I have a 2002 S430 and I'm constantly having problems with it. I'm so tired of dealing with the dealership. I can't ever seem to find out what is wrong with the car each time, all I get are these reports so I'm hoping someone can explain the codes and or problems to me. So here it goes......

At 9000 miles my car was in for faulty transmitters for keyless go (I understand that but it keeps happening). Faulty Alignment. Faulty antenna on TeleAid. N1251 Says cable to GPS has short circuit and code N1271. Tele Aid Antenna replaced.

At 13,000 miles car in for code B1299 in both left and right rear door control module. The signals of the input switch to control module DCM-LR are faulty. Ashtray stuck closed and replaced. FSS Service scope A (what is FSS). 001000. Faulty Rear DCMS

At 14,000 car in for faulty keyless go again. Faulty travel sensor. It says SDS test found ESP code C1204 test sensor found open and replaced. Faulty child seat recognition sensor. SDS test found code B1315. Replaced child seat recog sensor.

There was one other time but I misplaced the paper and it needs to go back in but I have been putting it off. I'm around 15,000 miles and the Keyless go don't work again. My car shut off in middle of the road the other day saying sensor not recognized and hasn't worked since. My SOS light is on again, and SRS light comes and goes as well. This can't be normal for a car like this! Why are so many sensors goin bad in my car? Is it something I'm doing wrong? Does anyone else have sensor problems? Thanks, Mikki

 

I can understand your frustration. Perhaps you should try another dealer to see if they have some smarter mechanic there.

 

wacky MB electronics. Truth be said, your problem is not very typical. Your electronics have gone very bad and I don't think any other dealer will change the situation - they may explain the accronyms better but that will not change the fact that you have a trouble vehicle. I just cringe at the thought of your beautiful S430 being incapacitated in the middle of the read!!! OUCH, THAT HURTS!!!! BTW, FSS is the accronym for the electronic service scheduling program, Flexible Service System. It should have triggered at 10-12K to remind you of first "A" service. Did it even trigger or did they just do the A service while they were fiddling with the keyless problem at 9K??

ESP is the electronic stability program, GPS you know, SDS and DCMS, I have no idea, but I suspect that DCM is the door control module (DCM-LR would be left and right DCM) - you must have had problems with the locks doing whatever they felt like doing, and ofcourse, it's all tied to the keyless thing.

So what to do? Lobby MB hard to just replace the vehicle. Check you state's lemon laws ASAP. You're protected by law, just how much depends on your jurisdiction. If you press very hard, the vehicle can be replaced and minimal or no cost.

 

Hi
Darkman asked for my comments on this one.
This is a fairly high amount of failures I agree.
Doesn't seem to concentrate on any particular system except Keyless Go.
Sounds like bad Keyless Go cards, or just bad batteries in them. Yes, if the system doesn't recognize the card is in the car, the car shuts down, but it was my understanding it wouldn't shut down until the transmission was put into park, read your owners manual to be sure.
It would help, instead of reading all about what was replaced, to actually know what the problem was they were trying to fix.
FSS is flexible service system, so that is a "non-problem", they were doing maintenance to the car.
DCM is "door control module", but LR isn't left-right, it's left rear.
By reading the post I can't figure out why they replaced the Left rear door control module.
does "faulty alignment" mean they aligned the suspension? Were you complaining about the steering at all? See, this is a confusing post. Also were you earlier complaining about Teleaid, the SOS light, the airbag light (SRS)?
No idea what they mean by DCMS, some kind of typo, or the tech has his own terminology he likes to use.
SDS is Star Diagnosis System, which is the computer they use in the shop for diagnosis, links to the serial port in the car.

Gilly

 

Thanks Gilli. I hope Mikki has some idae what's going on now. I think DCMS is a typo for DCM's. Thanks for the LR correction also. hey Mikki, is any of this helping you at all?

 

