See attached document for complaint.
The worst 2002 Mercedes Benz S500 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical14
- Suspension6
- Lights4
- Engine3
- Transmission2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical14
- Suspension6
- Lights4
- Engine3
- Transmission2
- Acceleration1
- Airbags1
- Visibility1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
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 2002 Mercedes Benz S500 52
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE: Although the symptom is...
- Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors
- Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end)
- There are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance: A: Wiper...
- Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged
- Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged
- Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end)
- Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged
- Headlamps leaking or fogged
- Vehicle with atypical reduced heat output
2002 Mercedes Benz S500 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0L 8‑cyl | RWD | 14 | 21 | 17 |
What 2002 Mercedes Benz S500 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the instrument panel and dashboard lights were off. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that his daughter was able to drive the vehicle since the exterior lights were working properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the instrument cluster had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 06V028000 (Interior Lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that an extended warranty had been issued for the failure but had already expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact stated that the instrument cluster had started to flicker and had eventually gone completely blank without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where he was informed that his vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 06V028000 (Interior Lighting). The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and provided the contact with the same information as the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000. The defective instrument cluster also prevents the owner of these cars not knowing when the vehicle air shocks can and will suddenly drop without warning like the rear air shocks completely dropped.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes benz s500. The contact stated upon start-up, the instrument cluster went blank. The contact called mercedes-benz of los angeles (1801 s. Figueroa st, los angeles, ca 90015) where they informed him to bring the vehicle to the dealer to be inspected. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to the federal safety agency campaign number: 06v028000 (interior lighting) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. ## VIN passed ## 2002 mercedes benz s500 ##
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes-benz s500v. While driving 35 MPH, the contact's daughter had the right of way on their green light. Another vehicle was going in the opposite direction ran their light and they crashed into the contact's daughter's driver side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact's daughter did not sustain any injuries. The person that crashed into the contact's daughter was not injured. There was no need for medical attention. A police report was made. The vehicle was towed to luxury auto park (17651 oak park ave, tinley park, il 60477 (708) 444-4445) where the mechanics were waiting on instructions on what to complete on the vehicle. The contact would have the vehicle towed back to their home. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 154,000.
My dash lights went out I can't see anything not my speed dash is dark night and day
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes-benz s500. While driving 25 MPH, the vehicle heard an abnormal noise coming from the center of the vehicle. A warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was an abc hydraulic fluid leak, which was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,140.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes-benz s500. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the instrument panel cluster burned out and all the warning lights illuminated. The contact observed an abnormal burning odor. The contact shut off and parked the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, but the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 06v028000 (interior lighting). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that he missed the warranty by three months. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes benz s500. While starting the vehicle, the instrument cluster failed to illuminate or show any of the gauges and indicators. The failure occurred constantly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the instrument cluster was experiencing an electrical malfunction and needed to be replaced. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 06v028000 (interior lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.
My airmatic suspension madey my car go down real low, I pay a lot of money to get the two air matic suspension fix. My rear end is still going down and now the rear is lower than the front. I am just lije the rest of the people that has complaint about this . The federal safety agency action number ped7042. I feel they need to make the manufacturer fix this problem before some one get hurt bad or dead.
Compare the 2002 Mercedes Benz S500
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Questions about the 2002 Mercedes Benz S500
Is the 2002 Mercedes Benz S500 reliable?
Owners have filed 25 complaints about the 2002 Mercedes Benz S500, 2.1 times a typical S500 model year.
What is the 2002 Mercedes Benz S500 year score?
The 2002 Mercedes Benz S500 scores 48 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Mercedes Benz S500: 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 2002 Mercedes Benz S500?
Electrical system, with 14 complaints, typically around 81,640 miles. Next is suspension (6).
How many recalls does the 2002 Mercedes Benz S500 have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Mercedes Benz S500 have the most electrical problems?
The Mercedes Benz S500 model years with the most electrical complaints are 2000 (31 complaints), 2001 (21 complaints) and 2002 (14 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2002 Mercedes Benz S500 get?
Official estimates for the 2002 Mercedes Benz S500 range from 17 mpg combined. The most efficient version (5.0L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 14 city and 21 highway.
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