During hot weather the seat belt gets stuck and you will not be able to use the seat belt at all. This is a safety issue and should not happen. This happens when the car is parked under hot weather. This is in the drivers side. This has been happening for the last 1 year.*dt consumer stated seat belt gets jammed when temperature goes over 90 degrees and is unable to use seat belts as well as park the car outside for long periods of time. Consumer has replaced the seat belts but malfunctioning.
The worst 2003 Mercedes Benz S500 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Seat belts4
- Electrical2
- Brakes1
- Engine1
- Lights1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Seat belts4
- Electrical2
- Brakes1
- Engine1
- Lights1
- Suspension1
- Transmission1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Mercedes Benz S500 40
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
2003 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 | 20 | 16 |
What 2003 Mercedes Benz S500 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The passenger front seat belt will not retract. Also, the dashboard lights went out while driving making it very hard to see speed/fuel/gear selection. These are both safety concerns that should be recalled. We can send you a picture of the dead dash if needed. Also video of a stuck seat belt. Thanks, kurt.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz s500. While attempting to making a right or left turn, an abnormal noise was heard on the front passenger side of the vehicle. The failure was persistent. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz s500. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the speedometer lights flashed and there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the front panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated he was mechanic and the instrument cluster failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 162,000.
The seat belts will periodically not extend.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz s500. The contact stated that the front passenger side seat belt failed to retract. During warmer outside temperatures, the failure would worsen. The failure occurred multiple times. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.
Special acquisition module (sam) my car would not start the mercedes roadside came out and started the car and I took it to the dealership for diagnostic. Upon review the dealer stated the sam module plastic cover had water drops on it. They also stated the male and female connectors to the module was corroded, and I would need a new special acquisition module (sam) at the cost of $1590.00. They ask if I had left the windows down, but I had not the inside of the car has never been wet, but I did notice everytime I went to the car wash the information system was showing alerts I didn't recognize. My concern is even with a new module if the old one got wet and it is clear the water is coming from underneath the car what will keep the new module (sam) from getting wet. Something is allowing the (sam) module to get wet from under the car.
While approaching a stop light, the consumer applied the brakes and they failed, which caused the vehicle to slowly continue into the center of the intersection. The owner later took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that this occurred with all brands of cars not just mercedes and that a certain percentage of brake failures is acceptable in the auto industry so long as that percentage does not get too high. *jb consumer stated that the info was hard to accept when he could have been killed by cross traffic at the intersection where he coasted through a redlight.
The consumer took the vehicle to the manufacturer for final repairs, however the problem still existed on with air conditioner. *la nar *cb
The gears became stuck, and the engine did not shut off, consumer had to disconnect the battery to shut off the engine.
Compare the 2003 Mercedes Benz S500
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Questions about the 2003 Mercedes Benz S500
Is the 2003 Mercedes Benz S500 reliable?
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 2003 Mercedes Benz S500, fewer than a typical S500 model year.
What is the 2003 Mercedes Benz S500 year score?
The 2003 Mercedes Benz S500 scores 79 out of 100 (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 2003 Mercedes Benz S500?
Seat belts, with 4 complaints. Next is electrical (2).
How many recalls does the 2003 Mercedes Benz S500 have?
No recalls on record.
What gas mileage does the 2003 Mercedes Benz S500 get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Mercedes Benz S500 range from 16 mpg combined. The most efficient version (5.0L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 14 city and 20 highway.
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