Model year record
2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 recalls & problems
The 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 34 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (21 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2001 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 | 14 / 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 | 21 | 124,500 mi |
| Exterior lightingTurn signal | 9 | 120,225 mi |
| Interior lighting | 6 | 112,000 mi |
| SuspensionRear | 6 | 99,000 mi |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 106,340 mi |
| Unknown or other | 2 | — |
| Steering | 2 | — |
| Power train | 2 | — |
| Engine | 1 | — |
| StructureBody | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Electrical system
WHEN DRIVING MY CAR MAKES NOISES LIKE I'M PULLING A TRAILER AND I'M NOT.. IN JULY MY RIGHT SHOCK WENT OUT SO I REPAIRED IT.. THEN PRIOR TO THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS DETECTED SO I REPAIRED THAT AND JUST LAST WEEK MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT OUT. MY SUSPENSION IS REALLY MESSED UP AND I CAN'T SHIFT AT ALL
- Electrical system
WE PURCHASED OUR 2001 MERCEDES S-500 USED. EVERYTHING RAN FINE. AFTER RUNNING IT THROUGH AN AUTO CARWASH WITH A UNDER BODY SPRAY, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT HAYWIRE. I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR WAS SOAKED. ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS INCLUDED NON FUNCTIONING LOCKS, WINDOWS, AIR, ALL LIGHTS FLICKERING, SEAT CONTROLS, HORN, HAZARD LIGHTS, SUNROOF, DASH CONTROL, VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL. THESE MALFUNCTIONS OCCURRED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND WHILE PARKED. WHEN WE TURNED THE KEY OFF AND REMOVED THEM, THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN. WE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN STILL FOR AN ADDITIONAL 5 MINUTES. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, WE HAVE DISCOVERED…
- Exterior lighting
INSTRUMENTAL CLUSTER LIGHT NOT WORKING
- Electrical system
TAKATA RECALL. I WAS RIDING MY VEHICLE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT HAYWIRE. I THOUGHT IT WAS BATTERY BUT IT WASN'T THE CAUSE IT DRAINED 4 BATTERIES I HAD ON WARRANTY AND 1 I HAD TO PURCHASE. I FOUND OUT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DRAINS THE BATTERY AND LOSS OF POWER. I REACHED TO A MECHANIC AND HE LET ME KNOW THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS CAUSING THE POWER LOSS AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND REALIZE THEIR WAS A RECALL FOR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FOR THIS DEFECT. THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE A SERIOUS INCIDENT IF WASN'T PROPERLY AWARE. I WOULD TO HAVE A RECALL IF POSSIBLE.
- Structure › Body
MBUSA PARTIALLY COVERED ($2400) COST FOR $5800 TOTAL REPAIR TO REMOVE RUST IN 2011 BUT RUST HAS RETURNED TO BOTH REAR QUARTER PANELS AND DOORS. DOCUMENTATION THAT PAINT WAS NOT PREPPED PROPERLY FOR ALL 2001 S500 MODELS, HOWEVER, NOT COVERED FOR COST TO REPAIR, REIMBURSE FOR COSTS INCURRED OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE FINISH. CURRENT QUOTE FOR REPAIRS ESTIMATED OVER $7500.00
- Electrical system
I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT ON 225 AND CHAMBERS AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AS SOON AS A HIT THE GAS MY ENTIRE DASHBOARD WENT BLANK. I NO LONGER HAD LIGHT AND MY GAUGES WERE NOT RESPONDING EITHER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I SEEN SOME FORUMS ABOUT THE RECALL SO I CALL THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT EVEN THOUGH ACKNOWLEDGED AS A SAFETY CONCERN THE RECALL WAS CLOSED JUNE 2011. I PURCHASED THE CAR JUNE 2010 AND NO ONE REACHED OUT. I HAVE ONLY ONE CAR AND I CAN NOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE I CANT SEE THE SPEED OR IF I EVEN HAVE GAS. I HAVE KIDS AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE I WORK BUT I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY $1800.00 TO FIX THIS AND I SHOULDNT HAVE TO. I CANT UNDERSTAND HOW A SAFETY RECALL CAN EXPIRE. SEEMS…
- Electrical system
I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 2010 IN JUNE AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BALL BEARING AND JOINTS AND THEY HAVE STOPPED WORKING ONCE AGAIN I WAS DRIVING LAST WEEK IN TRAFFIC AT AROUND 5 PM WHEN MY ENTIRE DASHBOARD WENT OUT NONE OF THE GAUGES ARE WORKING I COULDNT SEE ANYTHING. *TR
- Electrical system
FOR THE SECOND TIME THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTING HAD TO BE REPLACE BY THE DEALER. IT DID THE SAME THING IT DID UNDER THE ORIGINAL RECALL. NO LIGHTING IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.
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…