Mercedes Benz S Class
Owners filed 271 complaints across 14 model years of the Mercedes Benz S Class. The 2000 drew the most (81); the 2012 the fewest (1).
Model years14
Complaints271
Recalls28
Fires7
Deaths0
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 | |
| 2000 | 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 |
Which Mercedes Benz S Class years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2000 is the weakest year on record, with 81 complaints concentrated in the electrical system › instrument cluster/panel. It carries 5 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.