2014 Mercedes-Benz S550: complaints, problems and recalls

I PURCHASED A NEW 2014 MERCEDES S550 AND THE DAY AFTER PURCHASE, THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON. I SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THIS CORRECTED, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS FIXED. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH, APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WHERE I DID NOT HAVE A STOP SIGN. I NOTICED A LARGE SUV TRAVELING EAST BOUND AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS (GUESSING 35-40), WHICH DID NOT APPEAR TO BE STOPPING, BUT COULD NOT STOP IN TIME TO AVOID THE COLLISION. THE SUV IMPACTED THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY VEHICLE AT FULL SPEED. MY VEHI…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10575159 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS ON A TEST DRIVE. CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON. SPEED WAS 55MPH. VAN PULLED IN FRONT OF ME AND DECELERATED. MERCEDES MAINTAINED SPEED AND WAS CLOSING RAPIDLY. APPLIED BRAKES HARD TO AVOID REAR ENDING VAN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10653234 at NHTSA ↗

AGGRAVATING NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMPS, TICK, TICK, TICKING NOISE AT ANY SPEED. COMPLAINED TO DEALER, BUT DESPITE EXCHANGING PUMPS, NOISE PERSISTS. COMPLAINED TO MBUSA, WAS TOLD THIS WAS A 'NORMAL NOISE'. SOUNDS LIKE AN OXYMORON TO ME. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH CAR NOISE AND RESPONSE TO MY PLEA FOR HELP. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10653968 at NHTSA ↗

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2014. THE VEHICLE HAS A REVERSE TILT FUNCTION FEATURE ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER MIRROR. WHEN FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, THE RIGHT PASSENGER MIRROR TILTS DOWNWARD AND TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN REVERSE SO THAT THE DRIVER CAN SEE ALL OBJECTS TO THE RIGHT REAR OF THE VEHICLE (IN THE VEHICLE'S BLIND SPOT). ONCE THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, THE RIGHT MIRROR IS SUPPOSED TO RETURN TO THE DRIVER'S (MEMORY) SETTING POSITION FOR THE MIRROR SO THAT THE DRIVER IS ABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE RIGHT MIRROR WHEN DR…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10726601 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ S550. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS A HARD SHIFT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED OR WHEN STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE NEAR THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE TILT FUNCTION FEATURE ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER MIRROR FAILED. WHEN FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, THE RIGHT PASSENGER MIRROR TILTED DOWNWARD AND TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE; THEREFORE, THE DRIVER COU…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10732993 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE HAD THREE RUN FLAT GOODYEAR TIRES BLOW OUTWARD SIDE WALLS RENDERING THE VEHICLE IN OPERABLE. ALL THREE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS WITHIN NORMAL SPEEDS OF 70 TO 75 MPH. THE FIRST TIRE WAS REPLACED IN FL IN MAY - LEFT FRONT, THE SECOND ON AUGUST 9TH IN NJ SAME LEFT FRONT, AND THE THIRD ON AUGUST 12TH IN WATERBURY CT RIGHT FRONT. ALL THREE TIRES HAD OUTWARD SIDEWALL LATERAL DESTRUCTION OF 4 TO 6 INCHES. THE DECOMPRESSION WAS INSTANTANEOUS THE TIRES WERE 1, OEM, AND 2 AND 3 REPLACEMENT FOR OEM ALL SAME MAKE AND MO…

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10748674 at NHTSA ↗

BACKUP LIGHTS ON THIS CAR ARE TOTALLY USELESS. DEALER SAYS NO BRIGHTER BULBS ARE AVAILABLE. DANGEROUS SITUATION. BACKED INTO A MAILBOX AND DID $700.00 IN DAMAGE. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT I SHOULD DO.

Owner-reported narrative. 18,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10811566 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN MAKING TURNS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT, THERE IS A MOANING NOISE HEARD. CAUSE: LOWER ENGINE COMPARTMENT CENTER AND REAR, STEEERING COUPLING, RUBBER BELLOWS ON STEERING.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10838560 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2013-11-20 (November 20, 2013)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (Mercedes-Benz) is recalling certain model year 2014 S550 vehicles manufactured April 11, 2013, through October 14, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the front seat belt anchor might not be installed correctly allowing it to come loose in a crash.

Consequence: If the seat belt anchor comes loose, in the event of a crash, the occupant may not be properly secured, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the front seat belt anchor fitting, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 20, 2013. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372. Mercedes-Benz's recall number is 2013110008.

Reported: 2016-12-14 (December 14, 2016)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 SL550, 2013-2014 SL63 AMG, 2014-2016 E350, 2014 E350 Cabriolet, E350 Coupe, 2014-2015 S550, 2015 E350 Bluetec, 2015-2016 E400, 2016 E550 Coupe, and Maybach S600 vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to August 14, 2015. The affected vehicles use an electric power steering system that may have improperly soldered contacts inside the control unit, potentially resulting in the power steering system deactivating while driving.

Consequence: If the control unit pins lose connection, there would be a loss of electric power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash. The increase in pin contact resistance can also increase the risk of a fire, even while the vehicle is parked and ignition is off.

Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric power steering control unit, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2019-11-01 (November 1, 2019)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf

Consequence: An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019120008.

Reported: 2021-03-19 (March 19, 2021)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45 AMG, 2018 GLC63 AMG, 2014-2017 S550, 2018-2020 S450, 2016-2019 GLE63 Coupe AMG, 2016 GLE450 Coupe, 2014-2020 S63 AMG, 2018-2019 S560, and 2019 GLC350e vehicles equipped with a panoramic sunroof. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair.

Consequence: The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021 and October 26, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2023-12-15 (December 15, 2023)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014-2020 C-Class, CLA, GLA, S-Class, GLC, and GLE vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair, allowing the front panel to detach from the vehicle.

Consequence: A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 2, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on, March 22,2024, and August 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-197.