2001 Mercedes Benz S430

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME STUCK ON 70 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING) THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,400. ..UPDATED 04/19/12 *BF UPDATED 06/04/12

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FUSE KEEPS BLOWING LEAVING MY SPEEDOMETER, FUEL, ETC. COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED IN NOVEMBER OF 2006 AND I WAS TOLD, BY BOTH THE DEALER AND MBUSA, THAT IT EXPIRED IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH A LOCAL MB DEALERSHIP AND MBUSA AND BOTH HAVE DECLINED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE UNIT AFTER SEVERAL REQUESTS. THEY SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE IT, BUT AT A COST OF $1600. CURRENTLY, I CAN NOT SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING, HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE IN MY CAR, ETC. BECAUSE THE OBVIOUS SAFETY DEFECT (AND DESIGN DEFECT) HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, I FEEL MBUSA SHOULD BACK THEIR PRODUCT COMPLETELY. I HAVE 184K MILES ON THE CAR (WHICH IS NOTHING FOR A MERCEDES BENZ). IT HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND MAINTAINED VERY WELL, SO THE "DEFECT" IS NOT THE RESULT OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS BLANK AND NONE OF THE GAUGES WOULD PROVIDE ACCURATE READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 173,704.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED DOWN ONTO THE TIRES. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 100,000. UPDATED 01/28/11 *BF UPDATED 03/22/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER OCTOBER 9, 2006 FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING) BUT THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT IN NEED OF THE RECALL REPAIR. ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE INSTRUMENTAL CLUSTER WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.