2001 Mercedes Benz S500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE GAUGES AND WARNING INDICATORS TO STOP WORKING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10/03/14*LJ UPDATED 05/12/2015 *JS

WHILE DRIVING ON A 400 MILE TRIP HOME IN THE DARK, THE ENTIRE CLUSTER LIGHTING TURNED OFF AND SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE. THE SITUATION WAS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY TO FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG. AS NO FUSES OR RELAYS WERE BLOWN OUT, I HAD TO USE A SMALL FLASHLIGHT TO ILLUMINATE THE CLUSTER TO GET HOME. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENTIRE DASH GAUGE CLUSTER FLICKERED AND WENT TOTALLY DARK AND STOPPED WORKING. I WAS SO DISTRACTED THAT I ALMOST RAN INTO THE CAR THAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME. THE INTERIOR LIGHTING WENT OUT AS WELL. NOW, THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE OR OF SEEING ANY OF THE OTHER IMPORTANT GAUGES INCLUDING GEAR SELECTION. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE CAR SAFELY. THE MERCEDES DEALER IN MANHATTAN AND NORTH AMERICA MERCEDES CENTER IN NJ SAYS THE CAR IS NOT COVERED AND THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE HAS EXPIRED. THEY HAVE BASICALLY SAID" TOO BAD" FOR ME IN A VERY ARROGANT AND COLD MANNER. ALMOST LIKE I SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR ASKING THEM TO FIX IT. THIS IS A LOW MILES WELL CARED FOR VEHICLE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PAMPERED AND GARAGED. IT BELONGED TO MY FATHER. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR PRICE FROM THE DEALER FOR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS OVER $4,000.00. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY SITTING IN MY GARAGE UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. FRANKLY, I AM SURPRISED AT MERCEDES' REFUSAL TO FIX THE CAR CONSIDERING THAT THERE WAS A NATIONAL RECALL CONCERNING THIS VERY ISSUE AND THAT ALSO THERE WAS A NEED FOR A MB EXTENDED WARRANTY TO FIX THIS VERY SAME LIGHTING/CLUSTER ISSUE. NOT TO MENTION THE EXORBITANT PRICE FOR THE S500 BOTH RETAIL AND WHEN IT WAS NEW. I EXPECTED WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR THAT IT WOULD PROVIDE THE TYPE OF RELIABILITY AND ENGINEERING THAT MERCEDES CLAIMS TO HAVE BUILT IT'S REPUTATION ON. *TR

MY INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS (DASH BOARD) WENT OUT ON MY 2001 S500 MERCEDES BENZ CAR. THE LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER ON OCCASIONALLY AND GO BACK OUT. I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER THE SIGNAL LIGHTS BY CHANGING THE FUSES. WHILE ON A ROAD TRIP MY KIDS NOTICED A SMELL AND SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE DASH BOARD. WE EXITED THE CAR AND FLAGGED DOWN A POLICE OFFICER. WE WERE TOLD TO GET AS MUCH AS WE COULD OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE. WITHIN IN SECONDS MY DASH BOARD WAS IN FLAMES. I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION AND IGNITED INTO FLAMES. I CONTACTED MERCEDES TO FIND OUT ABOUT A POSSIBLE RECALL AND TO REPORT THAT THERE IS A MORE SERIOUS DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH THE MALFUNCTION OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I WAS ASKED WHAT DID I EXPECT FOR THEM TO DO? THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REMOVED THE CLUSTER FROM THE DASH BOARD TO ASSURE THE FIRE WOULD NOT RESTART AND IDENTIFIED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS AS THE CAUSE OF FIRE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTING BEGAN FLICKERING, AND AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES WENT COMPLETELY DARK. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS FAILURE IS HAZARDOUS, THE DRIVER HAS NO INFORMATION AS TO THE STATUS OF ANY OF THE CAR'S SYSTEMS. ALL OF THE FOLLOWING GAUGES AND DISPLAYS ARE DISABLED AND NONFUNCTIONAL AS A RESULT: FUEL GAUGE, VEHICLE TEMPERATURE, MPH, RPM'S, THE GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN, TURN SIGNAL OPERATION, AS WELL AS, ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS AND DISPLAYS. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS WHICH PROVIDE THE DRIVER CERTAIN SYSTEMS INFORMATION, AND THE ABILITY TO OPERATE THE RADIO, CD PLAYER, TELEPHONE AND VOLUME ARE DISABLED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE AS YOU ARE BASICALLY "DRIVING BLIND". I HAVE NOT YET FIXED THE INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER (ALSO REFERRED TO AS: INTERIOR LIGHTING) AND I CAN PROVIDE ANY NECESSARY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB