1999 Mercedes Benz S CLASS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
96,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. 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
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 9 complaints (22.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 1 | 11.1% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 1 |
| Suspension | 1 |
| Suspension:Rear:Springs:Air Suspension System | 1 |
| Tires:Sidewall | 1 |
Air Bags: 2; Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch: 1; Seat Belts:Front: 1; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 1; Suspension: 1; Suspension:Rear:Springs:Air Suspension System: 1; Tires:Sidewall: 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 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 3 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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 3 |
2001: 1; 2004: 1; 2006: 1; 2007: 3; 2008: 3
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior 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 10097596 · 2004-11-17 (November 17, 2004)
THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT RETRACTING. *AK *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10097596 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10169599 · 2006-09-29 (September 29, 2006)
AIRBAGS IN 1999 S500 MERCEDES FAILED TO DEPLOY IN FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A UTILITY POLE AT SPEED ESTIMATED BETWEEN 15-25 MPH. DRIVER WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 81,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10169599 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10188594 · 2007-04-23 (April 23, 2007)
WHEN I TRIED TO FASTEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IT WOULDN'T RELEASE. AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS TO RELEASE THE SEAT BELT, IT FULLY RELEASED WITHOUT ANY TENSION ON THE SEAT BELT. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IS COMPLETELY USELESS AS A RESTRAINING DEVICE SINCE THERE IS NO TENSION. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 111,517 miles reported. Look up ODI 10188594 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191682 · 2007-05-24 (May 24, 2007)
THE SRS LIGHT ON THE DASH INDICATES A POTENTAL AIR BAG MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER CONFIRMS THE SRS MODULE HAS FAILED ON MY 1999 MERCEDES S320 MAKING THE AIR BAGS INOPERABLE. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN GERMANY MANUFACTURER MERCEDES-BENZ MODEL S320W 4DR SEDAN 5 PASSENGER THE QUOTED COST FOR REPAIR IS $620.00 FOR THE SRS MODULE AND A FURTHER $182.00 LABOR. THE TOTAL REPAIR COST OF OVER $800 IS EXORBITANT AND PREYS ON THE PUBLIC NEED FOR SAFTEY. HAS THERE BEEN A NHTSA RECALL OR A MANUFACTURER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN? VERBAL OVERVERTURES TO MB AN…
Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191682 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10207602 · 2007-11-01 (November 1, 2007)
AIRMATIC WARNING KEEP COMING UP, SAY THE CAR IS TO LOW STOP. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207602 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10217679 · 2008-02-11 (February 11, 2008)
I HAD 4 KUMHO SOLUS KH16 TIRES INSTALLED ON A 1999 MERCEDES S500 ON 1/17/07. THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 15,000 MILES. THE TIRE ON THE RIGHT REAR FAILED ON FEB. 10, 2008 AND WAS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED. MY WIFE HAD JUST STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WAS ACCELERATING TO THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 45 MPH. THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. SHE IMMEDIATELY PULLED ON TO THE GRASS MEDIAN WHEN SHE HEARD "CLUNK, CLUNK" FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I PERIODICALLY CHECK TIRE PRESSURES ON OUR CARS…
Owner-reported narrative. 124,027 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217679 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10252675 · 2008-12-23 (December 23, 2008)
REAR VIEW MIRROR FAILURE ON 1999 MERCEDES BENZ S320. MIRROR IS AN AUTO DIM REAR VIEW MIRROR AND VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED BECAUSE LIQUID CRYSTAL MATERIAL IS "LEAKING" OUT OF MIRROR. THIS IS A DESIGN AND QUALITY ISSUE THAT WOULD NOT OCCUR WITH A STANDARD REAR VIEW MIRROR. THERE IS NO MANUAL FAILOVER ON MIRROR SO THE VEHICLE CAN BE DRIVEN SAFELY IN THE EVENT OF A FAILURE. MAGNA DONNELLY CORPORATION WILLFULLY AND KNOWINGLY PRODUCES A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT SOLD TO THOUSANDS OF OEMS AND NOW REFUSES TO REPAIR THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS. PREVIOUSLY THIS COMPA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10252675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10253298 · 2008-12-30 (December 30, 2008)
MERCEDES S-CLASS W220 AIRMATIC PROBLEMS,DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ! THEY ARE SUCKING USS OUTTTTTT! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10253298 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.