Table 1 shows two common power train related problems of the 2001 Mercedes Benz S500.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Transmission Slip Out Of Gear problems | |
| Power Train problems |
While operating the vehicle on a two lane divided highway, the vehicle would not up-shift gears and got stuck in third gear while I was attempting to pass a tractor trailer with other vehicles behind me attempting to do the same. Subsequently, I managed to maneuver the vehicle to a parking lot to examine the issue. I could not find anything externally wrong with the vehicle that would stand out in a visual inspection. Next, I turned the ignition off and turned it back on, forcefully put the car in gear, and found that it would not shift out of first gear. Vehicle had to be towed over 150 miles to a shop. The problem stems from the design and materials used for the transmission wiring harness that enables transmission fluid to wick up the wiring harness from the bottom of the vehicle up into the transmission control unit that is encased in plastic and located under the hood. As impossible as it sounds, transmission fluid travels up this bundle of wires and pools in the encasement disrupting the electronic circuit board that controls the transmission. Equally confusing, the electric current from the wires pulls the transmission fluid up the wiring harness. I can't imagine why this design or materials would be utilized on this or any other car knowing what the ultimate outcome would be for consumers, $$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!!!!.
When backing up in reverse the car begins to smoke from tail pipe. Once in drive it begins to shake and moves slowly in traffic then slowly picks up speed after an unusually long duration. Dashboard is almost totally blacked out cannot read gauges (gas level,speed odometer, engine temperature, mileage). Finally, the air conditioning suddenly stopped blowing.