2016 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
11 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
10,100 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 11 complaints (54.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 27.3% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 9.1% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 2 |
| Wheels | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
| Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly | 1 |
Unknown Or Other: 6; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Visibility/Wiper: 2; Wheels: 2; Air Bags: 1; Service Brakes: 1; Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly: 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 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 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: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 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 (5). 2 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 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2016: 4; 2020: 6; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Steering 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 10819210 · 2016-01-10 (January 10, 2016)
IN 2015 MERCEDES BOUGHT BACK MY 2014 S550 DUE TO THE REASONS STATED HERE.THEY ALSO HELPED ME BUY A 2016 S,WHICH CAME IN AROUND 12/18/2015 FIGURED THE PROBLEMS WOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BY THEN.MERCEDES HAD ENOUGH TIME TO FIX THEM IF THEY WANTED TO SINCE I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING SINCE I FIRST GOT MY 2014.I IMMEDIATELY COMPLAINED, WHEN MY 2016 CAME IN ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES AS MY 2014 HEAD.THE DISTRONIC PLUS.YOU CHOOSE THE DISTANCE YOU WANT TO KEEP FROM THE CAR IN FRONT. ONCE THAT DISTANCE IS SET, IT DOES NOT KEEP THAT DISTANCE.THE CAR THINKS 200 FEET …
Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10819210 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10820195 · 2016-01-14 (January 14, 2016)
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS DOES NOT WORK. IT'S SUPPOSE TO WORK FROM 4 MPH TO 65 MPH.IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE STOPPED CARS OR OBJECTS IN IT'S PATH.IT'S SUPPOSE TO AUTONOMOUSLY APPLY THE BRAKES TO HELP PREVENT COLLISIONS WITH OTHER VEHICLES. IT NEVER INTERVENES.WHEN A CAR CUTS ME OFF OR PULLS OUT IN FRONT OF ME OR STOPS IN FRONT OF ME,THE SAFETY FEATURES DO NOT INTERVENE.I HAVE TO BRAKE HARD TO AVOID A COLLISION EVERY TIME. A WARNING TONE,THE SEAT BELTS SHOULD PRE-TENSION,PLACE THE SEATS IN A MORE FAVORITE POSITION CONCLUSIVE TO AN ACCIDENT, C…
Owner-reported narrative. 45 miles reported. Look up ODI 10820195 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10820208 · 2016-01-14 (January 14, 2016)
ALL THE SAFETY COMPLAINTS IN THE PAST TWO FORMS HAPPEN IN ALL THE 2014,2015. AND 2016 MERCEDES S550. THE CARS ARE SUPPOSE TO PRACTICALLY DRIVE THEMSELVES. IT EVEN HAS STEERING ASSIST THAT KEEPS THE CAR CENTERED IN THE LANE AND WILL EVEN STEER AROUND CURVES. IT IS SUPPOSE TO KEEP PRE SET DISTANCES FROM THE CAR IN FRONT THAT YOU CAN SET BETWEEN 100 AND 200 FEET. IT IS SUPPOSE TO STOP BEFORE HITTING AN OBJECT IN FRONT OF THE CAR. NONE WORK. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN IN 2020 WHEN THE CAR MERCEDES BUILD WILL ACTUALLY DRIVE ITSELF. IF THEY CANNOT…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10820208 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10853154 · 2016-04-03 (April 3, 2016)
FROM 2014 THROUGH 2016 THE INTELLIGENT DRIVE AND THE DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGE DOES NOT WORK. I KEEP SAYING THE S550 THINKS 200 FEET IS 90 FEET AND 100 FEET IS 30 FEET. WHAT I MEAN TO SAY IS THE SYSTEMS THINK 90 FEET DISTANCE IS 200 FEET AWAY AND 30 FEET IS 100 FEET AWAY. IT DOES NOT MEASURE THE DISTANCE PROPERLY. IT COULD BE, AND MOST LIKELY, A PROGRAMING ISSUE. IT IS THE SAME ON ALL THE 2014 THROUGH 2016 S550'S I HAVE TRIED. THE OTHER THING IT DOES WITH THE DISTRONIC CRUISE CONTROL IS WHEN IT STARTS TO BRAKE, THE DISTANCE SET DECREASES AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10853154 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11299024 · 2020-01-13 (January 13, 2020)
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES BENZ S550 4MATIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V01000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED. AFTER CONTACTING THE LOCAL DEALER (UNKNOWN), THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11299024 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11328687 · 2020-06-13 (June 13, 2020)
PANORAMIC SUNROOF CRACKED WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11328687 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11329575 · 2020-06-18 (June 18, 2020)
VEHICLE'S FRONT WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED OVERNIGHT WHILE VEHICLE AS PARKED IN A LOCKED PRIVATE GARAGE. CRACK ORIGINATES AT TOP OF WINDSHIELD FRAME WHERE BODY TORQUES THE GLASS AND CONTINUES THROUGH ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS, ENDING UP IN DRIVER'S LINE-OF-SIGHT. NO VISIBLE POINT OF IMPACT ON DAMAGED AREA OF GLASS. DRIVER ASSISTANCE AND SAFETY SYSTEMS ARE AFFECTED BY THE STRESS CRACK, RENDERING THEM NON-FUNCTIONAL. DEALER INVESTIGATED AND DETERMINED THAT STRESS CRACK WAS DUE TO A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING AND INSTALLATION OF TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11329575 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11349329 · 2020-08-14 (August 14, 2020)
HEARD A LOUD BANG WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS UNTIL RETURNING HOME AND LOOKED UP AND SAW THE RIGID CRACK FROM FRONT TO THE BACK ON THE PANORAMIC GLASS. THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF DEBRIS HITTING THE GLASS AS THERE ARE NO CHIPS.
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11349329 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.
19V787000 · Communication
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