RecallRadar

Home → Mercedes Benz → S Class → 2003

2003 Mercedes Benz S Class Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Critical

43 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.56 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical07V263000

Suspension

THIS MAY RESULT IN ABC HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKAGE NEAR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Serious04V285000

Latches/Locks/Linkages:Trunk Lid:Lock

IF THE TRUNK LID IS MANUALLY LIFTED, IT MAY NOT REMAIN IN THE UP POSITION AND COULD CAUSE INJURY IF IT COMES DOWN WHILE SOMEONE IS REACHING INTO THE TRUNK.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH TRUNK LID SPRINGS. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES- BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE TRUNK LID SPRINGS COULD FAIL IN THE CLOSED TRUNK LID POSITION.

Complaint volume

43 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

0Crashes
0Fires
6Injuries
0Deaths

Across 43 complaints. Severity Index 0.56.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Electrical System5 · 12%Suspension · Front5 · 12%Suspension4 · 9%Air Bags3 · 7%Seat Belts3 · 7%Structure · Body · Trunk …2 · 5%Engine And Engine Cooling…2 · 5%Interior Lighting2 · 5%
  1. Electrical System — 5 reports
  2. Suspension:Front — 5 reports
  3. Suspension — 4 reports
  4. Air Bags — 3 reports
  5. Seat Belts — 3 reports
  6. Structure:Body:Trunk Lid — 2 reports
  7. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 2 reports
  8. Interior Lighting — 2 reports
  9. Suspension:Rear — 2 reports
  10. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (1) · 1996 (2) · 1997 (1) · 1998 (1) · 1999 (1) · 2000 (5) · 2001 (5) · 2002 (2) · 2003 · 2004 (4) · 2005 (1) · 2009 (1) · 2012 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

From the same data desk

Independent sites, same maintainer, same open-data standards.

TireFit
Is that tyre actually right for your car?
2,808 fitment guides
FuelFacts
What that trip really costs in fuel
Live consumption data
CostCompare
What things cost, city by city
2,123 comparisons