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2000 Mercedes Benz S500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

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There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

43 reports with mileage · 12 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Interior Lighting. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

31 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2022
Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

Please help me My 2000 s500L Mercedes’ Benz dashboard have been blinking for 4 months now it has finally completely went out I am complaining on my behalf in my daughter in wife please NHTSA we cannot see anything on our car dashboard our vehicle have been inspected at two independent service dealer theses symptoms appear to ha…

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Please help me My 2000 s500L Mercedes’ Benz dashboard have been blinking for 4 months now it has finally completely went out I am complaining on my behalf in my daughter in wife please NHTSA we cannot see anything on our car dashboard our vehicle have been inspected at two independent service dealer theses symptoms appear to have been happening 1 year after purchasing from dealer please NHSTA we need a recall on our dashboard cluster. I cannot attend work until the cluster gets fix it’s so dangerous driving with a broken cause this recall will be a blessing to our family.

NHTSA ODI #11481497

120,000 miles · Nov 9, 2020
Electrical SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

LAST NIGHT WE HAD TROPICAL STORM ETA IN FLORIDA. WE HAD ABOUT 10 INCHES OF RAIN. THE TEMPERATURE WAS BETWEEN 70F AND 80F. THE CAR WAS PARKED ON HIGH GROUND BUT IN THE RAIN. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR FLOODED WITH WATER UNDER THE CARPET. I HAVE NOT DETERMINED THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK OR THE SOURCE OF THE SHORT YET BUT THE CAR IS IN MY S…

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LAST NIGHT WE HAD TROPICAL STORM ETA IN FLORIDA. WE HAD ABOUT 10 INCHES OF RAIN. THE TEMPERATURE WAS BETWEEN 70F AND 80F. THE CAR WAS PARKED ON HIGH GROUND BUT IN THE RAIN. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR FLOODED WITH WATER UNDER THE CARPET. I HAVE NOT DETERMINED THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK OR THE SOURCE OF THE SHORT YET BUT THE CAR IS IN MY SHOP. I DRILLED HOLES IN THE FLOOR TO DRAIN THE WATER FOR NOW. THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT CRAZY. THE ABS WAS MALFUNCTIONING, THE WIPERS WERE TURNING ON AND OFF, THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND OTHER LIGHTS WERE TURNING ON AND OFF ON THERE OWN, THE CAR STAYED RUNNING WITH THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, THE LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON AND OFF WITH THE KEY OUT OF IGNITION, THE SOS LIGHT WAS TURNING ON AND OFF, THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS TURNING ON AND OFF, THE SPEAKERS WERE POPPING, THE THROTTLE CONTROLS WERE ACTING ODD AND NOT CORRESPONDING WITH THE THROTTLE CONTROL, THEY WOULD NOT RESPOND OR STAY ON LONGER THAN NORMAL, THE TRANSMISSION WAS GETTING STUCK IN GEARS, THE AIR SUSPENSION WAS ACTING WEIRD, I PRESSED THE TRUNK RELEASE AND THE TAIL LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, THE GAS GAUGE READ EMPTY AND I HAD A FULL TANK, THE SPEED AND RPM WERE WORKING NORMAL, OUTSIDE TEMP WAS GOING ON AND OFF AS WELL AS THE CLOCK, THE AC BLOWER SPEED WAS CHANGING AND TURNING OFF, THE WINDOWS WOULD WORK THEN NOT WORK, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE TURNING ON AND OFF, BASICALLY THE CAR WOULD START AND RUN BUT ALMOST EVERY SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS IS THE SECOND MERCEDES I HAVE OWNED THAT DID THIS. I TOOK VIDEOS BUT THEY WERE TOO BIG TO SHARE.

NHTSA ODI #11373750

110,000 miles · Sep 9, 2020
Electrical System

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ONLY WORKS WHEN IT IS REALLY HOT.

NHTSA ODI #11353924

120,000 miles · Sep 5, 2020
Electrical SystemFire

I WAS GETTING STUFF FROM THE TRUNK. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE CAR IT WAS FULL OF SMOKE. WHEN I INSPECTED THE SORCE OF THE FIRE IT WAA THE BLOWER RESISTOR. THE WIRING TO THE BLOWER WAS BURNT AT THE CONNECTOR. THE PLASTIC AROUND THE EVAPORATOR BOX WAS DAMAGED.

