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 cluster module. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and advised that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 06v028000 (interior lighting) but the recall had expired. the failure and the current mileage was 134,000. updated 07/13/12 *bf updated 07/31/12
Lighting (instrument cluster) on the dashboard of my 2001 mercedes benz s500[xxx] flickered for a couple of days then went out completely. it affected my automatic door locks and side mirror signal indicators. i cannot view the gauges/speedometer and use the preset buttons on the steering wheel while operating this vehicle. *nm updated 07/12/2012*js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
Dt*: the contact stated due to inadequate dashboard illumination, one is unable to read the gauges and indicators. there is a nhtsa recall, # 06v028000 regarding the interior lighting. the vin was not included in the recall.*ak updated 7/25/2006 - *nm
Vehicle is a 2001 s-500. almost word for word the same issue(s) as odi id number : 10100807. same car, same problems, same sentiment. replacing fuses only results in flickering instrument cluster lighting, and even then the backlight is still non-functional. gauge needles flicker as well, until they too go out completely. fuses last only for a couple of days, whereupon the entire instrument cluster remains entirely black. problem could be remedied simply by replacing faulty transistors, or redesigning an improperly laid-out instrument cluster, ie cooling the transistors much more adequately. this creates a tremendous safety risk by essentially creating an information black hole: the operator does not know his/her own speed, fuel level, if the parking brake is still on, if the directional signals are operational, if the check engine light is on, and other important information that mercedes is so keen on relaying only to the instrument cluster. the faulty instrument cluster has not yet created an accident, but it is only a matter of time until one of the other thousands of s-class owners runs out of gas on the highway, and gets into a collision all because he/she didn't know how much fuel they had.