Table 1 shows one common steering related problems of the 2017 Mercedes Benz S550.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Steering problems |
Steering wheel will move in and out, but has stopped moving up and down. The steering wheel is stuck in the up position. This has caused me to readjust all my seat settings and has made it more difficult to see the dash.
Had my S550 into this dealership two (2) consecutive years for a power steering rack issue that ended up being related to rodent damage. The first time it happened the dealership replaced the wiring free of charge after discovering it, after initially telling me that the rack itself would have to be replaced. This year both the wiring and the rack itself needed to be replaced, and I was made to go through my auto insurance to have it fixed. My sons Cadillac, and my girlfriends range rover sport share the same driveways with me, and have had no rodent damage. I did a bit of research and found that mercedes now designs their cables with soy based materials, which attract rats, so the fact that my car has been eaten twice is more or less by mb design, as they apparently care more about the environment than they do about my ability to steer my car continuously for 1 year straight. My service manager and his manager acknowledged that they see this a lot, and were laughing when I asked for an inedible cable. I submitted a complaint to mbusa, one which I had to continuously follow up on, as they weren’t proactive at all, and after contacting me this am, they informed me that they don’t see a problem, and are not considering reimbursing me for my $750 deductible, or the 3 + weeks that I was without my car between both incidents. My issue isn’t necessarily with the dealership, although if they are quick to acknowledge that their cables are attractive to animals, they should have in my estimation been my advocate in the complaint. Mercedes can make their decisions, and for me it wasn’t really about the money anyway, rather the inherent safety issue that their design decisions have caused for me and for my family.