Mercedes Benz S Class
Owners filed 271 complaints across 14 model years of the Mercedes Benz S Class. The 2000 drew the most (81).
Model years14
Complaints271
Recalls28
Fires7
Deaths0
Which Mercedes Benz S Class years should you avoid?
Going by 271 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the Mercedes Benz S Class years to avoid are 2000.
- 200081 complaints, 2.3× a typical S Class year, most often about the electrical system.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
Every Mercedes Benz S Class model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2009 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Routine | |
| 2005 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor | Routine | |
| 2004 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2003 | 28 | 2 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2002 | 48 | 2 | — | — | Suspension | Routine | |
| 2001 | 36 | 5 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2000Avoid | 81 | 5 | 4 | 3 | Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel | Routine | |
| 1999 | 9 | 1 | — | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 1998 | 2 | 1 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 1997 | 2 | 1 | — | — | Electrical System › Wiring | Routine | |
| 1996 | 6 | 2 | — | — | Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls | Routine | |
| 1995 | 27 | 1 | 1 | — | Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood | Routine | |
| 1994 | 12 | 1 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.