MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR MERCEDES 2001 S430 AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION DROPPED ALL OF A SUDDEN ON A BACK ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. FIRST IT HAD DROPPED SO LOW IT PREVENTED STEERING AND WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER WITHOUT DAMAGING CAR. THEN WE HAD THREE TOWING COMPANIES WHICH WOULD NOT TOW THE VEHICLE BECAUSE O…
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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR MERCEDES 2001 S430 AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION DROPPED ALL OF A SUDDEN ON A BACK ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. FIRST IT HAD DROPPED SO LOW IT PREVENTED STEERING AND WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER WITHOUT DAMAGING CAR. THEN WE HAD THREE TOWING COMPANIES WHICH WOULD NOT TOW THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF LIABILITY TO FRONT END DAMAGE. I CHANGED THE RELAY THROUGH RESEARCH AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT UP ENOUGH TO BE TOWED. TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THIS WAS TAKEN FOUR DAYS TO EXECUTE. THEN I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO HAVE A VEHICLE TOWED IN MY LIFE. THEN BY THAT TIME I NEW THE STRUT TOPS HAVE BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE W220 MB. I HAD CONVEYED THAT TO THE NEWMARKET, ONTARIO. CANADA DEALERSHIP. BUT THEY STILL HAD TO DO DIAGNOSTICS AND FOR THAT FEE THEY CAME UP WITH REPLACING THE FRONT TOP STRUTS. WHICH THEY HAVE A NEW REBUILD KIT FOR. THE TOTAL SO FAR 760.00 THEN THEY CALL ME BACK AND THEY COULD NOT ADJUST THE LEVEL AND HAD TO DIAGNOSE THAT. ANOTHER CHARGE AND ENDED UP WITH A CORRODED WIRE. OUT THE DOOR BOXING DAY 1290.00. TWO WEEKS LATER SAME PROBLEM. THEY HAD TOLD ME IT WAS COMMON FOR THE SUSPENSION TO DROP IN COLD WEATHER. AND IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON AND OFF SINCE THEN. I AM AFRAID TO TAKE THIS IN BUT I AM EVEN MORE AFRAID TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN AT 120KM HR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10219195
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
PE05062 · Instrument Cluster Failure
Opened Nov 10, 2005 · Closed Feb 8, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Interior Lighting
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON SEVEN REPORTS INDICATING THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2000-2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS VEHICLES FAILED IN THAT CONSUMERS WERE UNABLE TO READ ANY OF THE GAUGES WHILE OPERATING THEIR VEHICLES AT ANY SPEED DURING THE DAY OR NIGHT.IN ITS 573 REPORT TO NHTSA DATED FEBRUARY 1, 2006, MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC (MERCEDES-BENZ)STATES THAT THERE ARE THREE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE MODES THAT WOULD RESULT IN UNDESIRABLE OPERATION.THESE THREE FAILURE MODES ARE SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN DATES OF PRODUCTION (SEE BELOW) FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLE, AND MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING THOSE VEHICLES WITHIN THOSE DATES.SPECIFIC INFORMATION REGARDING THE FAILURE MODES IS DESCRIBED IN MERCEDES-BENZ'S REPORT (SEE NHTSA RECALL 06V028).THREE OF THE ODI COMPLAINTS SUBMITTED TO MERCEDES-BENZ INVOLVE VEHICLES THAT WERE PRODUCED BEFORE THE DATES OF PRODUCTION OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE THREE FAILURE MODES.BASED ON REVIEW OF THOSE THREE COMPLAINTS, MERCEDES-BENZ WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY A RELATION OF THOSE THREE TO THE DEFECTS IDENTIFIED IN THE RECALLED VEHICLES.ALL OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ COMPLAINTS WITH VINS IDENTIFIED WERE WITHIN THE RECALL POPULATION (ONLY 2 VEHICLE VINS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO POSITIVELY IDENTIFY VEHICLE BUILD DATE).THE RECALL POPULATION WILL INCLUDE 36,911 S CLASS AND CL CLASS MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES BUILT IN THE PRODUCTION DATES RANGING FROM JUNE 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2000, JANUARY 2002 THROUGH APRIL 2002, AND MAY 2004 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2004.THESE DATES OF PRODUCTION COVER VEHICLES FROM THE 2000-2002 MY AND THE 2004-2005 MY.TO CORRECT THE CONDITION, MERCEDES-BENZ WILL REPLACE ALL AFFECTED INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS WITH IMPROVED ONES THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE FAILURE MODES.MERCEDES-BENZ WILL BEGIN OWNER NOTIFICATION DURING THE 1ST QUARTER OF 2006.
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