The S Class has been the flagship of the world-renowned Mercedes-Benz fleet for more than fifty years. With its first incarnation introduced in 1972, the S Class has gone on to introduce the most cutting edge of MB’s technological innovations, internal modifications, and safety features. The W220, produced between 1999 and 2005, was a worthy member of this prestigious lineage, and featured slightly smaller exterior dimensions than its predecessor, yet the interior space was considerably more generous. Some of the more common problems associated with the W220 include:
Airmatic Problems: The Airmatic system maintains proper car height, and when it fails you can expect to hear unusual motor noises coming from under the car and a lack of height compensation for heavy loads.
Shifter Problems: Many owners experience a slowly growing difficulty with transferring the gearshift from the park position to the drive position. At a certain point, they say the car is unable to make the shift at all.
Acceleration Problems: When the accelerator is first pressed, nothing happens. After a few moments, the car kicks into gear and your off and running, but as soon as you take your foot off the gas and try again the same problem occurs.
Vibration at High Speeds: Driving between 65 and 75 MPH results in a disturbing shuddering that is potentially associated with tire alignment, tire balance, or tire cupping.
Windshield Wiper Shuttering: Bumping, shuddering, jittering wipers might be the result of a windshield impurity, bent wiper arms, or a worn out wiper motor.
These issues run the gamut, alternating between relatively innocuous (yet supremely annoying) and the severe. Because you want to make sure that your Mercedes receives the care and attention it deserves, we suggest that you make an appointment with your local German import service mechanic to have any and all problems looked over and dealt with.
Search for a local, independent Mercedes-Benz repair shop with Mercedes-Benz mechanics that have dealer-level expertise at a fraction of the expense.