Model year record
2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 recalls & problems
The 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 55 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (32 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Fuel economy
S500
| City / highway | 15 / 21 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
5 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,850/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemInstrument cluster/panel; Wiring › Interior/under dash | 32 | 88,939 mi |
| Interior lighting | 12 | 68,782 mi |
| SuspensionFront › Springs › Air suspension system | 8 | 100,000 mi |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 90,000 mi |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 45,000 mi |
| StructureBody | 4 | 82,500 mi |
| Power trainAutomatic transmission | 3 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components › Drum; Foundation components | 2 | — |
| EquipmentAppliance › Air conditioner | 2 | — |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | — |
| Engine | 2 | — |
| Seat belts | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Electrical system
Please help me My 2000 s500L Mercedesâ Benz dashboard have been blinking for 4 months now it has finally completely went out I am complaining on my behalf in my daughter in wife please NHTSA we cannot see anything on our car dashboard our vehicle have been inspected at two independent service dealer theses symptoms appear to have been happening 1 year after purchasing from dealer please NHSTA we need a recall on our dashboard cluster. I cannot attend work until the cluster gets fix itâs so dangerous driving with a broken cause this recall will be a blessing to our family.
- Service brakes
LAST NIGHT WE HAD TROPICAL STORM ETA IN FLORIDA. WE HAD ABOUT 10 INCHES OF RAIN. THE TEMPERATURE WAS BETWEEN 70F AND 80F. THE CAR WAS PARKED ON HIGH GROUND BUT IN THE RAIN. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR FLOODED WITH WATER UNDER THE CARPET. I HAVE NOT DETERMINED THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK OR THE SOURCE OF THE SHORT YET BUT THE CAR IS IN MY SHOP. I DRILLED HOLES IN THE FLOOR TO DRAIN THE WATER FOR NOW. THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT CRAZY. THE ABS WAS MALFUNCTIONING, THE WIPERS WERE TURNING ON AND OFF, THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND OTHER LIGHTS WERE TURNING ON AND OFF ON THERE OWN, THE CAR STAYED RUNNING WITH THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, THE LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON AND OFF WITH THE KEY OUT OF IGNITION, THE SOS…
- Electrical system
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ONLY WORKS WHEN IT IS REALLY HOT.
- Electrical systemFire
I WAS GETTING STUFF FROM THE TRUNK. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE CAR IT WAS FULL OF SMOKE. WHEN I INSPECTED THE SORCE OF THE FIRE IT WAA THE BLOWER RESISTOR. THE WIRING TO THE BLOWER WAS BURNT AT THE CONNECTOR. THE PLASTIC AROUND THE EVAPORATOR BOX WAS DAMAGED.
- Electrical system
I JUST BOUGHT MY MERCEDES S500 TWO WEEKS AGO. IT ONLY HAD ONE OWNER, 98,000 MILES AND GOOD CAR FAX. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY DARK AND ALL OF THE GAUGES WERE NOT WORKING!! I CANT TELL HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE NOR HOW FAST I AM DRIVING! I RESEARCH TODAY AND FIND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE THAT IS NOW EXPIRED. HOW AND WHY DOES A RECALL EXPIRE??!! THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I WONT BE ABLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT, I HAVE CHILDREN TO TRANSPORT AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A ACCIDENT OR RECEIVE A TICKET FOR DRIVING TOO FAST! ITS SO UNFAIR THAT I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR AND WAS NOT AWARE OF A RECALL. HOW IS THIS FAIR TO A BUYER WHO WOULD…
- Exterior lightingCrash
IN REFERENCE TO CAMPAIGN 06V028000 WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR EXCLUSION OF SOME CARS OF THE SAME YEAR VS OTHERS? JUST BECAUSE THE 7 CARS THAT WERE PART OF THE ORGINAL COMPLAINT FALL IN THE NARROWLY DEFINED VIN RANGE DOES NOT MEAN OTHER CARS OF THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR DO NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEFECTIVE CLUSTERS ARE THE SAME. I HAVE A 2000 S500 WITH A FAILED CLUSTER. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME PART FOR THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR THAT OTHER CARS ARE BEING REPAIRED FOR FREE, BUT MY CAR IS EXCLUDED BECAUSE ITS VIN RANGE IS STATISTICALLY NOT IN THE SAME NARROW VIN RANGE CORRESPONDING TO THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT? THIS SEEMS VERY EXCLUSIONARY GIVEN MY CAR IS THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR AND…
- Suspension
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ S500L. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY KNOCKED WHILE PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR SUSPENSION WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO CENTER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE ABC ACTIVE BODY CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND A MESSAGE INDICATING TO "STOP THE VEHICLE WAS TOO LOW". THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED…
- Electrical system
ONE NIGHT WHILE I WAS DRIVING, SUDDENLY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT SLOWLY DIM, FLICKED, AND 95% LIGHTS WERE SHUT OFF INCLUDED SPEEDOMETER, THE REST WERE VERY DIM HARDLY SEE ANYTHING. INSIDE MY CAR WAS TOTALLY DARK AT THAT POINT, I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT. IMMEDIATELY, I HAD TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THAT WAS VERY SCARY!! DUE TO THIS KIND OF DEFECTIVE, THE CAR IS NO LONGER IN DRIVING CONDITION AT NIGHT. THIS CAR IS ONLY 90K MILE. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, I SEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND I HAD FOUND FEW FORUMS DISCUSSED ABOUT THE SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH S500. BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANY RECALL FOR MY CAR WHICH RELATED TO THIS SAFETY ISSUE IN NHTSA. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. THIS WAS ALMOST CAUSED…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILUREClosedLed to recall 06V028000
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…