AI Damage2001 Mercedes-Benz 600: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Mercedes-Benz 600 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 25% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- 4 Visibility 25% of all complaints
- 5 Electronic stability control 13% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 13% of all complaints
- 8 Latches, locks, linkages 13% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 2 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While driving home I noticed the engine light was on (it had not been on prior to the crash), the right side head lamp was out of adjustment, my driver side door and window did not operate properly, the abc hydraulic was not functioning, and there was a dent on the top of my car.
Oil leak on 2001 mb s600 models. They all have bad oil coolers.
The wheels start vibrating. It causes either the left front wheel or the right front wheel to lose its balance. This does not happen all the time. In a one hour trip, it will happen at least once and for a period of from 5 minutes to 20 minutes.
Tl contact owns a 2001 mercedes benz 600. While driving 60 mph the vehicle began leaking hydraulic fluid. The anti-skid indicator light illuminated. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by a mechanic. The current and failure mileages were 62,000.
Dt*: the contact stated the instrument panel illumination blinked on and off, then failed completely, making the gauges difficult to read in the daytime and impossible at night. The service dealer's mobile technician inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the instrument cluster failed and needed to be replaced.
The front wheels lose their alignment easily and frequently. The front tires start wobbling and continue wobbling for minutes. I have had to replace my front tires frequently. I have had to replace my left wheel. The authorized mercedes dealer is unable to correct the problem.
The cruise control would suddenly disengage and was intermittent, the window had blown out during bad weather, the active body control did not function most of the time, the abc warning had come on, then suddenly the brake light had gone out, the brake-lining had gone thin, the fuel gauge displayed empty when the tank…
This will cause water to enter in the trunk, and cause rust to the body of the car.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,899 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 600 has 7 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mercedes-Benz 600?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, service brakes. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (25%), windows, sunroof (25%), fuel system, fuel smell (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz 600?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2001 Mercedes-Benz 600 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2001 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.