GrepAwk

After seeing lots of recent MY03 S55 deliveries announced on this site, I thought we could all benefit from making a quick punch list of any initial issues/problems you may have encountered. Maybe we'll have something in common.

At 2 months/5K miles: (had 27 miles on it from factory!)

1) Chirp noise...it's not my tyres spinning ;-)... sounds like a sparrow call...during 1st-to-2nd gear upshift under heavy acceleration. Could be a whistle from a vent tube, or a slipping belt, or the supercharger engaging. But it sounds like it emits from under the middle of the car.


2) False Alarms: If I wait 5 minutes after getting out of the car, and then I lock it with the keyfob, I get an immediate false alarm. Silent, with headlights flashing. Most fun at the gas station.


3) Top Center Vent on dashboard blows cold, even when you set its roller switch to Auto mode, and you try to raise the temp setting at the control panel.

4) Phone occassionaly does not get recognized by Command. Power cycling, or hitting the Command's Phone button seems to wake it.

5) One occasion where Command could not see CD Player. "CD Player Not Installed". Power cycle fixed that.

6) Rough idle after cold start.

7) Some asymmetric valve-train noise at idle, even when warmed up.

8) Front passenger's headrest always goes to highest position when I get in the car. Settles back to low position after a minute.

9) Induces urge to stomp the gas pedal at all highway on-ramps!!!!

I am otherwise still quite happy with the purchase.

FInality

1) sounds like a BOV. I am not sure how MB routed the BOV but I always thought it was internally managed through the exhaust setup.

rekjr40

[QUOTE]Originally posted by GrepAwk
[

9) Induces urge to stomp the gas pedal at all highway on-ramps!!!!

I also have noticed this problem ... Keep us up to date on the other problems and their fixes. I'll drop any gremlins I find on here if/when then occur.

kmak

here are my issues:

1) lumbar support inflates/deflates at random

2) keyless go - occasionally says "card not recognized" when I'm driving. Also, didn't work once at all - had to call service.

3) air conditioning in the front seats seems pretty ineffective

4) occasionally get a "lamp out" indicator warning

5) under hard acceleration (see highway on-ramp issue above), the engine makes a "thump" noise when shifting gears

WHAT A CAR, THOUGH

rekjr40

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kmak
[B]here are my issues:

1) lumbar support inflates/deflates at random

Could that be your massage function/pulse mode working?

kmak

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rekjr40
[B]Nope, this problem is much more subtle and random.

awiner

I have the same issue with my CL55. Once you drive a block the rough idle goes away, however, after start just idleing it will idle rough for a long time unless driven.

GrepAwk

Wow, has it really been that long since I posted this?

I thought I'd update the results of repair attempts to these issues.....

1) "Chirp Noise" was found to be "Normal" according to MB/AMG rep that the Sr. Service Tech talked to. (I think he's been reading this forum!). Of course, that was after 7 days in the shop, an engine mount swap-out, a new poly-belt, tightened header bolts and various exhaust components and much frustration on my end.
Arggg!!! The thought of them lifting my engine to get at the motor mounts scares me.

2) "False Alarms". Swapped out Telematics module and it is now gone. The alarm works correctly.

3) "Top Center Vent blows cold" when you don't want it to. Says this is normal. Stupid answer. Not as much an issue in cold weather though; something in the heater core turns on when the outside temp is around 40 and it goes away. Go figure? I think the problem is that unconditioned outdoor air whips past the core too fast to get warmed up on cool summer nights.


4) "Phone not recognized". Was related to a module in Comand. Ran some diags that reset and have not had that happen since.

5) "CD Player" not recognized. related to 4) above. Checked all connectors when debugging this and problem hasn't reoccured.

6) "Rough idle after start". No codes. Not considered a problem. I wonder about that, as I also have some heavy carbon in my exhaust tips.

7) "valve train noise"? Not a problem. ("No, thanks, please don't tear down my engine today. Let's wait until the odometer says 49,999 by which time you will have had some practice on somebody else's engine.

8) "front passenger headrest ghost." Fixed. Was a faulty sensor.

9) "Urge to stomp on gas at all highway onramps" Problem hasn't gone away. Gas station tried raising price of 93 Octane to $2.00/gallon. Doesn't seem to help.


GrepAwk

Doody

interesting data, grepawk.

i have #8 - was just kinda ignoring it 'cuz it was fun to watch and sporadic . will get it fixed.

i had a bunch of weirdly-behaving electrical items - they had to replace my core comand unit and everything was fixed. it was causing the nav cd to spin constantly - even when the car was off - so it would discharge the non-starter battery and that wreaked havoc.

as to #3, i'm convinced that the system periodically just lets in outside air through those vents for ventilation purposes or something. it's too regular (in my instance) to be a random screwup IMO. but it's disconcerting, for sure.

other than my comand unit spinning cd's all day long, i've had no major problems. at nearly 5K miles now.

doody.

G Unit

The only problem we have had is that on one occassion the phone wasn't being picked up by COMAND, took it into service and they sorted that out fine. Apart from that its at 14-15k miles now and its running nicely.

S55AMG

I also have had the problem with the center dash vent. Cold air always blows out and even when I turn up the heat to 90 it still feels like it is 75 degrees. Please let me know if a solution for this issue comes available.

a9jlu

6) Rough idle after cold start.

i noticed this problem as soon as I got my car last year. the fix is acutally the fuel pump sensor, i'll see if i can get a part number..

no more rough idel!

s55toyy

In shop Again for Noise in engine.
replacing cams and lifters
lifters changed last year.
Phone problems
A/C problems
Tire monitors
Trans mount
parktronic problems

GrepAwk

Sorry to hear it S55toyy.

Just to be clear about my original post, No.1 item "Chirp Noise" was deemed normal Supercharger squeak when the SC clutch engages.

There is another long thread about SC squeak or chirp on this and other AMG forums like SL55.

JRAMGV8

Its a good thing I read this post but I already posted a message on another post regarding purchasing an S55. I saw one at the dealer S55 AMG 2003 for $54,971 with 53,000 miles on it. After reading this post now I am leaning more on the 2006 S500 for $59,000. I just wanted to get the S55 because the cost and plus the 493HP it has.

whoover

If you can get the S55 with an extended warranty (will the dealer Starmark it?) you will be way happier. ABC versus the boat-like Airmatic makes for two different cars. Note that most of the problems discussed above would apply to an S500, and the engine-related ones were all "normal."

You need a warranty for any MB, and then it doesn't matter.

JRAMGV8

Hey Whoover thanks for the info.

I just emailed the dealer about the S55 AMG I saw. It goes for around $54,971 besides tax, and APR I have a bank that's working with me for 5.9%. What other cost should I be aware of or I should say closing cost.

whoover

Tax, registration, etc. depend on your state.

If the car is Starmark certified, you should think hard about a one or two year extension. You have to buy it when you buy the car.

GrepAwk

If you expect to keep the car for more than 7 years, you might find the '03 S55AMG will be worth more than an '06 S550 (non-AMG) in 2012.

The S550 has come a long way though. Up to 382HP and All-wheel-drive.
That's a lot better than a non-supercharged '02 S55 AMG that only put 350HP to rear wheels.

So, is the new car smell/380HP/few $K in savings of the S550 enough for you to forego the 493HP S55 AMG bragging rights? Tough choice. If you are squeezing pennies, then I'd say yes, especially with longer warranty coverage.

FYI, the supercharger doesn't bother me anymore since I have been told numerous times by the dealer (in writing) that it is "normal".