I'm sorry, I should have gave more info. Yes, I did have alot of vibration and I still do. The vibration is so bad that my purse vibrates if I sit it on the passenger seat. They have done an alignment and balanced the tires at every service but it doesn't seem to help. They once suggested I was driving in winter mode instead of summer so I suggested we go look together and they were wrong. After my 4th complaint they said that is just how the car rides. The keyless go cards have been replaced 2-3 times because they just stop working. The last time two times my car has just shut off. Once when I was backing out of my driveway and then the other day pulling out of Walgreens. I can't really complain about the day at Walgreens because they warned me to carry my actual key and I didn't. I just think its so dangerous for a car to just shut off like that. I was so mad that all I could do was cry! LOL....Now on to the navagation, It began reading that I was somewhere else no where near my actual location and a few days later the light came on. It took almost a week to get it back when I brought it in for that. Another time my back seat window on the driver side would not roll up and the only way to get it up was by turning the car on and off. Then the next day neither back windows would go down at all. My paper says they replaced both left and right door control module At one point I had SOS, BAS and ESP light on all at once. I called and left a message to speak to the service person they always give me and left a message describing the problems again after being out of the shop only a few weeks and she never even returned my call. At my last visit I said that to her that my car spends more time in the shop then out and he reply was "well, these problems are totally unrelated to the previous ones". As if that is supposed to make me feel better! Can I take it to the Tampa dealership instead of Clearwater? I didn't know I was allowed. I've never had to deal with car problems before. I'm going to make an appt tomorrow so any advice on what to say this time. Only my sos light is on right now and one other light that comes and goes ( ithink the abs) and both keyless go keys don't work. I have a lawyer who says he will gladly pursue the lemon law and thinks I should but I don't know if I'm being unreasonable and spoiled. Afterall, I think if I did that it would only make dealing with the dealership even more difficult. I really appreciate all of your responses and the time you have taken to help me. Thanks, Mikki

 

Mikki, Mikki, I feel even more for you after your latest post providing more information about your "torture" with this car. First of all, take it to another dealer - and YES, you're allowed to do that. Now, you need to keep a perfect record of what's been happening to you because you'll need it later. The car needs to be replaced at no cost, but to do that you'll need a good lawyer - that is, if MBUSA doesn't want to help you any further. NO, YOU ARE NOT BEING UNREASONABLE TO PURSUE THIS IN A LEGAL MANNER. I don't like to deal with lawyers, but there comes a point when you just have to. You're not there yet. Keep working with the new dealership to resolve the problems. If they can't and MBUSA is not cooperative, then you're ready to threaten a law suit. Document everything - dates, the person you spoke with, what they did, etc., etc.

And NO, the car is not supposed to drive like that (the vibration thing). Simply becasue they can't locate and fix the problem doesn't mean it's supposed to be like that.

The BAS, ESP lights coming on is most likely related to a faulty brake switch. That they should be able to take care of in a few minutes. When you say the SOS light comes and stays on, what do you mean? If you haven't called to activate the SOS system, then that light will stay on. Have you activated the system yet?

Anyway, as I think of things to help you with, I'll post. There's a lot of help on the web on this. Post at benzworld.com and at the "Shop Forum" section of http://www.mercedesshop.com/main.htm. You will have to register (free) at these sites. But there are a lot of people there who know much more than I do and can provide you with tremendous information. We'll be talking.

 

Yes, you can take it to any Mercedes Benz dealer in the whole country. They are all obligated to honor the warrantee of any vehicle still under factory's warrantee. I agree with the previous poster, keep all your paper works of the services and repairs. Your car shouldn't not ride like that, the ride should be smooth and comfortable over bumps. Don't let the mechanic or service advisor tell you how your S-Class should ride with vibration??? They better go back to school to learn.

 

Thank you guys so much for the help and advice. I feel better just because you guys understand my frustration. My husband has a lawyer on payroll anyway so it wouldn't cost me anything to pursue it but I think I will try the other dealer first and go from there. Thanks again! I'll keep you updated!

 

Good luck Mikki and keep us posted.

 

You may want to be quick about pursuing the lemon law approach. Florida lemon law only covers the vehicle for the first 24 months from original delivery. Complete lemon laws for every state are located here:
http://www.lemonlaw.bbb.org/

 

Hi Mikki, I read all the threads to your post, and just reading through some of the BS from the Clearwater Dealer, my first thought was Mikki is a female, since this is the kind of crap some dealerships only tell women if they are unable to fix the car proerly.
Before you take legal actions try to put together all the claims, the comments and the fixes you had with the Clearwater Dealer, and before you see another one, send all this along with your complaints to MB USA customer satifaction. Ask them for advice to how to go further, since you need to get them at least a chance to rectify the issues MB-internally. If this does not work within a reasonable time go to court.
A S430 as any MB car shall be, and is a great pleasure to drive, unless there is something terribly wrong!!!

PS: There is only one little thing what I can think off, all the electronics get screwed up badly, if you are using a cell phone w/o a proper handsfree (MB) system. I once had a brand new C280, and it just let me completly down when I used a cell phones inside the car. All the electronics completely did absolutely weird things. In case you or someone else has some technical background---it can screw up the CAN-bus system in the car, which connects all the electronics and sensors.

 

You make a good point Bamberger, about the phone. It didn't even occur to me. As a matter of fact, in the ML owners manual, there is a warning not to use any radio/transmitting device in the vehicle if such a device is not grounded to the vehicle antennae system. Kind of weird, but true!!!

Mikki, post to let us know what the progress is being made to resolve your problems.