The SRS system (airbags) have been deemed inoperable by the dealer and may either deploy at any time or not deploy at all in a collision. This is due to a defective seatbelt buckle and a defective passenger recognition sensor pad located in the front passenger seat which disables/enables the airbags functionality. Both a very common defect in the 2000 to 2006 model year mercedes benz s class vehicles. The seatbelt buckle contains a sensor that eventually fails for no apparent reason or warning which compromises the air bag's functionality. The passenger recognition sensor pad located in the seat eventually malfunctions due to fatigue.this also disables the functionality of the SRS system.this malfunction has recently been addressed and recalled by bmw for the same issues but mercedes benz has yet to issue a recall campaign also the gear shifter is stuck in park and can not be shifted in reverse. This is due to a small plastic part located in the shifting mechanism which is released by a solenoid when the brake pedal is depressed. The plastic part eventually cracks and renders the car inoperable.the part is not available nor produced by mercedes benz and the entire mechanism must be replaced by the dealer at the owner's expense. The cracked part can also affect the safety of the driver and pedestrians. If it cracks while the car is in drive, the shifter can not be moved forward to neutral or park and will remain stuck in drive due to a broken piece of plastic blocking the shifter from moving.this is another extremely common and dangerous defect in the model year 2000 to 2006 s class and has affected and left thousands of motorists stranded. Mercedes benz has the lowest recall rate in the united states according to the following http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-autos-recalls-study-idusbrea2q1zq20140327. They should not ignore safety issues.
The worst 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Suspension7
- Electrical6
- Airbags4
- Seat belts4
- Locks3
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Suspension7
- Electrical6
- Airbags4
- Seat belts4
- Locks3
- Body2
- Engine2
- Lights2
- Transmission2
- Brakes1
- Fuel system1
- Steering1
- Tires1
Recalls 2
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 07V263000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid: lock
- What is wrong
- On certain vehicles, the trunk lid springs could fail in the closed trunk lid position.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 04V285000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class
Defect investigations
Air suspension system failure
The subject s-class vehicles contain a compressed air suspension system that uses air struts on each of the four wheels in lieu of traditional springs and shock absorbers.these air struts use compressed air to support the weight of the vehicle and control ride height.in the event of the loss of air from the system, an alert will flash on the instrument cluster warning the driver to either drive carefully or to stop the vehicle.the vehicle ride height can be reduced by as much as 105 mm below normal ride height before the full load of the vehicle for that wheel comes to rest on a steel rod, with a rubber stop on the end, located in the shock absorber.this rest-stop condition is designed such that there is no impact on vehicle control.mercedes-benz (mbusa) supplied video showing a vehicle in this condition operating under several different situations including evasive maneuvers demonstrating the ability of the vehicle to be controlled effectively with a ride height reduced to the minimum.only those complaints to odi and mbusa that alleged a steering interference during a reduced ride height condition were counted in this resume failure report.some complaints alleged that with a reduced ride height and a stop now warning message there was a rubbing noise when turning, but the ability to steer the vehicle was not compromised.a sampling of warranty claims submitted by mbusa did not reveal any indicating a loss of control due to an airmatic system failure.there was one crash reported by mbusa to odi but the information available indicated that it related to suspension systems and it was not possible to verify that the incident was related to an airmatic system failure. Further use of agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and will take further action in the future if warranted.this preliminary evaluation is closed.
PE07042
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class 10
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Complaints about poor wiping effect of winshield wiper
- Mercedes: parktronic intermittently not functioning
- Mercedes: corrosion protection coatings for brake components and hardware may be damaged and or stripped...
- Mercedes benz: water in tail lamp housing on either right side or left side.
- Headlamp low beam or fog lamp is always either too high or too low
- Seal between exterior rear view mirror housing and door
- High-pitched whining noise heard on telephone/vcs/tele aid calls
- The high pressure hydraulic distribution hose of the active body control (ABC) may deteriorate over time...
- The trunk lid springs could fail in the closed trunk lid position due to extensive exposure to very high...
- Replacement of abc pressure supply valve unit hydraulic line
2003 Mercedes Benz S Class fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 15 | 20 | 17 |
| 5.0L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 14 | 19 | 16 |
| 5.0L 8‑cyl | RWD | 13 | 20 | 15 |
| 5.5L 12‑cyl | RWD | 12 | 17 | 14 |
What 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz s55. The contact stated that the seat belt would not retract properly whenever there were warmer temperatures. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer and the dealer was unable to determine the failure. In addition, the contact stated that the trunk lid would either become resistant when attempting to close the hatch, or it would close independently. On one occasion, the trunk lid closed unexpectedly on the contact as she attempted to remove items from the trunk area. As a result, the contact sustained a contusion to the right leg. The contact also stated that the key fob failed to engage the trunk lid. The manufacturer was made aware of failure and advised the contact that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign id number: 04v285000 (latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid springs). The failure mileage was 50,000. The current mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.
The driver's side seat belt does not work properly during hot weather. More particularly, the belt will not extend. It is impossible to pull the belt out enough to fasten it. Thus, the only way the car can be driven in hot weather is without the driver wearing a seat belt. The belt works properly in the morning when leaving our air-conditioned garage, but when returning to the car while it has been parked outside in hot weather the seat belt does not work.
