Mercedes Benz S CLASS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
270 owner complaints analyzed
11 distinct recall campaigns
81,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1994 to 2012 model years. Data snapshot: . 219 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 52 of 270 complaints (19.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 46 | 17.0% |
| Braking behavior | 19 | 7.0% |
| Steering behavior | 17 | 6.3% |
| Engine operation | 9 | 3.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 1.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.4% |
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 | 52 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 34 |
| Interior Lighting | 30 |
| Suspension | 28 |
| Suspension:Front | 14 |
| Air Bags | 12 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 12 |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Air Suspension System | 12 |
Electrical System: 52; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 34; Interior Lighting: 30; Suspension: 28; Suspension:Front: 14; Air Bags: 12; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 12; Suspension:Front:Springs:Air Suspension System: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 26 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 49 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 53 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 52 |
| 150,000 and above | 19 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 26; 50,000 to 74,999: 49; 75,000 to 99,999: 53; 100,000 to 149,999: 52; 150,000 and above: 19
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (53). 51 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 19 |
| 2006 | 57 |
| 2007 | 30 |
| 2008 | 35 |
| 2009 | 25 |
| 2010 | 30 |
| 2011 | 24 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 3 |
2000: 2; 2001: 3; 2002: 4; 2003: 8; 2004: 15; 2005: 19; 2006: 57; 2007: 30; 2008: 35; 2009: 25; 2010: 30; 2011: 24; 2012: 12; 2013: 3; 2014: 3
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 46 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 17 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 10159330 · 2006-06-08 (June 8, 2006)
ENGINE HARNESS, BODY HARNESS AND MASS AIR SENSOR FAILED DUE TO DETERIOATION OF WIRING HARNESS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 129,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10159330 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10177675 · 2007-01-03 (January 3, 2007)
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE, DETERIORATION DUE TO SUBSTANDARD WIRING INSULATION FOR ENGINE ENVIRONMENT (HEAT, ETC). WIRING SUBSTANDARD WHEN CONSIDERING THE ORIGINAL EXPENSE FOR THESE "QUALITY VEHICLES". MERCEDES SHOULD GOODWILL THE EXPENSE FOR HARNESS REPLACEMENTS AND STAND UP FOR THEIR PRODUCTS! ALTHOUGH THIS "LUXURY" MERCEDES IS A 1994 S-420, IT IS ""AS NEW" AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN MERCEDES"PROFESSIONALLY MAINTAINED! THE MERCEDES ENGINEER'S LET US (THE CONSUMERS) DOWN! *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 133,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10177675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10289906 · 2009-10-26 (October 26, 2009)
1995 MERCEDES S420 ASR COME ON WHILE DRIVING CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO STIFFEN AND DRIVING DIFFICULT IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT WHILE DRIVING. WHILE ASR LIGHT IS ON WHILE DRIVING EASING UP OFF GAS PEDAL CAUSES CAR TO JERK FORWARD WHILE BRAKING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 98,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289906 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10323643 · 2010-04-04 (April 4, 2010)
MY ASR LIGHT IS ON IN MY CAR WHICH IS A MERCEDES BENZ S600 DO TO A BAD WIRING HARNESS ON THE CAR,AND IT PUTS OUT A BIG BIG CLOUD OF SMOKE WHILE DRIVING,I TOOK THE ASR FUSE OUT AND IT STOPS BUT I HAVE TO PUT IT BACK IN BECAUSE THE ABS/AND THE SRS LIGHT COME ON ALSO. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 149,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10323643 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10586858 · 2014-05-06 (May 6, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES S420. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STEER TO THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT A CONNECTOR FROM THE TRANSMISSION TO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO FLOOD THE CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 143,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10586858 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10068236 · 2004-05-03 (May 3, 2004)
SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL OF STEERING. STREEING BECAME VERY VERY HEAVY.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10068236 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10235044 · 2008-07-20 (July 20, 2008)
I HAVE A 1994 MERCEDES BENZ S600 THE CAR IS IN GOOD SHAPE BUT IT START STALLING ONCE I WAS PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC I WAS ALMOST A GONER AND THE PROBLEM KEPT OCCURRING AND THEN I TOOK IT IN TO A MB MECHANIC TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND IT HAD MANY TROUBLE CODES BUT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE WIRE HARNESS IT WAS COMING A PART AND CAUSING SHORTS IN FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL WHEN I FOUND OUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 155,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235044 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10112214 · 2005-02-26 (February 26, 2005)
EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE CHECK ENGINE FAULTS IN MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ S600. SURGING ENGINE, INTERMITTENT ROUGH IDLE. INSPECTION OF WIRING HARNESS CONTROLLING ENGINE SHOWS DEGRADING WIRING INSULATION. MANY CRACKS IN INSULATION ARE CAUSING SHORT CIRCUITS WHICH CAN CAUSE ENGINE STALLING, SURGING, AND IS A FIRE HAZARD. THIS WILL REQUIRE THE WIRING HARNESS TO BE REPLACED. THE WORK HAS NOT YET BEEN PERFORMED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 125,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10112214 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10157585 · 2006-05-15 (May 15, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE FRONT END MADE A CREAKING NOISE WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM SUPPORT LINK, REAR ENGINE TRANSMISSION MOUNTS, AND MOTOR MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157585 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 898594 · 2001-10-31 (October 31, 2001)
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 70 MPH. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, BUT IT DID NOT SLOW VEHICLE. VEHICLE WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT, ENGINE ROARING AND RPMS IN RED. CONSUMER STEERED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND APPLIED PARK BRAKE, PULLED KEY FROM IGNITION AND JUMPED OUT OF VEHICLE. ENGINE CONTINUED TO ROAR FOR 2-3 MINUTES THEN STALLED, BLACK SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. 6 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS DEALER DID $ 7200.00 OF ENGINE WORK. DEALER DETERMINED THE ACCELERATION WAS CAUSED BY A JAMMED FUEL INJECTOR PUMP.*AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 898594 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 |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 0 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
1996: 1; 1997: 0; 1998: 0; 1999: 0; 2000: 5; 2001: 5; 2002: 2; 2003: 2; 2004: 4; 2005: 1; 2009: 1; 2012: 1