NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
48 reports69,000 miles · Feb 12, 2007
Suspension
I OWN A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S-430 WITH 69,000 MILES THAT I PURCHASED NEW. ON FEBRUARY 7TH & 8TH I HAD THE DEALER PERFORM A SCHEDULED SERVICING OF MY CAR WHICH WAS AN EXTENSIVE CHECKUP (COST OVER $1,000) DESPITE HAVING NO PROBLEMS. THE FOLLOWING DAY MY FAMILY TOOK AN AUTOMOBILE TRIP OF 140 MILES. ON FEBRUARY 10TH, WHILE DRIVING I …
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I OWN A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S-430 WITH 69,000 MILES THAT I PURCHASED NEW. ON FEBRUARY 7TH & 8TH I HAD THE DEALER PERFORM A SCHEDULED SERVICING OF MY CAR WHICH WAS AN EXTENSIVE CHECKUP (COST OVER $1,000) DESPITE HAVING NO PROBLEMS. THE FOLLOWING DAY MY FAMILY TOOK AN AUTOMOBILE TRIP OF 140 MILES. ON FEBRUARY 10TH, WHILE DRIVING I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE CAR'S WARNING SYSTEM ALERTED ME TO STOP THE CAR AND NOT DRIVE IT. AFTER TALKING TO MERCEDES ON THEIR EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY DEALER 140 MILES AWAY. THIS MORNING,2/12/2002, I WENT TO THE DEALER AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A FAILURE OF A HYDRAULIC STRUT/SHOCK WHICH SUSPENDS THE CAR. HAD I TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL BEFORE NOTICING THE PROBLEM I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO NEGOTIATE A CURVE AND WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. WHILE AT THE DEALER, I WAS SHOWN 5 OR 6 MERCEDES BENZES, SOME MUCH NEWER THAN MINE, WHOSE CARS HAD COLLAPSED OVER THE FRONT WHEELS. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO OTHERS. THE DEFECT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE S CLASS THAT I HAVE SINCE I WAS SHOWN AN E CLASS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT A REPLACEMENT PART WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL PART BUT RATHER AN IMPROVED PART THAT MERCEDES ENGINEERS CAME UP WITH AFTER MANY REPORTED PROBLEMS. SINCE THE PART HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED, THE REPAIR WILL PROBABLY COST ME WELL OVER $1,000 DESPITE MERCEDES BEING AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MORE IMPORTANTLY, DRIVERS, PASSENGERS AND OTHER VEHICLES ARE IN SERIOUS DANGER IF THE MERCEDES BECOMES UNMANAGABLE. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED NOR DO I KNOWN EXACTLY WHAT FAILED, BUT GIVEN THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM I DID NOT WANT TO WAIT BEFORE REPORTING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT SINCE I OBSERVED MANY OTHER VEHICLES AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10182366
8,000 miles · Jan 3, 2007
Suspension
TL* - THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT VEHICLE BECAME LOWER TO THE GROUND AS HE WAS DRIVING AT 20 MPH. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE CONTACT WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 HOURS, WHEN HE RETURNED AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EVEN LOWER THAN BEFORE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN AIRMATIC SYST…
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TL* - THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT VEHICLE BECAME LOWER TO THE GROUND AS HE WAS DRIVING AT 20 MPH. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE CONTACT WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 HOURS, WHEN HE RETURNED AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EVEN LOWER THAN BEFORE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN AIRMATIC SYSTEM FAILURE. THE AIRMATIC SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT REMEMBER ANY WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. *AK UPDATED 1/31/2007 - *NM
NHTSA ODI #10177636
99,500 miles · Nov 27, 2006
Interior Lighting
INSTANT FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. CLUSTER UNDER RECALL #06V028000. WAS CHARGED BY DEALERSHIP. SAID MAKE AND MODEL WERE UNDER RECALL, BUT MY VIN # WAS NOT. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10174442
80,000 miles · Oct 23, 2006
Interior Lighting
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT NIGHT, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #06V028000, REGARDING THE INTERIOR LIGHTING, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT NIGHT, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #06V028000, REGARDING THE INTERIOR LIGHTING, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK UPDATED 12/1/20006 - *NM
