2001 Mercedes Benz S Class Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other S Class years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Mercedes Benz S Class. That ranks 3rd out of 13 S Class model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (21 complaints, 58%), typically at around 88,725 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 36owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 Mercedes Benz S Class problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 21 | 58% | 88,725 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 7 | 19% | 60,100 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 14% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 3% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 3% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 3% | 170,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 3% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Mercedes Benz S Class recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension; engine and engine cooling
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.
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.
Fix: 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.
Interior lighting
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.
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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers
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.
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.
Fix: Dealers will install new blower motor fuse holders. The recall began during october 2004. Owners should contact mercedes-benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery
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.
Risk: This can damage the electrical system components located in the trunk, including the vehicle's battery.
Fix: 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.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Instrument cluster failure (PE05062) — opened Nov 10, 2005, closed Feb 8, 2006, led to recall 06V028000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercedes benz s class. The contact was driving 65 mph when he noticed that the lights on the instrument panel failed and smoke was coming from the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated that they needed to replace the instrument…
Went to my car in the a.m. To go to work. Turned car on, a red light came on that said vehicle too low. Sensor came on and said airmatic system was not operating properly. In april 2010 i paid about $2500 to fix this issue. The dealership says part are only under warranty for one year and this…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercedes benz s-class. The contact was driving 55 mph when the instrument panel lights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the dealer confirmed that the illumination cluster needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercedes benz s500. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked and the instrument panel gauges would not illuminate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic. The mechanic stated that the instrument panel cluster would have to be replaced. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercedes benz s500. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 mph, the lighting on the instrument panel failed to illuminate. As a result, the contact could not read any of the gauges or meters on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent…
Other Mercedes Benz S Class years
← 2000 S Class · 2002 S Class →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 S Class | 1 | 1 |
| 2009 S Class | 2 | 1 |
| 2005 S Class | 2 | 1 |
| 2004 S Class | 15 | 4 |
| 2003 S Class | 28 | 2 |
| 2002 S Class | 48 | 2 |
| 2001 | 36 | 5 |
| 2000 S Class | 81 | 5 |
| 1999 S Class | 9 | 0 |
| 1998 S Class | 2 | 0 |
| 1997 S Class | 2 | 0 |
| 1996 S Class | 6 | 1 |
| 1995 S Class | 27 | 0 |
See all Mercedes Benz S Class problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.
Similar Mercedes Benz models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mercedes Benz S Class?
Owners most often report electrical system, interior lighting, suspension problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 21 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Mercedes Benz S Class?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 Mercedes Benz S Class a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other S Class model years, the 2001 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.