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2001 Mercedes Benz S600

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

32 reports with mileage · 6 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

5 reports
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87,600 miles · Jan 28, 2015
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S600. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED BUT RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S600. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED BUT RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,600.

NHTSA ODI #10679459

Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2012
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S600. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL LIGHT SYSTEM FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO READ THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ S600. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL LIGHT SYSTEM FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO READ THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10470427

40,000 miles · Nov 8, 2006
Electrical System

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE DASH LIGHTS BLINKED AND WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 06V028000, REGARDING THE INTERIOR LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10172910

55,000 miles · Nov 6, 2006
Electrical System

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING, THE ILLUMINATION ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #10172749

45,015 miles · Sep 1, 2006
Electrical SystemInterior Lighting

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLICKERED AND FAILED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE DEALER ORDERED A NEW CLUSTER FOR THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 06V028000 PERTAINING TO T…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLICKERED AND FAILED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE DEALER ORDERED A NEW CLUSTER FOR THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 06V028000 PERTAINING TO THE INTERIOR LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.*AK UPDATED 10/4/2006 - THE TURNS SIGNAL VISUAL AND AUDIBLE INDICATORS FAILED WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CONSUMER TO KNOW IF/WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10167216

Official recalls

1

04V228000 · Suspension

May 13, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, CORROSION MAY OCCUR IN THE INNER STEEL PORTIONS OF THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL'S (ABC) HIGH-PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSE DUE TO EXTENSIVE EXPOSURE TO HEAT AND HUMIDITY. OVER TIME, CORROSION MAY DETERIORATE THE INNER STEEL PORTIONS OF THE HOSE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN ABC HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKAGE. UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID MAY COME IN CONTACT WITH HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS AND LEAD TO A POSSIBILITY OF FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW, CORROSION RESISTANT ABC HIGH-PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSES. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 31, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

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.