2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 Interior lighting Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 18%of 34 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 109,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the interior lighting of the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500, 18% of the 34 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 109,000 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My instrument panel lights (dash board) went out on my 2001 S500 mercedes benz car. The lights would flicker on occasionally and go back out. I was able to recover the signal lights by changing the fuses. While on a road trip my kids noticed a smell and smoke coming out of the dash board. We exited the car and flagged down a police officer. We were told to get as much as we could out of the car because it was going to catch fire. Within in seconds my dash board was in flames. I could not believe it. The instrument cluster had an electrical malfunction and ignited into flames. …”
NHTSA complaint #10421253, filed 2011-08, 106,000 miles“The instrument cluster is dead making it impossible to see all the gauges including speedometer. There is a recall but mercedes said that my VIN number is not part of the recall, but it is the same exact problem described in the recall.”
NHTSA complaint #10161975, filed 2006-07, 99,000 miles“I was driving at night and the instrument cluster lighting began flickering, and after a couple of minutes went completely dark. The consequence of this failure is hazardous, the driver has no information as to the status of any of the car's systems. All of the following gauges and displays are disabled and nonfunctional as a result: fuel gauge, vehicle temperature, MPH, RPM's, the gear the vehicle is in, turn signal operation, as well as, all of the warning lights and displays. …”
NHTSA complaint #10167680, filed 2006-09, 150,000 miles“I have a 2001 S500 that had instrumental cluster failure. My dealer informed me that mercedes benz has an instrumental failure recall. I called mercedes benz and was told it is a limited recall. My cluster had the exact failure that the limited recall has.”
NHTSA complaint #10170405, filed 2006-10“The contact owns a 2001 mercedes 500s. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH, all of the lighting on the instrument panel shut off. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the electrical system for the interior lighting failed. The contact was also informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 06v028000 (interior lighting). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 112,000. …”
NHTSA complaint #10430795, filed 2011-10, 112,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10202531Jun 16, 2021Touch pad: Search lighting does not dim or does not turn on.
Interior lighting: other model years
Other parts of the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500
21 complaintsExterior lighting
9 complaintsSuspension
6 complaintsVehicle speed control
5 complaintsOther or unknown
2 complaintsSteering
2 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
2 complaintsEngine
1 complaintsBody and structure
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology