2009 Mercedes Benz S CLASS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
2 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
8,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 1 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 1 of 2 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 1 | 50.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 |
Air Bags: 1; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 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 | 0 |
| 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: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 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 |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
2010: 1; 2012: 1
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 10349604 · 2010-08-16 (August 16, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ S CLASS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN A VEHICLE AHEAD OF HIM ABRUPTLY STOPPED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AS THE PEDAL WAS APPLIED DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD AND REMAINED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SOS SYSTEM DID NOT ENGAGE. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE (SP1L15000802). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10349604 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10459075 · 2012-05-21 (May 21, 2012)
THERE ARE NO CHILD SAFETY LOCKS ON THE REAR DOORS. THE MANUFACTURER SEEMS TO THINK THE FACT THAT THE DOOR LOCKS ONCE THE CAR IS MOVING OVER A SPECIFIC SPEED IS GOOD ENOUGH, THE PROBLEM IS A CHILD CAN STILL PULL THE HANDLE TWICE TO OPEN THE DOOR WHILE IT'S MOVING, OR SIMPLY LIFT THE REAR LOCK LATCH AND PULL THE DOOR HANDLE ONCE, AND OUT THEY KID GOES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I PERSONALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE MANUFACTURER COULD GET AWAY WITH SELLING THIS CAR WITHOUT THIS MOST BASIC SAFETY FEATURE FOR CHILDREN'S PROTECTION. EITHER WE WAIT UNTIL S…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10459075 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
09V081000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages
Reported: 2009-03-13 (March 13, 2009)
MERCEDES BENZ IS RECALLING 54 MY 2009 S-CLASS, W221 VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCKS MAY HAVE BEEN MISTAKENLY INTERCHANGED DURING PRODUCTION. THE EXCHANGE OF A FRONT AND A REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK WOULD RESULT IN A PASSENGER SIDE DOOR THAT CANNOT BE OPENED BY MERELY PULLING ON THE INTERIOR HANDLE AND A REAR DOOR LOCK THAT CAN BE OPENED WITH A SIMPLE PULL OF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE EVEN IF LOCKED.
Consequence: THIS SITUATION COULD AFFECT THE SAFE EXITING OF A VEHICLE IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH OR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM INADVERTENT OPENING OF THE REAR DOOR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK THE PART NUMBER ON ALL DOOR LOCKS AND REPLACE ANY INCORRECTLY INSTALLED DOOR LOCK FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA campaign record ↗