When vehicle gets cold( outside temp below 17 f), the car will lower, and airomatic warning message comes on saying airomatic vehicle too low stop visit shop.
When temperature falls below 17 degrees f, the vehicle drop to unsafe level, and message says airmatic stop car vehicle too low. The tires will start rubbing on liner. Called dealer they said temperature in germany does not go that low, well this car is sold in us, and they need to make it work.
Air bag-drivers side, steering wheel. I recently became aware of your site and thought it appropriate to inform you of this issue. The airbag warning light came on and the dealer cleared the fault code. This lasted one week and then the warning reappeared. They did not know if this condition would result in a deployment whether warranted or not. It seemed to us that it was unsafe to drive regardless. Then, despite the 7 year ,100,000 mile warranty, they said air bags are not covered. We then incurred an expense of $1,841 to replace the entire unit. It seemed the manufacturer tried to avoid any and all complaints about air bags being problematic.
Shifter stuck in park. There are probably hundreds, possibly even thousands of mercedes owners that have experienced this problem. For no apparent reason and without any warning the shifter locks in park. You turn the car on and it will not move even if using a 16 pound rubber mallet to bang the shifter. I would consider this as a potentially dangerous situation if the person was out in the wilderness or a mother traveling with children in the car. This problem is well documented at http://www.mbworld.org this particular forum is a great source for problems associated with mercedes benz. It is caused by a $4 piece of plastic located inside the shifter box that moves back and forth to activate the solenoid.. Once the plastic piece breaks it locks the shifter in place. Mercedes could easily fix this problem by using more durable materials. Instead, they charge you up to $1500 to replace the shifter box. I know because it happened to me and several other people I personally know. The car literally can not be moved and has to be dragged on a flat bed truck and taken to the repair shop. For a car this expensive, it is totally ridiculous.
Shifter stuck in park due to the only plastic part ( shifter module) in the shifter box. Mercedes headquarters take no responsibility for such an expensive fix when plastic part breaks.
I cannot believe that there is not or will not be a recall on the "suspension" issue. I too had the fate of my car collapsing on my way home from work-which is 35 miles away-it happened. On the dash it stated in bid bold letters "airmatic car too low". I pulled over and stepped out-my heart felt like it was going to come through my chest. Everyone in that situation understands just how I felt at that time. The front of the car was completely covering half of the front tires-if I turned the wheel it would have scraped the fenders. I left the car there overnite. The next day {sunday} my partner's brother -who is a mechanic-went to retrieve my car not being familiarized with the mercedes brand he started the car and pushed every button on the dash-he called me telling me the car was fine it was "fine". He drove my car to my home-much to my puzzlement. The car looked normal. The next day on monday I started the car and on the dash in big red letters airmatic . Though the car looked fine I saw on closer inspection that one side in front was sagging lower, to sum this up-got the car to the dealer and was told the " air was leaking out of the bags in the front suspension".that cost $1,000 to repair-I think its cheaper to pay that than the alternative. As I write I am furious yes- I have another appointment this coming monday for my SRS system. This is the second time. This time it has to do with the front passenger seat and the etr-they state there is a fault. I have to pay $540.00 to have a safe car? This is the second time the SRS light has come on-sounds kind of like the first time it happened too-only that was covered under warranty. I have 74,000 miles on this car. Whats going to happen next? Mercedes submitted a video showing an s class with a collapsed suspension showing that it was fit to be on the road along with other cars-people what are you thinking?this is supposed to be one of the safest cars on the road! That's why we bought it .and about the SRS light?
My suspension is horrible!! Without warning my s430 airmatic light displayed "visit workshop", I pulled over and noticed my vehicle was riding extremely low...almost touching my front and back tires. Furthermore, there is a rubbing sound when the wheels are being turned. I contacted 4 dealers and they all claimed the suspension and/or airmatic system has been a common problem ...my concern is why wasn't I notified about a recall? Secondly, after scheduling an appointment for this week, mb is claiming that I will be charged for service a. This is unbelievable>>>why is mercedes loosing their reputation for poor customer service? Please contact me...I need my vehicle in operable condition and will expect to be reimbursed by mercedes once this recall matter is approved and/or active. I'm glad to know that the federal safety agency cares...thank you.
Compare the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class
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Questions about the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class
Is the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class reliable?
Owners have filed 28 complaints about the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class, 1.9 times a typical S Class model year.
What is the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class year score?
The 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class scores 51 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Mercedes Benz S Class: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class?
Suspension, with 7 complaints, typically around 84,500 miles. Next is electrical (6).
How many recalls does the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class have?
2 recalls, covering engine and engine cooling and latches/locks/linkages.
What year does the Mercedes Benz S Class have bad suspension?
The Mercedes Benz S Class model years with the most suspension complaints are 2000 (21 complaints) and 2002 (19 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Mercedes Benz S Class range from 14 to 17 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.3L 8-cyl, 4WD) gets 15 city and 20 highway.
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