2008 Mercedes Benz S550: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
19 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 15 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 19 complaints (21.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 21.1% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 10.5% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 10.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 5.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 5.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Tires | 4 |
| Engine | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 |
| Power Train | 2 |
| Suspension | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Equipment | 1 |
Electrical System: 4; Tires: 4; Engine: 2; Fuel System, Gasoline: 2; Power Train: 2; Suspension: 2; Air Bags: 1; Equipment: 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 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 4 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 |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2009: 2; 2011: 1; 2013: 3; 2014: 1; 2015: 2; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 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 10255933 · 2009-01-21 (January 21, 2009)
I HAVE 2008 MERCEDES S550. THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED MAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT AND I CALLED DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THE BRAKES ARE GONE AND EVEN ROTORS ARE DAMAGED. I HAD NO INDICATION ALL THIS TIME I WAS DRIVING THAT THE CAR HAD NO BRAKES AS NO BRAKELIGHTS CAME ON. TILL THE TIME I WENT TO DEALERSHIP NO INDICATION CAME AS SENSORS ARE NOT WORKING. IS IT NOT UNSAFE TO BE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 60 TO 70 MILES /HR WITH NO BREAK SENSORS . I CALLED MERC AND THE TOP TWO PEOPLE ROBYN AND TIM IN ESCALATION DEPT TELL ME AT FIRST THEY ARE PICKING UP THE. …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10255933 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10275658 · 2009-07-02 (July 2, 2009)
I GOT A BLOW OUT IN THE REAR LEFT SIDE TIRE. I WAS DOING ABOUT 40 MPH AND DID NOT GO OVER ANYTHING THAT I WAS AWARE OF. I WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE USING THE SUPPLIED TIRE AND JACK. THE JACK WAS VERY FLIMSY AND AFTER I RAISED THE VEHICLE THE JACK FLIPPED OVER CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY CAR, HOWEVER I NARROWLY AVOIDED PERSONAL INJURY. THERE IS A PLATE UNDER THE VEHICLE AT THE JACK CONTACT POINT WHICH ALSO BROKE OFF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE JACK ROLLED OVER. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE DEFECTS I BELIEVE EXIST. 1. THE JACK IS EXTREMELY FLIMSY AND IS DIFFICUL…
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10275658 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10408926 · 2011-06-26 (June 26, 2011)
CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON 10 FWY GOING FROM AZ TO CALIF. WOULD NOT RESTART & WAS TOWED TO PALM SPRINGS MBZ. NOT OPEN TIL MON 27TH. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10408926 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10502393 · 2013-03-11 (March 11, 2013)
MERCEDES BENZ, S550, 4MATIC, 2008. I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I WAS MOVING FORWARD AT ABOUT 15-20 MILES PER HOUR, THE CAR CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME ALMOST RAN INTO MY BACK SINCE THERE WERE NO BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHEN THIS UNFORTUNATE MALFUNCTION TOOK PLACE. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED THE CONTROL PANEL FOR ANY MALFUNCTION ALARM AND THERE WERE NONE. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SEIZE UP WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THERE WERE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF OIL IN THE RESERVOIR SO TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 101,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10502393 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10536999 · 2013-08-23 (August 23, 2013)
I WAS IN UNFAMILIAR AREA. REMOTE KEY WOULD NOT OPERATE. WHEN USING SMALL KEY TO ENTER VEHICLE CAR SIREN WOULD NOT QUIT BLARING AND .NEW BATTERIES DID NOT HELP. MERCEDES RESPONDER TOLD ME I HAD INOPERATIVE "DEAD" KEY. CAR OF COURSE WAS INOPERATIVE. NO WAY TO MOVE CAR FROM AREA. COULD NOT SECURE CAR. I HAD RBM IN ATLANTA ON CELL PHONE ENTIRE TIME. ABOUT HOUR LATER SOMEONE TOOK ME TO MY HOME FOR SPARE KEY. THIS WORKED. KEY WAS AS MERCEDES RESPONDER TOLD ME...... DEAD. THE MERCEDES KEYS ARE UNSAFE AND UNDEPENDABLE. NEED TO BE RECALLED. MERCEDE…
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10536999 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10537491 · 2013-08-27 (August 27, 2013)
THE TIRE TREAD ON THE MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS SHREDS OR CRUMBLES. MICHELIN CALLS IT "CHUNKING" AND SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE COMPOUND USED TO MAKE THE TIRE. THE COMPOUND HAS SINCE BEEN MODIFIED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ON MY GIRL FRIEND'S 2009 MERCEDES C-SERIES SEDAN AND ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED IN OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 2012. I NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING TO THE FRONT TIRES ON MY MERCEDES S550 AT JUST OVER 24,000 MILES OF USE. THE TIRE HAS A 45,000 TREAD-WEAR WARRANTY. THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2010. THE MICHELIN DEALE…
Owner-reported narrative. 59,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10537491 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10574210 · 2014-03-22 (March 22, 2014)
MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS 255/45ZR18 99Y AS+ INSTALLED ON 2008 MERCEDES S550. TIRES TREAD IS "CHUNKING" WITH 18,000 MILES OF USE. PURCHASED FROM COSTCO. I HAVE CONTACTED COSTCO. WAS TOLD IT WAS "NORMAL", COMPLAINED IT CANNOT BE, WE NEGOTIATED BACK AND FORTH ON AN ADJUSTMENT. IT WASN'T SATISFACTORY. I WAS OFFERED FOR A DISCOUNT PRICE THE "NEW" VERSION OF THE TIRE, I.E. PILOT SPORT A/S 3. I HAVE READ THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA SITE. THEY ARE SIMILAR TO MINE. I SPOKE TO 4 DIFFERENT COSTCO EMPLOYEES, THREE DIFFERENT MICHELIN YET, I COULD N…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10574210 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10705489 · 2015-04-13 (April 13, 2015)
I PURCHASED 4 NEW 255/45/ZR18 EXTREMECONTACT DWS ABOUT 13 MONTHS AGO AND NOW ALL 4 TIRES HAVE A BULGING BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALLS. OF COURSE I BROUGHT IT BACK FROM WHERE I PURCHASED IT FROM AND THEY BLAME IT ON POT HOLES, ROAD HAZARDS. I CURRENTLY CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN FEAR THAT I MIGHT HAVE A BLOW OUT. I HAVE PURCHASED MANY TIRES BEFORE THAT WERE NOT CONTINENTAL AND NEVER EXPERIENCED WHAT IM GOING THROUGH NOW. LET SEE HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO BE CONTACTED WITH SOME HELP OR WHAT EXCUSE THEY GOING TO COME UP WITH. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 87,609 miles reported. Look up ODI 10705489 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.