NHTSA ODI #11353348

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2018
Electrical System

I JUST BOUGHT MY MERCEDES S500 TWO WEEKS AGO. IT ONLY HAD ONE OWNER, 98,000 MILES AND GOOD CAR FAX. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY DARK AND ALL OF THE GAUGES WERE NOT WORKING!! I CANT TELL HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE NOR HOW FAST I AM DRIVING! I RESEARCH TODAY AND FIND THAT THERE WAS A …

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I JUST BOUGHT MY MERCEDES S500 TWO WEEKS AGO. IT ONLY HAD ONE OWNER, 98,000 MILES AND GOOD CAR FAX. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY DARK AND ALL OF THE GAUGES WERE NOT WORKING!! I CANT TELL HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE NOR HOW FAST I AM DRIVING! I RESEARCH TODAY AND FIND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE THAT IS NOW EXPIRED. HOW AND WHY DOES A RECALL EXPIRE??!! THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I WONT BE ABLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT, I HAVE CHILDREN TO TRANSPORT AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A ACCIDENT OR RECEIVE A TICKET FOR DRIVING TOO FAST! ITS SO UNFAIR THAT I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR AND WAS NOT AWARE OF A RECALL. HOW IS THIS FAIR TO A BUYER WHO WOULD HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS!!! SO I GUESS IF ME AND MY CHILDREN GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND DIED, MERCEDES WOULD SAY "OH WELL, THE RECALL EXPIRED". BULLSHIT!!! I AM SO ANGRY. AND THEY DON'T CARE!!!!

NHTSA ODI #11084556

90,000 miles · Mar 13, 2017
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

ONE NIGHT WHILE I WAS DRIVING, SUDDENLY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT SLOWLY DIM, FLICKED, AND 95% LIGHTS WERE SHUT OFF INCLUDED SPEEDOMETER, THE REST WERE VERY DIM HARDLY SEE ANYTHING. INSIDE MY CAR WAS TOTALLY DARK AT THAT POINT, I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT. IMMEDIATELY, I HAD TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THAT WAS VERY SCARY!! …

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ONE NIGHT WHILE I WAS DRIVING, SUDDENLY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT SLOWLY DIM, FLICKED, AND 95% LIGHTS WERE SHUT OFF INCLUDED SPEEDOMETER, THE REST WERE VERY DIM HARDLY SEE ANYTHING. INSIDE MY CAR WAS TOTALLY DARK AT THAT POINT, I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT. IMMEDIATELY, I HAD TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THAT WAS VERY SCARY!! DUE TO THIS KIND OF DEFECTIVE, THE CAR IS NO LONGER IN DRIVING CONDITION AT NIGHT. THIS CAR IS ONLY 90K MILE. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, I SEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND I HAD FOUND FEW FORUMS DISCUSSED ABOUT THE SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH S500. BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANY RECALL FOR MY CAR WHICH RELATED TO THIS SAFETY ISSUE IN NHTSA. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. THIS WAS ALMOST CAUSED MYSELF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. WOULD YOU PLEASE REVIEW THIS SAFETY MATTER. GREATLY APPRECIATED.

NHTSA ODI #10960329

188,000 miles · Aug 24, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE GAUGES FAILED TO INDICATE ANY READING LEVELS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE05062 (INTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE GAUGES FAILED TO INDICATE ANY READING LEVELS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE05062 (INTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188,000.

NHTSA ODI #10758826

Mileage unknown · May 21, 2015
Electrical System

ALL FOUR DOORS AND TRUNK OF CAR WILL NOT LOCK OR ENGAGE USING THE CAR KEY REMOTELY BUT THE LIGHTS WILL BLINK WHEN KEY IS DEPRESSED. I HAVE TO MANUALLY PUSH DOWN ON ALL FOUR LOCKS TO LOCK THE CAR. ALSO, I HAVE TO MANUALLY USE/INSERT THE CAR KEY TO OPEN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. FRONT PASSENGER CAR SEAT WILL NOT MOVE OR RECLINE WHEN D…

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ALL FOUR DOORS AND TRUNK OF CAR WILL NOT LOCK OR ENGAGE USING THE CAR KEY REMOTELY BUT THE LIGHTS WILL BLINK WHEN KEY IS DEPRESSED. I HAVE TO MANUALLY PUSH DOWN ON ALL FOUR LOCKS TO LOCK THE CAR. ALSO, I HAVE TO MANUALLY USE/INSERT THE CAR KEY TO OPEN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. FRONT PASSENGER CAR SEAT WILL NOT MOVE OR RECLINE WHEN DOOR PANEL BUTTONS ARE PUSHED. ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME AND NO FAULT CAN BE FOUND. SUN VISOR STAYS DOWN AND CAN NOT STAY UP. I BELIEVE THESE ARE ALL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI #10717700

151,000 miles · Jan 5, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MI…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.

NHTSA ODI #10670173

85,000 miles · Dec 24, 2014
Electrical SystemInterior Lighting

I WAS HAVING AN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PROBLEM AND I LOOKED IT UP TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL. I FOUND OUT THERE WAS AND I WROTE DOWN THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER (06V028000) AND WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN MY AREA TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT MY VIN WAS IN THE RECALL BUT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. THIS WAS JULY 2014. I ALSO …

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I WAS HAVING AN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PROBLEM AND I LOOKED IT UP TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL. I FOUND OUT THERE WAS AND I WROTE DOWN THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER (06V028000) AND WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN MY AREA TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT MY VIN WAS IN THE RECALL BUT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. THIS WAS JULY 2014. I ALSO CALLED MERCEDES (1-800-367-6372) AND THEY STATED THE SAME THING. HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTING THIS RECALL FIXED? IN ADDITION TO THIS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF MY VIN EXPIRED OR DO I HAVE TIME TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10668104

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.