Mercedes-Benz S 500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
22 owner complaints analyzed
15 distinct recall campaigns
8,400 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 to 2023 model years. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 22 complaints (31.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 3 | 13.6% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 13.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 13.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 9.1% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 4.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 6 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | 2 |
| Structure:Body | 2 |
Electrical System: 7; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 6; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline: 3; Service Brakes: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings: 2; Structure:Body: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 16 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2022: 4; 2023: 5; 2024: 8; 2025: 4; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11628889 · 2024-12-04 (December 4, 2024)
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalls until the contact engages the vehicle in sport mode. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V704000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The failure mileage was 20,700.
Owner-reported narrative. 20,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11628889 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11498170 · 2022-12-20 (December 20, 2022)
New S500 Benz, 1700 miles on the car, 2 months on the road only. Issues started right off the batt after purchasing this new S500. Car refuses to start daily, check engine light, 12v battery light, 48v battery needs service light, come on even tho the cars voltage is not low and is driven daily on highway. Took to the dealer, dealer says car needed to be driven more even tho its driven daily. Dealer stated voltage of the 12v battery was low, they charged the battery manually and stated that the cars ECU recorded a voltage problem. They cleared …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11498170 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11486717 · 2022-09-27 (September 27, 2022)
The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the Adaptive Braking System inadvertently activated and the vehicle experienced hard braking. There were no objects in the roadway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer who scheduled a service appointment however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 4,800. The VIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11486717 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11450397 · 2022-02-04 (February 4, 2022)
The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V00J000 (Electrical System, Communication) however, the parts for the repair were unavailable. The dealer had been notified about the recall and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The contact also mentioned that he experienced a blowout failure with the passenger’s side front Pirell…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11450397 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11547056 · 2023-09-28 (September 28, 2023)
The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V445000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who replaced the fuel pump however, the contact stated that the failure …
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11547056 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11554973 · 2023-11-13 (November 13, 2023)
While driving on highway car made a complete sudden full stop This has happened twice in last 60 days Thankful car behind was far enough away to avoid a rear ender Second problem is dealer still not addressing fuel pump recall
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11554973 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11614618 · 2024-09-14 (September 14, 2024)
The car slams on the brakes for no reason. phantom braking. i have been tailgated because cars behind me - particularly on tye highway - think i’ve brake checked them (but it was the care slamming on the brakes). the door handles don’t open/deploy reliably. sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. the touch screens are incredibly dangerous - especially when the system freezes or doesn’t work properly - which is often. there are almost no physical buttons. the system software & touchscreens are VERY glitchy and often doesn’t function prope…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11614618 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 3 |
2021: 7; 2022: 8; 2023: 3