2004 Mercedes Benz S CLASS: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING, BUT THERE WAS NO POWER BRAKE OR POWER STEERING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND HAD BEEN THERE FOR 3 WEEKS, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED, BUT NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND. DEALERSHIP WAS AWAITING A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10076163 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUSTAINED A SPRAINED HIP, AND A SWOLLEN KNEE. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER INDICATED THAT THE FRONT SENSOR WASN'T HIT UPON IMPACT AND THAT WAS THE REASON WHY THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10087121 at NHTSA ↗

THE FRONT SUSPENSION FALLS DOWN DURING COLD WEATHER, CAUSING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TO SINK DOWN ON THE WHEELS. A WARNING LIGHT TURNS ON INFORMING THE DRIVER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY OWNER.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10109231 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. PROCEEDED INTO AN INTERSECTION, UPON ACCELERATION VEHICLE CUT OFF, NO BREAKS, NO POWER STEERING. VEHICLE WAS PUSHED ACROSS THE ROAD, EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN AND I DROVE IT DIRECTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP. SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED AFTER A TEST NO PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 6,080 miles reported. Look up ODI 10145030 at NHTSA ↗

ON A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PROCEEDING TO ACCELERATE AND VEHICLE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING REMAINING HESITANT WHEN ACCELERATING. DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, TEST PERFORMED. IT WAS DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. PARTS ORDERED AND VEHICLE REPAIRED. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 6,482 miles reported. Look up ODI 10145034 at NHTSA ↗

RAINING, VEHICLE LEAK OF WATER FROM STORM FRONT PASSENGER, LEFT AND RIGHT REAR PASSENGER FLOOR AREA COMPLETELY SOAKED WITH WATER. WATER RESULTED IN ELECTRICAL CONTROL PANEL SHORTAGE. NO BRAKE LIGHTS, NO SPEEDOMETER, INSTRUMENT PANEL FLICKERING. DROVE TO DEALER, DIAGNOSIS WATERDRAIN OFF NEAR WINDSHIELD DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED AFTER PARTS ORDERED. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 11,693 miles reported. Look up ODI 10145035 at NHTSA ↗

A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OCCURRED AFTER A RAIN. AS A RESULT I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR. MERCEDES AUTHORIZED MECHANIC CITES "AIR INTAKE AT BLOWER INTAKE AREA WAS INVERTED AT INSTALLATION FROM THE FACTORY". THE CAR IS IN PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL HAVE TO BE PERFORMED. THE MERCEDES DEALER CALLS IT "WATER INTRUSION". *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 37,823 miles reported. Look up ODI 10228707 at NHTSA ↗

IN 12-06 I BOUGHT A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ S500. SINCE THAN I TOOK THE CAR BACK THE DEALER MORE TEN TIMES THE LATEST WAS 1-09 FOR THE SAME REASON THE AIR MATIC DEFECTED ORCOMPRESSURE LEAK,PRESSURE SENSOR MALFUNCTION,AIR MATIC VALVE BLOCK DEFECTIVE. SOME TIME THEY FOUND THE AIR MATIC COMPRESSORS W/ EXTERNAL LEAK CAUSE THE SUSPENSION TO BE LOW. IN MAY 2008 FOR LEAK IN THE COMPRESSOR THEY TOLD ME IT WAS FIXED. AGAIN IN JULY 2008 AIR MATIC COMPRESSOR AGAIN LEAK. AUG 2008 THEY TOLD ME IT RELAY DEFECTIVE THE AIRMATIC PUMP WAS STUCK AND THE AIRMATIC PUMP …

Owner-reported narrative. 86,666 miles reported. Look up ODI 10256937 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-06-09 (June 9, 2004)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE TRUNK LID SPRINGS COULD FAIL IN THE CLOSED TRUNK LID POSITION.

Consequence: IF THE TRUNK LID IS MANUALLY LIFTED, IT MAY NOT REMAIN IN THE UP POSITION AND COULD CAUSE INJURY IF IT COMES DOWN WHILE SOMEONE IS REACHING INTO THE TRUNK.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH TRUNK LID SPRINGS. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES- BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2006-02-02 (February 2, 2006)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CONTAINS GAUGES AND INDICATORS THAT MUST BE ILLUMINATED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION.

Consequence: DUE TO INADEQUATE ILLUMINATION, THE DRIVER WILL BE UNABLE TO READ THE GAUGES AND INDICATORS, SUCH AS THE SPEEDOMETER, WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULES. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASES. PHASE I WAS MAILED OUT TO APPROXIMATELY 7,500 OWNERS ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2006. PHASE II AND PHASE III IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2007-06-12 (June 12, 2007)

ON CERTAIN 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 HUMIDITY CAUSING DETERIORATION OF THE HOSE.

Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN ABC HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKAGE NEAR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. LEAKING FLUID MAY COME IN CONTACT WITH HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS AND LEAD TO A POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW CORROSION RESISTANT ABC HIGH PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 2, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2008-07-07 (July 7, 2008)

MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING MY 2006-2008 M-CLASS, R-CLASS, MY 2005-2009 SLK-CLASS, MY 2005-2008 C-CLASS, MY 2003-2004 AND 2006-2008 CLK-CLASS, MY 2003-2008 E-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2008 CL-CLASS, MY 2008 CLS-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2007-2008 S-CLASS, MY 2003 G-CLASS, AND MY 2003-2004, 2006 AND 2009 SL-CLASS VEHICLES. A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION NUMBER (SCN) CODING RECEIVED ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DURING A RECENT WORKSHOP VISIT WAS INCORRECT. DEPENDING ON THE MODEL YEAR AND MODEL AFFECTED, THE RESULTS OF AN INCORRECT SCN CODING CAN AFFECT A NUMBER OF VEHICLE SAFETY AND EMISSION FUNCTIONS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FUNCTIONS: (1) THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS MAY BE INCORRECT; (2) A STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; (3) THE OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND, (4) THE SPEEDOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP MAY NOT RECEIVE A CRASH SIGNAL THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUEL PUMP TO DISCONNECT AND PREVENT FUTURE FUEL DELIVERY AS DESIGNED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL RECODE THE SCN FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.