2001 Mercedes-Benz S430 problems
Owners have filed 101 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S430. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 38% of complaints. After that come lighting (17%) and suspension (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 101 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 38% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 2 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 5 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 88,000 miles 68 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 2 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 9 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 5 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 14 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 11 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 11 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 4 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 3 |
| 200k+ miles | 5 |
What the data shows
Among the 68 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 88,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 89,000 miles (31 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 2 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 5 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2001 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 5 model years of the Mercedes-Benz S430 with enough data (43 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
January 30, 2015, I noticed my car sitting on the ground. I started the car, raised the airmatics up, pulled out my driveway, stopped at the stop sign and my car lowered and shut off. I repeat by turning the car back on and raising the car back up. On my way home I received an emergency call stated my cousin was about to be jumped and to come to their bus stop.
While driving at 45 MPH consumer was involved in a frontal collision. Upon impact, air bags failed to deploy. There was minor injuries to driver. Manufacturer has been notified. Please provide additional information.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 mercedes benz s430. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, there was a burning odor coming from the dashboard. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 185,000. Updated 04/06/15 updated 9/27/2017
Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the instrument cluster panel gauges and indicators failed to illuminate without warning. A NHTSA recall, #06v028000 was performed on the vehicle concerning, the interior lighting however, the recall did not remedy the problem. The dealership was unable to determine how to reprogram the newly installed instrument cluster module. The manufacturer was alerted.
I was driving the car all of sudden the cluster shut off and I can't see gauges or any lights on the cluster or speed the mileage 99000 it needs new cluster I called the dealer it has a recall on this model but they refuse to repair it under recall.