1999 Mercedes Benz 500: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
5 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
48,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 5 complaints (40.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 20.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 2 |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Power Adjust | 1 |
| Visibility | 1 |
| Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior | 1 |
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 2; Seats:Front Assembly:Power Adjust: 1; Visibility: 1; Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior: 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 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 1 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 | 1 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2003: 2; 2004: 1; 2006: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10002755 · 2003-01-15 (January 15, 2003)
SEAT BELT PROBLEM WITH 1999 MERCEDES S500. SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ TECHNICAL SUPPORT (TWICE) TO ASK IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS. THEIR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SEAT BELT FAILURE. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO MY AUTO REPAIR SHOP, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN MERCEDES BENZ ONLY, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY REPLACE MANY SEAT BELTS. LAST NIGHT WE WENT TO DINNER WITH FRIENDS WHO WERE DRIVING A 1994 SE MERCEDES - WHEN WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR, I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BEL…
Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002755 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024649 · 2003-08-07 (August 7, 2003)
THE ELECTRICAL SEAT CONTROLLER LOCATED UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT, SHORTED OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. NO FUSE WAS BLOWN. THIS WAS CAUSED BY CORROSION DUE TO THE FACT THE UNIT WAS NOT SEALED FROM MOISTURE.*AK TOXIC FUMES AND SMOKE WERE INSTANTANEOUS. WHEN IT SHORTED OUT, TURNING THE KEY DIDN'T STOP ELECTRICITY FLOW. THE CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. *PH *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024649 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10051812 · 2004-02-19 (February 19, 2004)
THE DRIVER'S SIDE BELT RETRACTOR WAS NOT WORKING. THE PART WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE OF $425.00. THE DEALER INDICATED, THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK *SC
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051812 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10156079 · 2006-04-25 (April 25, 2006)
PLASTIC REAR VIEW WINDOW OF CONVERTIBLE TOP IS DISTORTED, HAZY AND IMPAIRS VISION. DEALER STATED THE MFG'S REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT. I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED 5 YEARS WARRANTY. DEALER SOLD ME A "DO IT YOURSELF" KIT TO RESTORE BUT DOES NOT WORK. FAULTY DESIGN. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 10,894 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156079 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 867911 · 2000-08-16 (August 16, 2000)
PLASTIC REARVIEW WINDOW HAS A DISTORTION IN IT WHICH CAUSES POOR DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. WINDOW WAS LOOKED AT BY A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE. THIS WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH ALL MERCEDES BENZ CONVERTIBLES. REAR WINDOW HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 867911 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.