2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS BEGAN BLINKING AND THEN SUDDENLY DIMMED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JULY OF 2007 AND WAS UNAWARE OF ANY RECALLS. HE RESEARCHED HIS DEFECT AND CAME ACROSS A RECALL. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SINCE HE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAR BEGAN TO LOSE ALL POWER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CAR BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPORTED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS FAULTY AND BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT COIL PACKS AND THAT THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUGS AGAIN, AT A TOTAL COST OF $3875.00 THIS SEEMS VERY DISTURBING CONSIDERING THEY ALREADY REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE DEFECTIVE PARTS FROM THE FACTORY UNDER WARRANTY BUT NOW REFUSE TO TAKE RESPOSIBILITY FOR THE COIL PACKS EVEN THOUGH THEY ADMIT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THESE HIGH IGNITION SYSTEMS. ONLY 14275 MILES ON VEHICLE.

1. DRIVING VEHICLE ON LONG DISTANCE TRIP 2.. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND ALL GAUGES FAILED WHILE DRIVING. REPLACED FUSE TO RESTORE GAUGES, BUT FUSED FAILED WITHIN 5 MINUTES, REPEATED ATTEMPTS RESULTED IN THE SAME OUTAGE. 3. APPOINT WITH DEALER ON 9/11/06 TO REPAIR ESTIMATED $1400 COST. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DARKENED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FROZE . THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS PERTAINING TO THE ALTERNATOR, SPEEDOMETER, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING ENGINE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERS WHO DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO BE SERVICED BY THE DEALERS. AS VEHICLE WAS BEING RELEASED FROM SERVICE THE SPEEDOMETER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE RPM NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE DASHBOARD ALSO GAVE OFF A FOUL BURNING/ GAS ODOR THAT CAUSED THE PASSENGER TO GET SICK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERS AND CONTACT STATES THAT THE DEALERS REFUSED TO INSPECT VEHICLE OR TO PROVIDE SERVICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER/ DIRECTOR OF THE DEALERS HAS CALLED AND HARASSED THE CONTACT ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATES THAT SHE SPOKE TO AN NHTSA REPRESENTATIVE WHO WAS ABLE TO CHECK IN THE DATABASE FOR RECALLS AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEM RECALL MATCHED THE SAME SYMPTOMS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY SEEKING SERVICE FOR THE EXISTING PROBLEMS.

FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE, UNABLE TO READ GAUGES, HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK, GOT TICKET FOR SPEEDING-CHECKED ON LINE AND SAW RECALL 2/1/06-NHTSA 06V028000-CALLED 3 DEALERS AND THEY KNEW NOTHING AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL, ALSO CALLED MB SERVICE 800-367-6372 AND THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT RECALL--I WAS QUOTED PRICE TO FIX $1850.--WHAT IS GOING ON? DO I HAVE TO WAIT AND NOT DRIVE VEHICLE UNTIL JUNE 10-OR PAY $1850 TO GET PROBLEM FIXED NOW? DOES MB EVER COMMUNICATE WITH ITS DEALERS ABOUT THESE RECALLS? *NM

DURING NIGHTTIME DRIVING, INSTRUMENT BACK LIGHTING WAS LOST. *NM

WHILE DRIVING, I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IN MY MERCEDES. POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, LIGHTS, DISPLAY, POWER WINDOWS ETC.*AK