2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 Problems
- Complaints
- 55filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 87,878miles, 43 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 17 mpgcombined, 5.0L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 21 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often report the instrument cluster and gauges going dark, flickering, or dimming, and some describe this getting worse over months before the display fails completely. Air suspension failures that drop or sag the car form the next group, while sudden losses of power steering, braking, or drive are reported less often. Many complaints also mention that the dealer or manufacturer said a recall had expired or did not cover the vehicle.
- Electrical system
Instrument cluster goes dark, flickers, or dims
- 33 complaints (60%)
- median 84,000 mi at 13.4 yrs old (28 state mileage)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2003–2022
Owners describe the instrument cluster or gauges going dark, flickering, or dimming, sometimes while driving at speed. Some say the display flickered for months before failing completely, while others report the lights going out suddenly. Owners say they could not read the speed or fuel level, and some drove for a period without gauge information. Many complaints mention that the dealer or manufacturer said a recall had expired or did not include the vehicle, and some owners paid for the repair themselves. Reported mileage ranges from about 23,000 to about 188,000 miles, with many between roughly 40,000 and 90,000 miles.
What to check: Check the VIN on the NHTSA recall lookup for any instrument cluster campaign, and ask the seller for records of any cluster repair or replacement. On a test drive, confirm that the speedometer, fuel gauge, and dash lights all work and stay steady.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I have a 2000 S500 mercedes. The problem is the cluster panel it went out I went to the dealer they told me that only the ones on the list for the recall are getting done. I work graveyard so I drive at night. I can't see the speedometer. The recall is for 2000 S500? If my mercedes is having the same problem it should be covered.”
NHTSA complaint #10266600, filed 2009-04, 151,000 miles“My 2000 mercedes benz S500's instrument cluster started flashing on and off in may 2013 at around 44k. Then, january 2014, the cluster went dark forever. Yes, you read that correctly; the car is 14 years old, in perfect shape, 44k (now 45k) miles, and the cluster completely failed! The car has always been garaged so this was quite shocking that such an important data center would fail at such low mileage on my beautiful $90k car. …”
NHTSA complaint #10563139, filed 2014-02, 44,000 miles - Suspension
Air suspension failure or sudden sagging
- 6 complaints (11%)
- median 98,500 mi at 13.1 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
- filed 2005–2020
Owners describe the air suspension failing while driving, often without warning, with the front of the car dropping and in some cases nearly touching the tire. Some complaints mention a failed air suspension compressor, including one that ran loudly after the engine was off. Some complaints say the reason had not been determined, and one owner says a repaired system failed again. Where mileage is given, reports fall between about 72,000 and 100,000 miles, and the complaints were filed from 2005 through 2018.
What to check: Ask for records of any air suspension or compressor repairs and whether the system has stored fault codes. After the car has sat overnight, check that it stays level at each corner.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“While driving my 2000 S500 the air suspension system malfunction without warning. I had the airmatic sensor replace 6 months ago. Then a air kit was installed a month later, and now the compressor has burnt out. Resulting in the car completely collapsing. The car was not able to drive and was towed to the mb dealer. The compressor was replace, but the compressor runs after car is off and is very loud. The cause had not been determined. Please provide additional information.”
NHTSA complaint #10178648, filed 2007-01“My car suspension dropped suddelny while driving, I was barely able to controll the car got a message on my dash board that the armatic system failed.”
NHTSA complaint #10202102, filed 2007-09 - Engine
Sudden loss of power steering, braking, or drive
- 12 complaints (22%)
- median 69,565 mi at 10.9 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
- 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2001–2014
Owners describe sudden losses of key functions while driving: power steering dropping out, braking that was reduced or failed, a transmission or differential failure at highway speed, and an engine stall with no power response. Some complaints say the reason had not been determined, and some cars were towed or carefully driven to the side of the road. In one brake complaint, the dealer and manufacturer said the brake operation was normal, and the car crashed after the brakes failed. Where mileage is given, reports range from roughly 40,000 to 136,000 miles.
What to check: On a test drive, check that the power steering, brakes, and transmission respond normally, including at highway speed and when pulling away. Ask for records of any engine stall, power steering, or brake repairs.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“We were driving at highway speed around 65 MPH when either the transmission or differential went out. We're not sure exactly what happened mechanically because we haven't taken the car to the shop yet. But whatever it was, it was definitely catastrophic. There was no accident at all. We were able to maneuver the car safely to the side of the highway after the car broke. But for some reason the passenger side airbags deployed the instant that the car broke down! The airbags in turn injured the passengers sitting on the passenger side of the car. …”
NHTSA complaint #10344761, filed 2010-07, 135,626 miles“The vehicle experienced multiple mechanical failures. Seat belt sticks, while driving dash lights go out, power steering dropped, ateanna fell off, power windows malfunction.”
