2003 Mercedes Benz S600: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
63,988 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Suspension is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 6 complaints (66.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 4 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
Suspension: 4; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
2009: 3; 2011: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 1
Pattern summary
Suspension leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10258517 · 2009-02-12 (February 12, 2009)
ACTIVE BODY CONTROL FLUID LEAK. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10258517 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10294645 · 2009-12-06 (December 6, 2009)
MERCEDES BENZ, S-600 (MODEL 2003), IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR IN THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR ALMOST LOST CONTROL AFTER IT'S ACTIVE BODY CONTROL (ABC) LIGHT FLASHED ON SUDDENLY IN THE DASHBOARD AND THE CAR BODY CAME DOWN GRINDING AGAINST THE WHEEL/TIRES ON 11/16/2009. THE CAR WAS SENT TO MB DEALER IN EDISON, NJ FOR REPAIRS THAT SAME DAY AND THEY FOUND THAT THE ABC HYDRAULIC FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT DUE TO CORROSION THAT HAD OCCURRED IN THE INNER STEEL PORTIONS OF THE ABC HIGH PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSE ALREADY. THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL; …
Owner-reported narrative. 56,772 miles reported. Look up ODI 10294645 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10294652 · 2009-12-06 (December 6, 2009)
MERCEDES BENZ, S-600 (MODEL 2003), IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR IN THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR ALMOST LOST CONTROL AFTER IT'S ACTIVE BODY CONTROL (ABC) LIGHT FLASHED ON SUDDENLY IN THE DASHBOARD AND THE CAR BODY CAME DOWN GRINDING AGAINST THE WHEELS/TIRES ON 12/03/2009 AGAIN AFTER THE CAR'S ABC SYSTEM WAS REPLACED ON 11/19/2009 AT MB DEALER IN EDISON, NJ. I HAVE REPORTED SAFETY COMPLAINTS ON THIS CAR ABOUT ABC SYSTEM QUALITY PROBLEM (ODI NUMBER IS: 10294645). THE CAR WAS SENT TO MB DEALER IN EDISON, NJ FOR CHECKS AT SAME DAY AND THEY …
Owner-reported narrative. 56,923 miles reported. Look up ODI 10294652 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10380101 · 2011-02-03 (February 3, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S600. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE DISTRIBUTION HOSE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V263000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) BUT HIS ADVISED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS THEN CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,988.
Owner-reported narrative. 63,988 miles reported. Look up ODI 10380101 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10604565 · 2014-06-19 (June 19, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S-600. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK AND THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE NEITHER THE FUEL GAUGE NOR THE SPEEDOMETER. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT DUE TO THE FAILURE HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10604565 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10780704 · 2015-10-08 (October 8, 2015)
WHILE MY DAUGHTER DRIVING MY CAR ABC LIGHT CAME ON AND SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL AND HAD ACCIDENT. CAR WENT OVER THE CENTER LINE, CLIMBED OVER BARRICADE AND DESTROYED THE CAR. INSURANCE COMPANY TOTLALED THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. WHILE DRIVING A HIGH PRESSURE HOSE BLEW UP AND CAR WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BOTTOM OF THE SUSPENSION, MERCEDES DOES NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILTY FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WHEN I SEARCHED THE INTERNET I FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINS FOR THE INCIDENTS LIKE THIS.
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10780704 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V228000 · Suspension
Reported: 2004-05-13 (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: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