Owner-reported issues — NHTSA
409 complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the VF220 across model years 2000–2005. Federal public records, updated weekly.
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 100 reports |
| SUSPENSION | 49 reports |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 26 reports |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 16 reports |
| POWER TRAIN | 15 reports |
| AIR BAGS | 13 reports |
| SEAT BELTS | 12 reports |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 10 reports |
Selected owner reports
2000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL WENT BLACK -- NO LIGHTING, NO INSTRUMENT INDICATIONS. SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, FUEL GAUGES, FUEL GAUGE, EVERYTHING INOPERATIVE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 06V028000 EXTENDED THIS RECALL FOR 10 YEARS, UNTIL 2016, BUT MY M/B DEALER TOLD ME THE RECALL EXPIRED IN 2009 AND REFUSED TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL. AM I CORRECT IN ASSUMING THE RECALL IS STILL IN EFFECT? *TR
2000 · SERVICE BRAKES
THE FOLLOWING IS THE RESPONSE FROM THE WARRENTY REPORT TO MB.DEAR MAJOR PRATT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
2001 · SUSPENSION
THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON AND THE CAR STARTED TO HANDLE VERY BADLY. APPARENTLY IT IS COMMON FOR THE ABC PRESSURE HOSES TO LEAK AT THE JOINTS, AS THE RUBBER THAT MAKES UP THE JOINT IS DISSOLVED BY THE HYDRAULIC FLUID. THIS PRESENTS NOT ONLY A DANGER BECAUSE OF POOR HANDLING, BUT THE HYDRAULIC FLUID DRIPS ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD AND AIR POLLUTION. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 65,000 MILES. SOME S CLASS CARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS, BUT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT AMONG THE RECALLED VEHICLES. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REMOVED TO REPLACE THIS HOSE AT A COST OF
2000 · INTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES S430. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME INOPERABLE AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO SEE HOW FAST OR SLOW SHE WAS TRAVELING, HOW MUCH FUEL WAS IN THE VEHICLE, OR HOW MUCH OIL WAS IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO INADEQUATE ILLUMINATION. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL 06V028000 ( INTERIOR LIGHTING) AND ADVISED HER TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WAS
2000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2000 MERCEDES S500 CLUSTER ,BACK LIGHTING , SPEEDOMETER FAILED (UNABLE TO SEE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER) ON APRIL ,3 2011 MILEAGE AT TIME OF DEFECT 24,568 I SAW THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR MY CAR CONCERNING THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND , I WAS INFORM THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED (RECALL). SO I CALLED THE MERCEDES1-800-367-6372 NUMBER THEY INFORMED ME THE SAME I WAS COVERED BUT EXPIRED. SO I CALLED NHTSA 1800 NUMBER THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD STILL BE COVERED BECAUSE THE RECALL TOOK PLACE IN 2006 AND IT IS 10 YEARS BEFORE IT EXPIRES SO UNTIL 2016. SO I WILL APPRECIATE SOME HELP C
2000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2000 MERCEDES S500 CLUSTER BACK LIGHTING IS GOING IN AND OUT ALSO SPEEDOMETER I SAW THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR MY CAR CONCERNING THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WENT IN ON MAY 28 TO SEE THEM PENSKE MERCEDES(626) 859-1200 , I WAS INFORM THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED (RECALL). SO I CALLED THE MERCEDES1-800-367-6372 ([XXX], CASE MANAGER) NUMBER THEY INFORMED ME THE SAME I WAS COVERED BUT EXPIRED. SO I CALLED NHTSA 1800 NUMBER THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD STILL BE COVERED BECAUSE THE RECALL TOOK PLACE IN 2006 AND IT IS 10 YEARS BEFORE IT EXPIRES SO UNTIL 2016. SO I WILL APPRECIATE
2000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S-500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES BECAME INOPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING) BUT THE CONTACTS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
2000 · SUSPENSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S-500. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE SUSPENSION HAD DROPPED AND WAS NOT POSITIONED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIANS STATED THERE WAS A FRONT SUSPENSION KIT THAT NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED YET THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN EIGHTEEN MONTHS. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED IF THE KIT DID NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THERE WAS
2000 · VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ON A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S500 FAILED AND BECAME STUCK TO THE FLOOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO REACH SPEED IN EXCESS OF 100M.P.H. BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD BE SHUT DOWN BY TURNING OFF THE IGNITION. UPON A MECHANICS INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE MECHANICAL SAFETY DEVICE TO PREVENT THE PEDAL FROM BECOMING STUCK HAD FAILED CAUSING THE PEDAL TO GO TO WIDE OPEN THROTTLE AND BECOME STUCK IN THAT POSITION. *TR
2000 · INTERIOR LIGHTING
THIS COMPLAINT IS RELATED TO CAMPAIGN NO 2006080004, SEPTEMEBER 2006 FOR MERCEDES S500 (MODEL 220), MODEL YEAR 2000. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS COMPLETELY FAILED WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF ILLUMINATION, SPEEDOMETER, AND FUEL GAUGE. MY CHASSIS END NUMBER IS A123394 AND THIS DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE NARROW SERIAL NUMBER RANGE WITHIN THE ORIGINAL RECAL CAMPAIGN. I UNDERSTAND ALL PARTS ARE THE SAME AS THOSE RECALLED AND AND REQUESTING THAT THE SERIAL NUMBER RANGE BE WIDENED. *TR
2000 · SUSPENSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ S430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A SCRAPING NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LOWER TO THE GROUND THAN USUAL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAD ALLOWED THE FRAME TO RUB THE TOP OF THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN FIVE YEARS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS BEING REPAIRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,0
2000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS TOO BRIGHT. WHILE DRIVING, THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE FUEL GAUGE ADJUSTED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint database · synced 2026-09-21