Mercedes Benz S problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
4 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
58,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1995 to 2010 model years. Data snapshot: . 2 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 2 of 4 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 25.0% |
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 | 2 |
| Equipment | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 1 |
Electrical System: 2; Equipment: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 2 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 |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2011: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 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 10426645 · 2011-09-21 (September 21, 2011)
JUST PURCHASED A CAR FROM A 2ND OWNER. CAR RUNS GREAT. UPON DRIVING IT TO A FRIENDS HOUSE, I CRANK IT UP AND I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO MAKE A WHINING SOUND, I TRIED TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND IT KEPT RUNNING EVEN WITH THE KEY OUT. I THEN BEGAN TO SMELL AN ELECTRICAL FIRE WHICH PRODUCED LOTS OF SMOKE. THE CAR THEN SHUT OFF. UPON EXAMINATION BY MY MECHANIC THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BRITTLE AND WIRES WERE EXPOSED. THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY MB. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10426645 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
1995: 0; 2001: 0; 2007: 2; 2008: 2; 2009: 0; 2010: 0