2001 Mercedes Benz S430

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, FUEL GAUGES, ETC) LIGHT WENT COMPLETELY OUT. I CANNOT SEE HOW FAST I'M GOING, HOW HOT MY ENGINE IS RUNNING, HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE LEFT, ETC. MY MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR WAS KNOWN TO HAVE DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING (UNDER MERCEDES RECALL CAMPAIGN 2006080004) BUT MERCEDES REFUSES TO HONOR THE RECALL CAMPAIGN AND WANTS $2000 TO FIX THIS DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE GAUGES AND LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V028000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HVAC HEATER AND THE AIR CONDITIONER ACTIVATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR FUSE HOLDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000. UPDATED 04/06/15*LJ UPDATED 9/27/2017*CN

MY CAR REGISTRATION WAS (IS) DUE AND I WENT TO A SMOG STATION HERE IN SAN JOSE, CA. HOWEVER, THE CAR FAILED THE TEST AS THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE UPON THE KEY/IGNITION BEING TURNED. THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT IS NOT A SERVICEABLE BULB, BUT INSTEAD AN LED WIRED TO THE BOARD. BESHOFF MOTORS (WHERE I BOUGHT THE THEN CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE IN 2004) ADVISED ON AUGUST 31, 2013 THAT A REBUILT UNIT WAS AVAILABLE FOR $1,308 DOLLARS, BUT NEVER ADVISED ME THAT THIS CAR WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL AS RELATES TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHICH I DISCOVERED ON SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS. I PLAN TO RETURN TO BESHOFF MOTORS TO ASK FOR A REPLACEMENT CLUSTER ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD. THIS IS QUITE AN URGENT MATTER AS MY REGISTRATION HAS EXPIRED, THE CAR CAN NOT BE DRIVEN LEGALLY, NOT HAVING A 'CHECK ENGINE' IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND THIS IS MY WIFE'S MEANS TO GET TO WORK. *JS

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER JUSTER FLICKERED A FEW TIMES AND THEN IMMEDIATELY WENT DARK. NO GAS GAUGE, THE SPEEDOMETER OR OTHER IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE CLUSTER ARE NOT WORKING. CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ, STILL WAITING FOR THEM TO ESCALATE. I AM UNABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS DUE TO THIS. I AM LOCATED IN DEKALB, GEORGIA. PLEASE ASSIST AS THIS A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO NO FAULT OF MY OWN. THERE WAS A RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY, HOWEVER I WAS UNAWARE OF IT. *TR

IS DRIVING FROM WORK, ON THE WAY BACK HOME, WHEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OF MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S430 SUDDENLY TURNED BLACK. SINCE IT WAS GETTING DARK, I PANICKED DUE TO MY INABILITY TO GAUGE THE SPEED OF MY DRIVING, AS OCCASIONED BY A NON-FUNCTIONING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT IT WAS ALREADY GETTING DARK. THIS PART WAS ACTUALLY REPLACED BACK IN 29 SEPT 2006, AS PART OF A RECALL. I WAS THEREFORE DISAPPOINTED THAT DESPITE THE RECALL, THE PART THAT THEY INSTALLED IN 2006 WOULD SUFFER THE SAME FATE. CLEARLY, THIS ISSUE WAS NEVER RESOLVED THROUGH A DESIGN CHANGE. WHAT MADE MATTERS WORSE WAS THAT MERCEDES-BENZ CORPORATE HAD REFUSED TO WORK WITH ME TO SHARE IN THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT PART. I AM SURPRISED SINCE I HAD SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN SERVICE AND REPAIR COSTS, SINCE RELIABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT IS DEFICIENT IN MERCEDES-BENZ PRODUCTS. FOR THIS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ALONE, I HAD TO PAY $1,572.38 (INCLUSIVE OF PARTS, LABOR, AND SALES TAX). I REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN INVESTIGATING THIS SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AS GETTING HELP IN HAVING MERCEDES-BENZ DEFRAY THE COST OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

MERCEDES BENZ 2001 S430. DOOR ASSIST NOT OPERATIONAL AND FOB/KEY WILL NOT LOCK DOORS NOR WILL OPEN TRUNK. CAN NOT LOCK DOOR WHILE DRIVE AS USUAL WHILE VEHICLE. DOORS HAVE TO BE FORCED CLOSE AND NO INDICATION THAT DOOR IS AJAR SAFETY INDICATOR SHOW IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEI. THERE IS NO WAY YOU WILL KNOW THE DOORS ARE AJAR. CORRECTED BY SLAMMING DOOR CLOSE BEFORE STARTING BUT KEY STILL WON'T OPERATE TRUNK. DEALER THINKS IT'S THE PSE OR SOMETHING ELSE. *TR