1997 Mercedes Benz S320: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
195,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 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:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 6 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 16.7% |
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:Frontal | 1 |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 1 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 1 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module: 1; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 1; Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage: 1; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 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 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 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: 1
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 5 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 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2002: 1; 2004: 2; 2005: 1; 2016: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting 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 10066914 · 2004-04-09 (April 9, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED A GAS ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALER THAT THE PROBLEM RECURRED AFTER FUEL RAIL WAS BEING FIXED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066914 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090288 · 2004-09-02 (September 2, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DIDN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM THE FIRST TO THE SECOND GEAR. DEALERSHIP HAS WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10090288 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10115891 · 2005-03-25 (March 25, 2005)
THE SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10115891 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10873088 · 2016-06-07 (June 7, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 (NA) MERCEDES-BENZ S320. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT A FAILURE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 195,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10873088 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 717329 · 2000-01-14 (January 14, 2000)
HI CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT FORCE AND ACCELERATION CAN MAKE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING ON A S320? NOW THERE IS A S32O HIT THE BARRIER AND FELL IN A DITCH WITH HEAD FORWARD.THE HEAD(INCLUDING BONNET) WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE VERTICAL STRUCTURE COULD NOT BE FOUND BACKWARD'S OUT OF SHAPE .THE BELTS ARE BROKEN AND THE AIRBAGS CAN'T DEPLOY.THE DRIVER IS DEAD.MB SAID THE AIRBAG SYSTEM NO PROBLEM.SORRY THE VIN AND ZIP CODE AND THE DEALER INFORMATION ARE WRONG.I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!! *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 717329 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 764075 · 2002-07-11 (July 11, 2002)
FRONT SEAT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FULLY EXTENDED AND FAILED TO RETRACT.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 764075 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.