2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class INTERIOR LIGHTING

The contact owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact stated that the instrument cluster had started to flicker and had eventually gone completely blank without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where he was informed that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V028000 (Interior Lighting). The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and provided the contact with the same information as the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000. The defective instrument cluster also prevents the owner of these cars not knowing when the vehicle air shocks can and will suddenly drop without warning like the rear air shocks completely dropped.

INSTANT FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. CLUSTER UNDER RECALL #06V028000. WAS CHARGED BY DEALERSHIP. SAID MAKE AND MODEL WERE UNDER RECALL, BUT MY VIN # WAS NOT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT NIGHT, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #06V028000, REGARDING THE INTERIOR LIGHTING, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK UPDATED 12/1/20006 - *NM

INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS FAILED, NO ILLUMINATION. I CAN NOT SEE MY GAUGES. I CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID MY VIN # DOES NOT APPLY TO THE RECALL. IT IS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S430. *JB