Most common 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 problems
Share of the 55 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz S500 complaints by model year
Best S500 years: 2021, 2023. Years to avoid: 2022, 2000, 2001. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500:
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…
What 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 owners say
Electrical system all 31 →
Please help me My 2000 s500L Mercedes' Benz dashboard have been blinking for 4 months now it has finally completely went out I am complaining on my behalf in my daughter in wife please NHTSA we cannot see anything on our car dashboard our vehicle have been inspected at two independent service dealer theses symptoms appear to have been happening 1 year after purchasing from dealer please NHSTA we need a recall on our dashboard cluster. I cannot attend work until the cluster gets fix it's so dangerous driving with a broken cause this recall will be a blessing to our family.
I was getting stuff from the trunk. When I went back to the car it was full of smoke. When I inspected the sorce of the fire it waa the blower resistor. The wiring to the blower was burnt at the connector. The plastic around the evaporator box was damaged.
Lights
In reference to campaign 06V028000 what is the basis for exclusion of some cars of the same year vs others? Just because the 7 cars that were part of the orginal complaint fall in the narrowly defined VIN range does not mean other cars of the same model and year do not have the same problem. The defective clusters are the same. I have a 2000 S500 with a failed cluster. I have the same problem with the same part for the same model and year that other cars are being repaired for free, but my car is excluded because its VIN range is statistically not in the same narrow VIN range corresponding to the original complaint? This seems very exclusionary given my car is the same model and year and the part is the same and there is no basis to exclude it. I am requesting NHTSA to widen the recall range to be fair to all owners of the same model and year where some are being recalled and some not. …
One night while I was driving, suddenly the dashboard light slowly dim, flicked, and 95% lights were shut off included speedometer, the rest were very dim hardly see anything. Inside my car was totally dark at that point, I almost got into an accident. Immediately, I had to stop on the side of the road. That was very scary!! Due to this kind of defective, the car is no longer in driving condition at night. This car is only 90K mile. After this incident, I searched on the internet and I had found few forums discussed about the similar problem with S500. But I could not find any recall for my car which related to this safety issue in NHTSA. This is a safety concern. This was almost caused myself getting into an accident. Would you please review this safety matter. Greatly appreciated.
Suspension
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Mercedes-Benz s500l. While driving, the contact heard a knocking noise underneath the passenger side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle independently knocked while parked. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the air suspension was faulty. The contact was advised to take the vehicle somewhere else. The vehicle was taken to an auto center where it was diagnosed that the entire suspension needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The abc active body control indicator illuminated and a message indicating to "stop the vehicle was too low". The vehicle was not diagnosed again or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000. …
While driving my 2000 S500 the air suspension system malfunction without warning. I had the airmatic sensor replace 6 months ago. Then a air kit was installed a month later, and now the compressor has burnt out. Resulting in the car completely collapsing. The car was not able to drive and was towed to the mb dealer. The compressor was replace, but the compressor runs after car is off and is very loud. The cause had not been determined. Please provide additional information.
2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 a good car?
Based on 55 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 S500 rates use caution: 2.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the S500 at the same age. It is one of the S500 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 S500?
The electrical system — 31 complaints, 56% of all complaints for this model year, most often about instrument cluster/panel. Next are the lights (16) and suspension (8).
How many recalls does the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz S500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2000 and 2001. See the full Mercedes-Benz S500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 21% 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.