2006 Mercedes-Benz S 500

Routine

Owners filed 12 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires2
000
Suspension2
000
Power Train2
000
Engine2
000
Electrical System2
000
Steering1
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Sep 1, 2025CA

Vehicle stall - engine cut off - on highway at speed (50-55miles/hr) posing driver and passenger safety. No OBD error code or ECU error Similar incidents reported by Mercedes owners S500 model across USA As posted on Mercedes forums.

Steering
Filed Sep 11, 2024CA

Safety issues 1. Engine shuts off while driving. No error codes. Starts again with key and drives fine. 2. Steering locks while driving - maneuvering a turn. Stopped the car. Turn ignition off. Turn ignition on Everything works fine.

Engine
Filed Jun 1, 201668,085 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POSITION SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,085. UPDATED 01/11/2017*CT

Power Train
Filed Jan 19, 201660,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ S500. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE JERKED BEFORE COMING TO A HALT. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Suspension
Filed May 14, 2015114,343 milesOH

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE FRONT END DROPPED MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. HAD TO SLOWLY MOVE TO THE RIGHT LANE WHILE TRAFFIC IS GOING 70. THIS COULD HAVE KILLED ME.

Engine
Filed Nov 6, 2014106,000 milesNC

THIS PROBLEM HAPPEN THREE TIMES IN ABOUT 6 MINUTES IN ONE NIGHT. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MILES PER HOUR. THE ENGINE CUT OFF, ALMOST BEFORE I KNEW WHAT HAPPEN THE ENGINE STARTED BACK RUNNING. IN LESS THAN A MINUTE IT HAPPEN AGAIN. THE ENGINE CUT OUT THEN STARTED BEFORE I COULD DO ANYTHING. THE THIRD TIME IT CUT OUT COMPLETE AND STAYED OFF. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP AND RESTART THE CAR. IT WAS VERY SCARY, ALL THE LIGHTS WERE OFF AND I WAS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. IT'S HAPPEN BEFORE ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I MENTION IT TO THE DEALER, THEY ACTED AS IF IT WAS NOTHING THEY WERE AWARE OF. *TR

Suspension
Filed Jan 30, 2014125,000 milesNY

WENT OUT TO THE CAR TO GO TO THE PHARMACY TO GET MY ASTHMA MEDS AND THE CAR WAS DOWN ON THE GROUND,TOTALLY DEFLATED SHOCKS. START CAR AND RISES TO HEIGHT BUT SINKS WHEN CAR IS OFF, THIS IS A DANGER IF DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, I HAVE A WIFE AND A YOUNG SON. I FEEL THAT THE DEALERS SHOULD RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM CORRECTLY, AND NOT HAVE PEOPLES LIVES IN DANGER ON THE ROADS OF AMERICA, ANY HELP WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU , A CAUTIOUS DRIVER. *TR

Power Train
Filed Dec 25, 2013118,000 milesCA

MY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR. I TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON AND IT DID NOT CLEAR. I GOT A "PRE-SAFE UNAVAILABLE" MESSAGE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND LEARNED THIS IS A "TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE" FAILURE. IT IS VERY UNSAFE IN THAT THE CAR CANNOT KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC AND IS A DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. *TR

Tires
Filed Mar 30, 201150,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ S500 WITH YOKOHAMA ADVANCE S4 TIRES, TIRE SIZE P265/40R18. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT REPLACED THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACTS ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE INSTALLED THE SPARE TIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE TIRE WITH ANOTHER BRAND BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL BRAND WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT IT WOULD TAKE SIX WEEKS FOR THE TIRE TO ARRIVE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Electrical System
Filed Mar 21, 201168,000 milesRI

THE TELEMATICS DEVICE IN MY 2006 MB S500 SPONTANEOUSLY MALFUNCTIONED. NO KNOWN EVENTS LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE, TOTAL LOSS OF INFORMATION AND SAFETY UPLINK, TOTAL LOSS OF NEW $300 MBRACE SUBSCRIPTION VALUE, AS OF 21 MAR 2011, NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT OTHER THAN CALL TO DEALER. WAS A PRIOR RECALL DONE THAT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED THE VEHICLE TELEMATICS UNIT OR THE ASSOCIATED VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM? *TR

Tires
Filed Oct 10, 20077,300 milesFL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ CLS 500. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE ARE MANUFACTURED BY CONTINENTAL, SIZE 245-40R1893Y DOT CUUYP3HK AND 375-35R1895Y DOT CUBLT3HK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND FOUND A BLISTER ON THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER TIRES. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7300. *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Sep 16, 2005100 milesCO

DT: THE CALLER SAID VEHICLE SEEMED TO SHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH. WHEN THIS HAPPENED VEHICLE BUCKED FORWARD. THE CALLER PULLED OVER AS SOON AS SHE COULD BECAUSE SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED 5 TIMES, TWO TIME IN JUNE, ONCE IN JULY AND TWICE IN AUGUST. THE DEALER SAID NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK *NM

12 of 12 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20231300Routine
202220800Do not drive
20211700Routine
20072000Routine
2006 — this page12000Routine
200511000Routine
200412000Routine
200310000Routine
200225010Routine
200134010Routine
200055010Routine
19992000Routine
19961000Routine
19954000Routine
19942000Routine
19932000Routine

Compare every S 500 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.