NHTSA ODI #10171651
92,000 miles · Oct 6, 2006
Interior Lighting
INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS FAILED, NO ILLUMINATION. I CAN NOT SEE MY GAUGES. I CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID MY VIN # DOES NOT APPLY TO THE RECALL. IT IS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10170182
60,000 miles · Jul 26, 2006
Visibility
2002 MERCEDES S430 HAS A DESIGN FLAW, NON INJURY TYPE BUT IT IS VERY ANNOYING, WINDSHIELD WASHER TANK IS MOUNTED IN A LOCATION WHICH CAUSES THE O RINGS IN THE TANK TO FAIL AND DISCHARGE ALL THE FLUIDS, RETURNED TO DEALER COUPLE OF TIMES, HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT FOR FREE LAST TIME. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10163575
60,000 miles · Jul 24, 2006
Visibility
MY DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW IS DEVELOPING SPOTS. I FOUND THE MANY OWNER OF THIS W220 S-CLASS MERCEDES BENZ HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. DEALER (CALIBER MOTORS) INSPECTED AND INFORMED ME THAT THE WINDOW STARTED TO DE-LAMINATE. SINCE MY BASIC WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 50,000 MILES I HAVE TO PUT UP THE BILL FOR THE REPAIR. MY CAR IS C…
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MY DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW IS DEVELOPING SPOTS. I FOUND THE MANY OWNER OF THIS W220 S-CLASS MERCEDES BENZ HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. DEALER (CALIBER MOTORS) INSPECTED AND INFORMED ME THAT THE WINDOW STARTED TO DE-LAMINATE. SINCE MY BASIC WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 50,000 MILES I HAVE TO PUT UP THE BILL FOR THE REPAIR. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT 61K MILES. ONLY 4 YEAR OLD. THE FRONT 2 WINDOW DELAMINATING IS NOT MY FAULT BUT A DEFECTIVE PART. WINDOWS ARE NOT A WEAR ITEM THEREFORE IT SHOULD NOT FAIL OR IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT BEFORE THE LIFE OF THE CAR EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF AN IMPACT. COST OF REPLACEMENT IS SUBSTANTIAL.. COST CAN EXCEED $700 PER WINDOW FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT MAY BECOME A VISIBILITY SAFETY ISSUE IF MANUFACTURER REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE. CAR OWNER MAY MOST LIKELY NOT CHANGE THE WINDOW DUE TO COST ISSUES. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10163252
Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2006
Electrical System
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS PERTAINING TO THE ALTERNATOR, SPEEDOMETER, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING ENGINE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERS WHO DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO BE SERVI…
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DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS PERTAINING TO THE ALTERNATOR, SPEEDOMETER, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING ENGINE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERS WHO DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO BE SERVICED BY THE DEALERS. AS VEHICLE WAS BEING RELEASED FROM SERVICE THE SPEEDOMETER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE RPM NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE DASHBOARD ALSO GAVE OFF A FOUL BURNING/ GAS ODOR THAT CAUSED THE PASSENGER TO GET SICK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERS AND CONTACT STATES THAT THE DEALERS REFUSED TO INSPECT VEHICLE OR TO PROVIDE SERVICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER/ DIRECTOR OF THE DEALERS HAS CALLED AND HARASSED THE CONTACT ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATES THAT SHE SPOKE TO AN NHTSA REPRESENTATIVE WHO WAS ABLE TO CHECK IN THE DATABASE FOR RECALLS AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEM RECALL MATCHED THE SAME SYMPTOMS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY SEEKING SERVICE FOR THE EXISTING PROBLEMS.
NHTSA ODI #10162782
59,475 miles · May 7, 2006
Electrical System
FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10156943
53,000 miles · Apr 19, 2006
Suspension
THE AIRMATIC SYSTEM FAILS AND THE BODY OF VEHICLE CAME DOWN TO TOUCH ALL 4 WHEELS WHILE DRIVING HIGH SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE I-66 HIGHWAY. -THE DASHBOARD INDICATION SHOWED "AIRMATIC-------STOP, CAR TOO LOW" MAKING SCRAPING NOISE IN THE FRONT WHEEL WELLS BOTH SIDES. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10155687
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