2001 Mercedes-Benz S Class recalls and problems

The 2001 Mercedes-Benz S Class has 5 recalls and 36 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

How the 2001 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 8 S Class model years — 3rd most.

5recalls

36complaints

0crashes

1fires

1injuries

96,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

5 recalls

Engine

Jun 12, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V263000 · 19,924 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

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 & notes

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.

Mercedes-Benz recall no. 207060002.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Interior Lighting

Feb 2, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V028000 · 36,911 vehicles

Problem: On certain vehicles, the instrument cluster is experiencing electrical malfunctions. The instrument cluster contains gauges and indicators that must be illuminated whenever the vehicle is in operation.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CONTAINS GAUGES AND INDICATORS THAT MUST BE ILLUMINATED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION.

Risk: Due to inadequate illumination, the driver will be unable to read the gauges and indicators, such as the speedometer, which could increase the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

DUE TO INADEQUATE ILLUMINATION, THE DRIVER WILL BE UNABLE TO READ THE GAUGES AND INDICATORS, SUCH AS THE SPEEDOMETER, WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the instrument cluster modules. The recall will be conducted in phases. Phase i was mailed out to approximately 7,500 owners on September 29, 2006. Phase II and phase III is scheduled for December 2006. Owners May contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

May 13, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V227000 · 54,454 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, during the production process of the blower motor fuse holder, the size of the electric conductor of the holder May be below appropriate tolerances.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DURING THE PRODUCTION PROCESS OF THE BLOWER MOTOR FUSE HOLDER, THE SIZE OF THE ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR OF THE HOLDER MAY BE BELOW APPROPRIATE TOLERANCES.

Risk: Consequently, the electric conductor of the blower motor fuse holder May dissipate more heat than the plastic fuse holder was designed to withstand, which could result in overheating of the holder and disabling of the blower motor and the ability to defrost or defog the windshiled in cold or hot and humid weather conditions. Depending on the occurrence and weather situation, driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

CONSEQUENTLY, THE ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR OF THE BLOWER MOTOR FUSE HOLDER MAY DISSIPATE MORE HEAT THAN THE PLASTIC FUSE HOLDER WAS DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND, WHICH COULD RESULT IN OVERHEATING OF THE HOLDER AND DISABLING OF THE BLOWER MOTOR AND THE ABILITY TO DEFROST OR DEFOG THE WINDSHILED IN COLD OR HOT AND HUMID WEATHER CONDITIONS. DEPENDING ON THE OCCURRENCE AND WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install new blower motor fuse holders. The recall began during October 2004. Owners should contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Mercedes-Benz recall no. 2004 070010.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical System

Dec 16, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V338000 · 65,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, excessive static build-up in the trunk floor mats can cause a static discharge when individuals move or remove items from the trunk compartment.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, EXCESSIVE STATIC BUILD-UP IN THE TRUNK FLOOR MATS CAN CAUSE A STATIC DISCHARGE WHEN INDIVIDUALS MOVE OR REMOVE ITEMS FROM THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT.

Risk: This can damage the electrical system components located in the trunk, including the vehicle's battery.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CAN DAMAGE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS LOCATED IN THE TRUNK, INCLUDING THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install a static insulation panel between the carpet and the vehicle battery which will provide an electrical grounding. Owner notification began February 14, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Mercedes-Benz recall no. 2002110014. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Visibility

Jan 17, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V014000 · 3,400 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles. The sheathing material on the electrical connection of the heated windshield washer bottle hose could overheat.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SHEATHING MATERIAL ON THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION OF THE HEATED WINDSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE HOSE COULD OVERHEAT.

Risk: This could cause the surrounding plastic and insulation to melt.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD CAUSE THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC AND INSULATION TO MELT.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the heated washer bottle hose assembly. Owner notification began January 29, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Electronic Stability Control1

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE

PE05062 · opened Nov 10, 2005 · closed Feb 8, 2006 · led to recall 06V028000

Summary

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 THE DATES OF PRODUCTION OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE THREE FAILURE MODES.BASED ON REVIEW OF THOSE THREE COMPLAINTS, MERCEDES-BENZ WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY A RELATION OF THOSE THREE TO THE DEFECTS IDENTIFIED IN THE RECALLED VEHICLES.ALL OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ COMPLAINTS WITH VINS IDENTIFIED WERE WITHIN THE RECALL POPULATION (ONLY 2 VEHICLE VINS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO POSITIVELY IDENTIFY VEHICLE BUILD DATE).THE RECALL POPULATION WILL INCLUDE 36,911 S CLASS AND CL CLASS MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES BUILT IN THE PRODUCTION DATES RANGING FROM JUNE 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2000, JANUARY 2002 THROUGH APRIL 2002, AND…

2001 vs. other Mercedes-Benz S Class years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2001. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S Class have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S Class, the latest from Jun 12, 2007 (engine). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S Class?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (21), interior lighting (7), suspension (5). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.