2002 Mercedes Benz S430

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ILLUMINATION OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS INADEQUATE TO SEE THE GAUGES. FLETCHER JONES IMPORTS (7300 W SAHARA AVE, LAS VEGAS, NV 89117, (702) 364-2700) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN 2012. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC TEST NEEDED TO BE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 209,000.

I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 104,000 MILES, I CANNOT SEE IT ANYMORE BECAUSE WHILE DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT FROM THE AIRPORT ON THE EXPRESSWAY DOING 65 MILES PER HOUR, IT WENT BLACK. ALL THE GAUGES WERE FOUND STUCK IN THEIR LOCATION THE NEXT MORNING AT WHAT THEY WERE AT WHEN THE CLUSTER WENT BLACK. THE CLUSTER HAS NEVER RECOVERED AND I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH NO IDEA OF SPEED, SIGNALS OPERATION, FUEL LEVEL, OR WATER TEMP. THE INFORMATION DISPLAY IS ALSO BLANK SO I DON’T KNOW WHAT MY MILEAGE IS OR IF THE VEHICLE HAS ANY OTHER INFORMATION TO GIVE ME. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME 60 MILES IN THE DARK. MY HEADLIGHTS GO ON ALL BY ITSELF WHENEVER I START MY CAR NOW. MY CLIMATE CONTROL ALSO REMAINS LIT AND CAUSES A BATTERY DRAIN OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO MAKE IT HOME BUT NOW I CAN ONLY DRIVE DURING THE DAYTIME UNTIL I CAN GET MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPAIRED. MY COMFORT LEVEL DRIVING THIS VEHICLE HAS DIMINISHED GREATLY, THIS VEHICLE IS MY FAMILY VEHICLE, DOES MERCEDES BENZ NOT CARE ANYMORE. IF ONE OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WERE TO PERISH IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM I’M PRETTY SURE THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY FIND A SOLUTION TO FIX IT.

THE BATTERY LOCATED IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE IS SITUATED NEXT TO THE GAS TANK. THERE ARE NO COVERS ON THE METAL PARTS ON THE TOP OF THE BATTERY LOCATED IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE MAT THAT COMES WITH THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SUFFICIENTLY COVER THESE METAL POLES, LEAVING THEM VULNERABLE TO CATCH FLAME WHEN METAL ITEMS ARE IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR BATTERY CAUGHT FLAME, WHILE STATIONARY, DUE TO A METAL ROD USED FOR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY TOUCHING THE EXPOSED PORTION OF THE BATTERY.

WHILE DRIVING ON 12/10/2016, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL WENT VERY DARK. AT NIGHT THERE WAS NO ILLUMINATION EITHER. ALSO THE SPEEDOMETER WAS FLUCTUATING WILDLY FROM HIGH TO LOW AND BACK. I COULD ONLY SEE THIS WITH MY INTERIOR LIGHT ON, AS THE DASH PANEL WAS DARK. I REALIZED I COULD NOT READ ANY OF THE OTHER THE GAUGES INCLUDING THE SAFETY WARNING DISPLAY PANEL, NOR DID THE TURN SIGNALS INSIDE THE VEHICLE WORK OR THE VOLUME CONTROL ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING). ON 12/15/16 THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF MY FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT A RECALL BUT A "VOLUNTARY EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUE". THE MANUFACTURER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT MY CAR WAS PART OF IT, BUT I WAS "OUT OF TIME" WITH MY REQUEST FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. AT THE TIME THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 195,000 ON IT. THIS IS THE 5TH MERCEDES I HAVE OWNED, READING FROM THE BLOGS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, HENCE THE NHTSA INVOLVEMENT. MINE IS A DOCUMENTED FAILED CASE UNDER MERCEDES RECOGNIZED PROGRAM, BUT THEY FAIL TO FOLLOW-UP WITH THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF TIME. WHETHER IT IS IN TIME OR OUT OF TIME A SAFETY FAILURE IS A SAFETY FAILURE. ONE WOULD THINK THAT A COMPANY LIKE MERCEDES BENZ WOULD WANT TO KEEP ALIVE A 5 TIME OWNER OF MERCEDES AND PUT BRAND LOYALTY OVER PROFIT. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN NOW ENTERING THEIR CAR OWNING YEARS. THEY HAVE GROWN UP WITH MERCEDES BUT I GUESS IT IS NOW TIME TO SHOW THEM ANOTHER CAR BRAND SO THEY CAN BE A CUSTOMER FOR LIFE TO ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE COMPANY, ONE THAT WILL PLACE THEIR LIFE AHEAD OF THE PROFIT ON AN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I ASK THE NHTSA TO FORCE MERCEDES TO RECALL THESE SAFETY PRONE CARS SUCH THEY CANNOT HIDE BEHIND THEIR "OUT OF TIME" EXCUSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BECAME INOPERABLE AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS ON FRIDAY, 6/17/2016, I NOTICED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL WAS VERY DARK. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN AGAIN UNTIL DUSK, ON SATURDAY, 6/18/2016 AND I REALIZED ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE OUT, THE GAUGES WERE NOT WORKING NOR DID THE TURN SIGNALS INSIDE THE VEHICLE OR THE AUTOMATIC LOCKS, WORK OR THE VOLUME CONTROL ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT THE TIME OF THIS DISCOVERY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,500.