SPEED, FUEL LEVEL, IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS STILL ON, IF THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS ARE OPERATIONAL, IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT MERCEDES IS SO KEEN ON RELAYING ONLY TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE FAULTY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS NOT YET CREATED AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL ONE OF THE OTHER THOUSANDS OF S-CLASS OWNERS RUNS OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY, AND GETS INTO A COLLISION ALL BECAUSE HE/SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL THEY HAD.