I bought my 2001 S500 new. With very little miles on it a message was displayed on the screen "airmatic visit workshop." So I went to the dealer to put it in the "work" shop. After laeving it there they told me nothing was wrong. The message came up every few often so I took it back to the dealer. They told me nothing was wrong and to stop comming back. With about 20k miles on it I was driving down the interstate and it started to feel like the wind was blowing. I pulled over at a gas station and there was no wind so I kept going. While driving it still felt as if the wind was blowing so I pulled over and called roadside assistance. They told me nothing was wrong and to keep going. As I drove on it started to rain. I had been driving for about an hour and I had to pass a SEMI truck. When I changed lanes to the left the right air compressor went out and the suspension collapsed. I started swerving all over the road. When I got controll of the car I pulled over at a gas station and had the car towed home. One year old $80,000+ car on a tow truck. It stayed in the shop for a while. When I got it out it went back to the shop about once a week. I would tell the service rep "I'll see you in a week." The cashier called my car a "hooptie" and said they where many with the same problems. Also the tail lights would go out often, A bolt on the A-frame was broken, and the plastics on the inside were always broken.
Am I reading this right? You bought an $80K car and they say to stop coming back? Who said this to you? If it were me I would have asked for the manager! My mom's 2003 E320 also has Airmatic Suspension and it collapsed,too! In spite of all the bugs the S55 has, I just can't get past the powerful 496 HP engine [8D]
Would your problems and frequency of them not qualify for a lemon law? Maybe your state doesn't have it, but I bet it does. You should hire a lawyer and look into it. AND they told you to stop coming back when in fact there was a problem that could have cost you your life. That is unacceptable.
I just purchased an 01 S500 sportin January. Well this winter the temps went down below 0 many times. Every time the temp dipped into the single digits or below I would find the car the next morning loking like it was sitting on the rims. I brought it to the dealership twice and they told me nothing was wrong, and that it was happening to other cars and customers (still not making me feel any better). The dealer also said they contact MB and they said this may happen in extremly cold weather, but as long as when the car was stared it rose back to its normal ride hieght and functioned properly and no warning indicators came on then the car was ok.
Now me bieng an ANAL prick, I tried to explain to the MB service rep I own a trucking Co and all the trucks have an air suspesion system in them and there sealed units just like that on the S500 air suspension and they dont leak air. If there seald units they shouldnt leak air!!!! Bottom Line and after what I paid for the car they better get there heads out there ass's and fix the dam car. Well all the screaming and yelling didnt get anyone to move any faster or work any harder. Oh I forgot to mention the car was off kilter, it was to high on one side and to low on the other, theres was no doubt there was a problem.
Needless to say the glasses which the MB service reps was looking through where definitly foggy because when I brought it to the dealer for a 3rd time the said they could see what I was talking about.
Well the problem did fix itself when the weather got better and I havent had a problem since.But I still hate MB service.Just my 2cents
Get a W140. The tires in the winter is just because they were filled with less dense warmer air in the summer, so you just need to pump them up when the air gets colder and more dense.
I had an 04 S500 and I feel you. I sold it a couple weeks ago. I hated that car. I never had problems with service though. All I know is that with the money spent on that car they better be willing to service it!!!! Thats totally unacceptable, is there anyone you can call?
Nothing mechanically really, I just hated the car. There was just something about it I didn't like. To me the S wasn't all I thought it would be. I wanted a ML to begin with but I got this instead, It wasn't really my choice, it was my graduation present from college. Then I bought my Range (gotta love it) but I still want my ML so the Range is probably going to go.
Jason
I got my 02 S500 for being a good student and I am happy with it, although sometimes i feel like the engine is not performing as much as it could be.
OR MAYBE I just need more power.
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