Ok guys, my CL 55 is now back in the dealer again after the cluster instrument replaced. It just a minor repair but it will take at least 8 days and the mechanic don't even touch the car during those 8 days while the problem is being fix. How's that possible....?


Well, what happen is, the dealer input the wrong mileages onto the new cluster instrument (26K miles short). At first, we thought, it just gonna be a 5mins fix by just enter the correct mileages numbers but the new cluster won't allow you to just enter the numbers like in the older cluster (this new security feature is to prevent cheater from roll back the mileages). So now, the only way to put in another 26K miles on mine cluster is by hooking up the cluster to their computer and try to simulated as the car is doing 140 MPH just to add mileages to the cluster. All this is being done while the engine is off. This is such a stupid way to repair this minor problem.

 

V indicates long-wheelbase sedan. V4 (as in S500V4) is long-wheelbase 4MATIC sedan. W is short-wheelbase sedan, as in S430W. That's why Es are Ws, like E350W.

 

Well if it was easy to change the mileage the secondhand car trade would all be doing it. It is a good safeguard for all who buy secondhand.

 

There got to be an easier way for the factory to do this because there will be thousands and thousands recall. How are they go to do this if it took the whole weeks just to put 26K per cluster.

 

Normally, if mine was normal, they just input the mileage from the old cluster. I don't know the technical problems in your case. Is it because they put the wrong mileage in and now want to change it?

 

my 02 S55 cluster just went out over the wknd...besides no display on any indicators ranging from speed, gas tank, temp, rpm...my cruise control also didn't work. the headlights always stayed on.

i took it in to local MB dealer and he says it should be covered.
technically it's not a recall - as that would mean ALL cars need to be brought in and replaced. advisor says it's more like extended the warranty of that part. anyone who has problem for those cars would be repaired. i'm currently waiting for the part - he says it's $3700 for the part alone, w/o the labor.

has anyone else had problem with the odometer being put to where the prior cluster was? i think i would be a pain if it wasn't.

thx.

 

i just got a my new cluster from MB dealer.

good news was that new cluster was $3,700 for parts alone...plus labor, but it was all covered by MB

my 2002 S55 had 96k miles on it and i'm the 3rd owner.
this was technically not a recall as technically recalls mean all the cars need to go in for replacement due to safety reasons.
supposedly this was more an extended warranty by the factory for anyone that breaks.

p.s. my cluster actually looks brighter and cleaner than the old(apparently even the inside of the display can get dusty/dirty). i'm very pleased w/ how this turned out. btw, apparently the dealer hasn't had any more problems with cluster once the new ones are installed.

 

Hi everyone,

I am glad that I have found this forum. I took my children to the Splash Down Water Park in Manassas, Virginia yesterday and on the way there, my instrument cluster went out on my 2001 Mercedes Benz S430. I was near the exit, so I just continued to the Water Park. On the way back, I checked the fuse and found the 5 Amp was blown. Replaced the 5 Amp fuse and the "Check Engine" Light came on. Shut off and restared three times, the "Check Engine" light disappeared. The gas gauge, temperature gauge, Speed Odometer, etc...came on, but the dash board light was not on. Drove a little bit and everything went out again. Replaced the 5 Amp fuse three times, but this fuse just broke after a short drive. I also checked the VIN# and my vehicle is not covered under the recall. But I will ask my MB dealer to fix it as a "good will", but if they do not fix it, I will call Jenny at NAMB to see if she can help me. Thank you and thank you very everyone for the information on the recall, links, and nice stories/expriences.

Have a great day!

 

Dhl, you do not need to fit the recall VIN numbers as Mercedes issued a 10 year guarantee in the US on all the instrument clusters for S class models instead of doing a general recall.

In the UK there was a selective recall based on VIN numbers --but sadly no general 10 year guarantee.

Odd how they can do different things in different countries.

 

Yes. If you page back to post 125 in this thread you'll see a copy of the letter and warranty extension statement that went to all W220 owners. It's fully transferable so you're covered.

 

And also Whoover's excellent posting number 126.

 

Dear hawk20 and Whooever,

Thank you very much for the information and pointing me to the right posts. There are so many posts and I did not have time to read them all. This is a wonderful forum.

Have a wonderful day

 

has anyone successfully got the instrument cluster replaced before it even has gone out? can i walk into the dealership and ask them to replace the instrument cluster due to the 10 year warranty recall?

 

x2??

 

I called the supervisor at the MB dealership and he knew about the 10-year warranty and my car is in the shop right now. They may have to order the part. I am very happy right now.

I doubt it. Most people do not replace something when it is not broken and the dealership won't do it unless something wrong with it. If your serial # and/or VIN# are not on the list of recall, then they won't do it unless something wrong with it.

 

I agree with Dhl; that's the difference between a warranty and a recall, and he is right on the money with his assessment.

In a recall, the part is replaced regardless, if it is the item subject to recall (some recalls call for "inspection, and replacement if necessary" - the item will first be inspected to see if it is the part needing replacement, and be replaced only if it is; this is usually done when parts are not identified by serial number, but were used between certain production dates).

For warranty work, including extended warranty, the part is replaced only if it fails. This can work to your benefit: As I recall, the instrument cluster recall was for a lighting failure; other failures were not covered, and failures outside of specific VIN ranges were not covered. The extended warranty, however, covers any kind of instrument cluster failure, and covers all VINs for the specified model.

 

bugger. i called my SA yesterday afternoon about it.

the warranty goes by the date of purchase. mine being march 11, 2001.

so i have until march 11, 2011 under warranty or else its coming out of my own pocket. it sucks knowing that stuff like this can happen to such an expensive car.

 

Not quite, if you're talking about the MB extended warranty on the instrument cluster that succeeded the recall. The warranty on the cluster was extended for 2005 and 2006 S-Classes and CL, not earlier cars. The earlier clusters did not suffer from the defects that the '05 and '06 did.

If you're addressing a different kind of extended warranty (e.g. 3rd party or StarMark, one for which you paid extra) then yes, your warranty could run longer than the standard 4 year 50,000 mile original warranty. That would be different from the free warranty extension that is the subject of these posts.

 

Skylaw,

The extension applied to 2000-2006 cars. Take a look at post 126 in this thread.

 

whoover is correct on this.

 

whoover, hawk20 - you're both correct. My apologies. I went back to my own extended warranty document, and it clearly states 2000-2006 model years.

Too bad my old eyes don't read a computer monitor as well as they read paper.

 

My cluster just went bad yesterday. I called the dealership after reading this thread and they told me that no recall is showing for my car. I'll have to go in person with all the reference to get my car fix.
Stealer can't find the recall! Go figure

 

It's not a recall. It's a warranty extension, to ten years from original delivery. Go back and read the thread, print out the warranty extension documents that are attached and call MBUSA if you get any static from the dealer. MB has an agreement with the NTSB and will get in lots of trouble if they don't honor the warranty extension.

 

SIGH! Whoover is correct - and the fact that the recall was superseded by a warranty extension, and the differences between the recall and the extension were mentioned several times above in this very thread.

 

my 2000 s430 cluster has started to flicker... does that mean i am eligible for a free new one? the dealers in san francisco do not know anything about a warranty and says there is no recall on my car vin