2021 Mercedes-Benz S 500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
20,700 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Engine operation
1
100.0%
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.
Engine And Engine Cooling
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Engine And Engine Cooling
1
Engine And Engine Cooling: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
0
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: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 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 (1). 0 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.
2024
1
Complaints over time data
Category
Count
2024
1
2024: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Engine operation 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.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalls until the contact engages the vehicle in sport mode. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V704000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The failure mileage was 20,700.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-03.
100.0%Usable mileage1 / 1 records
100.0%Valid incident date1 / 1 records
100.0%Valid filing date1 / 1 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates1 / 1 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
2021
2022
2023
Electrical System
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
628.6%ODI 11450397 · 2,000 mi
The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V00J000 (Electrical System, Communication) however, the parts for the repair were unavailable. The dealer had been notified about the recall and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The contact also mentioned that he experienced a blowout failure with the passenger’s side front Pirell…
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
628.6%ODI 11572673
Camera which provides data to key ADAS features repeatedly malfunctions. Car reports “camera view restricted” rendering many safety features inoperable. It does so repeatedly. Dealer service department says camera cover is malfunctioning and part is on back order. This renders the car unsafe since the various safety features are inoperable and the warning message pops up,so often as to be distracting.
The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the Adaptive Braking System inadvertently activated and the vehicle experienced hard braking. There were no objects in the roadway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer who scheduled a service appointment however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 4,800. The VIN…
The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power, but the contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle seemed to return to normal functionality. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V445000 (F…
New S500 Benz, 1700 miles on the car, 2 months on the road only. Issues started right off the batt after purchasing this new S500. Car refuses to start daily, check engine light, 12v battery light, 48v battery needs service light, come on even tho the cars voltage is not low and is driven daily on highway. Took to the dealer, dealer says car needed to be driven more even tho its driven daily. Dealer stated voltage of the 12v battery was low, they charged the battery manually and stated that the cars ECU recorded a voltage problem. They cleared …
I leased my 2022 S 500, Mercedes Benz. on September 28, 2022 and after about a year, I have had issues with the large screen/radio and cruise control in the vehicle. All events are documented at the Rockville Centre, Long Island service center. I have made numerous complaints beginning in January of this year through emails and was assigned a case number with Mercedes Benz corporate which is 12240831. On numerous occasions, while using the cruise control set to 50 MPH, the vehicle will accelerate to 80 MPH on a highway with a 50 MPH s…
While driving on highway car made a complete sudden full stop This has happened twice in last 60 days Thankful car behind was far enough away to avoid a rear ender Second problem is dealer still not addressing fuel pump recall
This is absolully manufacture design error, it might causing accident day and night to anyone who drive Mercedes Benz S-class what I see it, I had really nightmare in New York city when rainy night, because I can not see side mirror when I need see it, only I can get a refection on side mirror, especially rainy dark night in the city when street lights is reflected from air vent to side mirror and sun lights hit air vent and reflect to side mirror, this is great dangerous for anyone who has Mercedes Benz S-class, when reflection on to side mirr…
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Engine And Engine Cooling
Too few reports for a range
20,700 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 11628889 · 20,700 mi
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalls until the contact engages the vehicle in sport mode. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V704000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The failure mileage was 20,700.
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
1
None
ODI 11628889 · 20,700 mi
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalls until the contact engages the vehicle in sport mode. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V704000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The failure mileage was 20,700.
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2022: 16 complaints · 2023: 1 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2022
3
10
16
2023
1
1
1
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
2022
20
0
1
2023
1
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Engine And Engine Cooling
Engine And Engine Cooling
—
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
1 patterns with matching reports.
Stalling or loss of power
1 mentions · 100.0% of complaints
Median mileage: 20,700 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 11628889 · 20,700 mi
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalls until the contact engages the vehicle in sport mode. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V704000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The failure mileage was 20,700.