Most common 2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class problems
Share of the 81 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz S Class complaints by model year
Best S Class years: 1996, 1995, 1999. Years to avoid: 2000, 2002, 2001, 2003. Compare all years →
2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class recalls (5)
Engine and engine cooling
On certain vehicles, corrosion May occur in the inner steel portions of the active body control's (abc) high pressure distribution hose due to extensive exposure to humidity causing deterioration of the hose.
Remedy: Dealers will install new corrosion resistant abc high pressure distribution hose. The recall began on July 2, 2007. Owners May contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Interior lighting
On certain vehicles, the instrument cluster is experiencing electrical malfunctions. The instrument cluster contains gauges and indicators that must be illuminated whenever the vehicle is in operation.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the instrument cluster modules. The recall will be conducted in phases. Phase I was mailed out to approximately 7,500 owners on September 29, 2006.
Electrical system › Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers
On certain passenger vehicles, during the production process of the blower motor fuse holder, the size of the electric conductor of the holder May be below appropriate tolerances.
Remedy: Dealers will install new blower motor fuse holders. The recall began during October 2004. Owners should contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery
On certain passenger vehicles, excessive static build-up in the trunk floor mats can cause a static discharge when individuals move or remove items from the trunk compartment.
Remedy: Dealers will install a static insulation panel between the carpet and the vehicle battery which will provide an electrical grounding. Owner notification began February 14, 2003.
Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Due to an internal defect in the circuitry of the blower motor regulator, the regulator May overheat.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the blower motor regulator.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class:
Air suspension system failure
The subject s-class vehicles contain a compressed air suspension system that uses air struts on each of the four wheels in lieu of traditional springs and shock absorbers.these air struts use compressed air to support the weight of the vehicle and control ride height.in the event of the loss of air from the system, an alert will flash on the instrument cluster warning the driver to either drive carefully or to stop…
Instrument cluster failure
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation based on seven reports indicating that the instrument clusters in model year (my) 2000-2001 Mercedes-Benz s class vehicles failed in that consumers were unable to read any of the gauges while operating their vehicles at any speed during the day or night.in its 573 report to NHTSA dated February 1, 2006, Mercedes-Benz USA, llc (Mercedes-Benz)states…
Engine crankshaft pulley failure
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this preliminary evaluation to investigate allegations of engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure that could result in loss of power-steering assist.odi has received a total of 546 non-duplicative reports that allege engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure on all Mercedes-Benz vehicles using the subject component.the subject component failures…
What 2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class owners say
Electrical system all 33 →
Attn: ali motamedamin, safety defect investigator/inspector NHTSA campaign#: 06v-028. On approximately October 14, 2005 while driving my Mercedes Benz 2000 s430 on interstate 285 in atlanta, ga., the dashboard digital instruments totally failed and I was unable to read any gauges and indicators while vehicle was in motion at approx. 65 MPH. I immediately contacted and scheduled an appointment with Mercedes Benz of south atlanta who determined it to be instrument cluster being inoperable and I was charged for replacement on October 19, 2005. Recently I was made aware of the recall, nhsta campaign#:06v-028 and when I contacted Mercedes Benz customer relations on November 27, 2006, I was told that my VIN#/vmi was out of the scope of the recall. …
September 2009 air blower to heater and air conditioning quit working. Mechanic replaced fuse. Air blower worked for 2 days. Returned November 2009 and was told air blower would need to be replaced. February 2010 automatic trunk locks quit working. Now trunk lock only works with key, no longer automatic. March 2010 air blower replaced. Worked one week, then began malfunctioning until it no longer works. March 2010 dash lights began to flicker, then entire dash went out. Door locks no longer automatic, no indicators for speedometer, turn signals, temperature controls etc. Mechanic checked and replaced fuse. No results. Mechanic indicated that instrument cluster would need to be replaced. Internet research resulted in identifying recall of instrument cluster for 2000 "s" series, but that my VIN #[redacted] is not included in the recall. …
Suspension all 21 →
As I was driving my 2001 Mercedes Benz s500. My airmatic suspension fail and my car front went down as I was driving on the freeway. My tires start rubbing into my wheel well and started smoking. The problem left the front end damage. I had the problem fix by a Mercedes dealership. Six month later the problem arise again. I don't drive the car for fear that I might get into an accident.
This car has an air suspension system which has a severe problem. The car has no springs, instead each shock absorber has a pneumatic system that supports the weight of the vehicle. When both rear shock absorbers fail at the same time the whole rear of the car drops down and the car has to be stopped, posing no hazard. But when only one of the rear shock absorbers develops a small air leak, the car does not loose much height and there is loss of traction in the tire in the involved side because there is not sufficient vehicle weight being applied to it. This loss of traction in only one tire causes the tire to spin on light to moderate acceleration, but worse, it causes the tire to "lock up" on braking. …
Lights
While driving our 2000 s-500 Mercedes, we noticed the lights on the dash board begin to flicker on & off?! At certain moments, the lights which illuminate the gauges would actually go off completely briefly so it becomes impossible to read the infos on the dash board. We took the car to our mechanic whom informed us that there is actually a recall for the defect our car is experiencing under NHTSA's campaign id #06V028000. We called Mercedes @ [phone] & was informed by patricia rosado there is no recall but merely a "service issue" they're attempting to resolve on certain vehicles with qualifying vehicle identification numbers. It is apparent that the malfunction we are experiencing with the lights on our dash board correspond to the recall problem as identified by the office of defects investigation. …
Attn: ali motamedamin, safety defect investigator/inspector NHTSA campaign#: 06v-028. On approximately October 14, 2005 while driving my Mercedes Benz 2000 s430 on interstate 285 in atlanta, ga., the dashboard digital instruments totally failed and I was unable to read any gauges and indicators while vehicle was in motion at approx. 65 MPH. I immediately contacted and scheduled an appointment with Mercedes Benz of south atlanta who determined it to be instrument cluster being inoperable and I was charged for replacement on October 19, 2005. Recently I was made aware of the recall, nhsta campaign#:06v-028 and when I contacted Mercedes Benz customer relations on November 27, 2006, I was told that my VIN#/vmi was out of the scope of the recall. …
2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class a good car?
Based on 81 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 S Class rates avoid: 3.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the S Class at the same age. It is one of the S Class years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class?
The electrical system — 33 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year, most often about instrument cluster/panel. Next are the suspension (21) and lights (18).
How many recalls does the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class, the most recent from June 12, 2007 (engine and engine cooling). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz S Class?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1996, 1995 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 2002, 2001 and 2003. See the full Mercedes-Benz S Class years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Mercedes-Benz S Class problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 84,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.