2002 Mercedes Benz S Class Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other S Class years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Mercedes Benz S Class. That ranks 2nd out of 13 S Class model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (19 complaints, 40%), typically at around 70,134 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 48owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 19 | 40% | 70,134 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 12 | 25% | 83,767 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 8% | 71,369 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 4 | 8% | 95,750 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 6% | 78,139 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 4% | 71,284 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 4% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 4% | 82,677 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 4% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 2% | 82,800 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | 84,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Mercedes Benz S Class recalls (2)
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.
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
- Air suspension system failure (PE07042) — opened Aug 14, 2007, closed Nov 20, 2007.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Instrument cluster failure. All lighting for instrument dark/unreadable (speedometer,tach,odometer,fuel,temp,turn signal etc). Taken to dealer and i paid for rebuild to unit. Identical failure occured again after approx 3 months. *tr
The instrument cluster issue i am experiencing began approximately july, 2012. Initially, the dashboard lights would flicker briefly and then illuminate again. Subsequent to the frequent flickering incidents, the cluster lighting didn't illuminate at all, with the exception of the small diagnostic…
On starting the vehicle, the instrument panel was black without illumination or reading. As a result, gauges to speedometer, odometer, fuel, warnings to malfunctions, tachometer, oil pressure, & engine temperature are not present. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes benz s-class. The contact stated that while driving 58 mph, all of the instrument panel lights and gauges failed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home and the dealer was contacted. The dealer advised the contact that there was an electronic malfunction…
My 2002 mercedes s430 instrument cluster back lighting went out while i was driving and i could not see my rate of speed. Along with not seeing my rate of speed my fuel and temperature was not visable. I called mercedes dealer in virginia about the recall that came out in 2006 and i was told that…
Other Mercedes Benz S Class years
← 2001 S Class · 2003 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 | 48 | 2 |
| 2001 S Class | 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 2002 Mercedes Benz S Class?
Owners most often report suspension, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 19 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Mercedes Benz S Class?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 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 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.