NHTSA complaint #10011709, filed 2003-04, 39,608 miles
Buying note. When considering this model year, check that the instrument cluster and gauges work fully, including after the engine is started and while driving, and ask whether any cluster campaign applies to the VIN. Also ask for records of air suspension repairs, since complaints describe repeated failures.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 49 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 55 consumer complaints for the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500. 43 of the complaints include a mileage, and 21% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 87,878 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 21 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system31 56%
- Interior lighting12 22%
- Suspension8 15%
- Exterior lighting6 11%
- Vehicle speed control5 9.1%
- Body and structure4 7.3%
- Brakes3 5.5%
- Engine2 3.6%
- Engine cooling2 3.6%
- Equipment2 3.6%
Also reported: Transmission and drivetrain (2), Air bags (1), Fuel system (1), Other or unknown (1), Seat belts (1), Steering (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).
Example complaints
Electrical system: “Last night we had tropical storm eta in florida. We had about 10 inches of rain. The temperature was between 70f and 80f. The car was parked on high ground but in the rain. The inside of the car flooded with water under the carpet. I have not determined the source of the leak or the source of the short yet but the car is in my shop. I drilled holes in the floor to drain the water for now. The entire electrical system went crazy. …”
NHTSA complaint #11373750, filed 2020-11, 120,000 milesInterior lighting: “The instruments panel lighting flashes and goes dark and you cannot read the dials on the dash board. There is a bulletin issued by you recall 06v028000 but mercedes benz has refused to fix the problem claiming that my VIN number does not fall in their recall whatever that means.”
NHTSA complaint #10285620, filed 2009-09, 68,000 milesSuspension: “The air suspension has failed and drop the front bender almost touching the tire which disable driving. It has happened twice in my 2 years. Last time the fender had touched the tire.”
NHTSA complaint #10203139, filed 2007-09, 100,000 milesExterior lighting: “Instrument cluster failure... As like the numerous other complaints of the very same device-failure; I've come to now know that this' a widely known mbusa vehicle recall issue that was quickly & extremely discriminatory & non-exhaustive recall (half)effort... At best! I took it upon myself to attempt contacting the previous owner(s) and inquired as to their knowledge of this recall &/or whether or not they were notified by mbusa of this recall... All of which the answer(s) were no. This vehicle has excellent maintenance records and has been kept pristine... To date! …”
NHTSA complaint #10626776, filed 2014-08, 127,097 milesMileage when problems were reported
21% of the 43 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 55,710 and 120,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S500 RWD | 5.0L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 15 | 21 | 17 | $4,850 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
- PE05062Instrument cluster failureClosed · Nov 10, 2005
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 21 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11009122Oct 23, 2024Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors), Body and structure. Complaint Washer fluid system leaks Cause Various possible causes: 1. Washer fluid reservoir itself. 2. Seal on washer fluid pump/washer fluid reservoir. 3. Washer fluid pump. 3.1. Distributor…
- 11008091Sep 28, 2024Electrical system. Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes…
- 11007974Sep 21, 2024Exterior lighting. Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging…
- 11007753Sep 10, 2024Exterior lighting. Complaint Headlamp or front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical…
- 11005294Jul 23, 2024Exterior lighting. Complaint Rear lamps fogged up/not leaktight. Cause Fogging of the rear lamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. This does not lead to any technical…
- 10248162Dec 4, 2023Seats. Crease formation on genuine leather seat covers in vehicles with low mileage ⢠Objects left on the seats for extended periods of time (pressure marks). ⢠Objects wedged between the seat…
- 10205293Oct 20, 2021Tires. Tire Pressure Sensors.
- 10202531Jun 16, 2021Interior lighting. Touch pad: Search lighting does not dim or does not turn on.
- 10186141Dec 10, 2020Electrical system. NTG5.5: Incorrect time shown on instrument cluster, COMAND display, and analog clock
- 10181124Sep 30, 2020Transmission and drivetrain. Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D or R
Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz S500
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 13 | 68,042 | 0 | — | 17 | — | Not enough data |
| 2005 | 11 | 98,307 | 0 | — | 17 | — | Not enough data |
| 2004 | 12 | 98,000 | 0 | — | 17 | — | Not enough data |
| 2003 | 10 | 59,125 | 0 | — | 16 | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 25 | 73,963 | 0 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 34 | 112,000 | 0 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 55 | 87,878 | 0 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
All Mercedes-Benz S500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500?
Owners of this model year most often report the instrument cluster and gauges going dark, flickering, or dimming, and some describe this getting worse over months before the display fails completely. The issues reported most often: Instrument cluster goes dark, flickers, or dims; Air suspension failure or sudden sagging; Sudden loss of power steering, braking, or drive.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 have?
NHTSA recorded 55 consumer complaints for the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 is reported most often?
Electrical system is named most often, in 31 complaints (56% of the total), followed by interior lighting with 12.
Has the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 get?
The EPA rates the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 (S500, 5.0L 8-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 15 city and 21 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,850 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 reported?
Among the 43 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 87,878 miles and the middle half falls between 55,710 and 120,000 miles; 21% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.