Mercedes Benz S problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
4 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
58,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1995 to 2010 model years. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 4 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 25.0% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Equipment | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 1 |
Electrical System: 2; Equipment: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 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 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 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: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 2 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 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2011: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues 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.
Owner report 10426645 · 2011-09-21 (September 21, 2011)
JUST PURCHASED A CAR FROM A 2ND OWNER. CAR RUNS GREAT. UPON DRIVING IT TO A FRIENDS HOUSE, I CRANK IT UP AND I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO MAKE A WHINING SOUND, I TRIED TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND IT KEPT RUNNING EVEN WITH THE KEY OUT. I THEN BEGAN TO SMELL AN ELECTRICAL FIRE WHICH PRODUCED LOTS OF SMOKE. THE CAR THEN SHUT OFF. UPON EXAMINATION BY MY MECHANIC THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BRITTLE AND WIRES WERE EXPOSED. THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY MB. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10426645 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
1995: 0; 2001: 0; 2007: 2; 2008: 2; 2009: 0; 2010: 0
Year-by-year records
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
4 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
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 | 2001 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1100.0%ODI 10426647 · 112,000 mi2001 MERCEDES S500 INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK WHILE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NO TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ,SPEED, LIGHTS, TEMP OR GAS GAUGE. DISCOVER RECALL NOTICE IN 2006 BUT VIN NUMBERS NOT INCLUDED.. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES WOULD REPLACE CLUSTER IF FAILED WITHIN 10 YEARS OF IN SERVICE DATE. CLUSTER FAILED 10 YEAR 2 MONTHS. NO HELP FROM MERCEDES DEALER. *TR | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Equipment | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10372024I WAS ONLINE WATCHING YELLOW SPRINTER AND WHITE SPRINTER? ( NOT FORD TRANSIT) FOR FRAUDULENT CRASH TEST DISCRIPTION. WHILE VEHICLE MUST BE EARLY SPRINTER? HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH? AND V=C3KN6WF5VAAHTTP://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/#SCLIENT=PSY&HL=EN&SITE=&SOURCE=HP&Q=SPRITNER+CHASH+TEST&AQ=F&AQI=G-L1&AQL=&OQ=&GS_RFAI=&PSJ=1&FP=CA05A7BB65E82229.* TR |
| Exterior Lighting | 1100.0%ODI 10426647 · 112,000 mi2001 MERCEDES S500 INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK WHILE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NO TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ,SPEED, LIGHTS, TEMP OR GAS GAUGE. DISCOVER RECALL NOTICE IN 2006 BUT VIN NUMBERS NOT INCLUDED.. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES WOULD REPLACE CLUSTER IF FAILED WITHIN 10 YEARS OF IN SERVICE DATE. CLUSTER FAILED 10 YEAR 2 MONTHS. NO HELP FROM MERCEDES DEALER. *TR | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10279823 · 4,000 miWE TOW A 2009 SMART PASSION CAB BEHIND OUR RV, AS ALLOWED BY SMART AND IN WRITING WITHIN ITS OWNERS MANUAL. TWICE NOW, WE HAVE LOST THE HOOD (OR AS SMART REFERS TO IT, THE SERVICE FLAP) WHILE TOWING. THE HOOD COMPLETELY DISENGAGES FROM ITS LOCATION AND BASICALLY FLAPS AROUND UNTIL THE CAR IS PULLED OVER TO A STOP. DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED TO THE HOOD, AND THE FIRST TIME WE IMMEDIATELY REPLACED IT AT A SMART DEALER WHO STATED IT MAY HAVE BEEN OUR PROBLEM DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE MAY HAVE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED IT.. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
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 | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | Too few reports for a range | 112,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10426647 · 112,000 mi2001 MERCEDES S500 INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK WHILE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NO TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ,SPEED, LIGHTS, TEMP OR GAS GAUGE. DISCOVER RECALL NOTICE IN 2006 BUT VIN NUMBERS NOT INCLUDED.. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES WOULD REPLACE CLUSTER IF FAILED WITHIN 10 YEARS OF IN SERVICE DATE. CLUSTER FAILED 10 YEAR 2 MONTHS. NO HELP FROM MERCEDES DEALER. *TR |
| Exterior Lighting | Too few reports for a range | 112,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10426647 · 112,000 mi2001 MERCEDES S500 INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK WHILE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NO TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ,SPEED, LIGHTS, TEMP OR GAS GAUGE. DISCOVER RECALL NOTICE IN 2006 BUT VIN NUMBERS NOT INCLUDED.. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES WOULD REPLACE CLUSTER IF FAILED WITHIN 10 YEARS OF IN SERVICE DATE. CLUSTER FAILED 10 YEAR 2 MONTHS. NO HELP FROM MERCEDES DEALER. *TR |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | Too few reports for a range | 4,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10279823 · 4,000 miWE TOW A 2009 SMART PASSION CAB BEHIND OUR RV, AS ALLOWED BY SMART AND IN WRITING WITHIN ITS OWNERS MANUAL. TWICE NOW, WE HAVE LOST THE HOOD (OR AS SMART REFERS TO IT, THE SERVICE FLAP) WHILE TOWING. THE HOOD COMPLETELY DISENGAGES FROM ITS LOCATION AND BASICALLY FLAPS AROUND UNTIL THE CAR IS PULLED OVER TO A STOP. DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED TO THE HOOD, AND THE FIRST TIME WE IMMEDIATELY REPLACED IT AT A SMART DEALER WHO STATED IT MAY HAVE BEEN OUR PROBLEM DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE MAY HAVE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED IT.. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED… |
Complaint and recall timeline
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
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
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.
2009: 1 complaints · 2010: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 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 | Electrical System | Equipment | Exterior Lighting | Latches/Locks/Linkages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | — | 0 | 1ODI 10426647 · 112,000 mi2001 MERCEDES S500 INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK WHILE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NO TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ,SPEED, LIGHTS, TEMP OR GAS GAUGE. DISCOVER RECALL NOTICE IN 2006 BUT VIN NUMBERS NOT INCLUDED.. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES WOULD REPLACE CLUSTER IF FAILED WITHIN 10 YEARS OF IN SERVICE DATE. CLUSTER FAILED 10 YEAR 2 MONTHS. NO HELP FROM MERCEDES DEALER. *TR | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1ODI 10426647 · 112,000 mi2001 MERCEDES S500 INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK WHILE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NO TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ,SPEED, LIGHTS, TEMP OR GAS GAUGE. DISCOVER RECALL NOTICE IN 2006 BUT VIN NUMBERS NOT INCLUDED.. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES WOULD REPLACE CLUSTER IF FAILED WITHIN 10 YEARS OF IN SERVICE DATE. CLUSTER FAILED 10 YEAR 2 MONTHS. NO HELP FROM MERCEDES DEALER. *TR | 0 | — | 0 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
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.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.