2008 Mercedes Benz R500: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data updated: . 0 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
Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Suspension | 1 |
Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Steering: 1; Suspension: 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 | 0 |
| 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: 0; 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
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 1 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 |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 |
2015: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Steering behavior 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10781744 · 2015-10-13 (October 13, 2015)
COOLANT TANK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LEARNING THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE TANK. EUROFIX IN NASHVILLE TN STATED ITS GOING TO ALWAYS HAPPEN. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FLUSHED EVERY 3,000 MILES DUE TO THE LEAKAGE IS NON REPAIRABLE. STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. AM I ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED VIA THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURER? THIS CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING WITH A BETTER MODEL.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10781744 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
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 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 519.2%ODI 103528822006 MERCEDES BENZ R500. ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN MOVES WITH ALL CONTROLS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AND/OR USING THE TURN SIGNAL. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO HEAT EXPOSURE (I.E CAR PARKED ON THE STREET BEING EXPOSED TO THE SUN). REPORTED TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10781744COOLANT TANK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LEARNING THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE TANK. EUROFIX IN NASHVILLE TN STATED ITS GOING TO ALWAYS HAPPEN. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FLUSHED EVERY 3,000 MILES DUE TO THE LEAKAGE IS NON REPAIRABLE. STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. AM I ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED VIA THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURER? THIS CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING WITH A BETTER MODEL. |
| Suspension | 415.4%ODI 10342364 · 40,000 miAIR MATIC SUSPENSION MALFUNCTION ERROR MESSAGE WITH NO CODES. CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF DEALERSHIP FOR PAST YEAR FOR THIS ISSUE. DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING CAR ISSUED WARNING THAT CAR HEIGHT WAS TOO LOW FOR DRIVING, MANUAL READ TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION. ONCE PARKED AND OFF, THE CAR COMPLETELY DROPPED TO THE GROUND CAUSING THE TIRES TO RUB AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL. ANOTHER OCCURRENCE, WHEN PLACING MORE WEIGHT IN ADDITION TO THE DRIVER CAUSES THE MALFUNCTION ERROR MESSAGE CAUSING A ROUGH RIDE AND THE SUSPENSION TO RAISE UNEVENLY. CAR HAS BEEN TO… | 150.0%ODI 10984228 · 153,525 miMY AIR SHOCKS KEEP GOING OUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES IT HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. MY CAR IS NOW PARK SITTING SIDEWAYS. | 1100.0%ODI 10781744COOLANT TANK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LEARNING THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE TANK. EUROFIX IN NASHVILLE TN STATED ITS GOING TO ALWAYS HAPPEN. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FLUSHED EVERY 3,000 MILES DUE TO THE LEAKAGE IS NON REPAIRABLE. STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. AM I ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED VIA THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURER? THIS CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING WITH A BETTER MODEL. |
| Electrical System | 519.2%ODI 10363056 · 43,358 mi2006 MERCEDES BENZ R500 DRIVERS SEAT FIRE WHEN HEATED SEAT WAS TURNED ON. FLAMES AND FIRE MELTED SEAT AND DAMAGED DRIVERS DRESS. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train | 519.2%ODI 10375749 · 50,453 miAT TIMES THE SHIFT LEVER WOULD NOT WORK. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE MERCEDES-BENZ CAMPAIGN #2006090001 WHICH HAS A NHTSA #10021242. AFTER FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE CAMPAIGN MY VEHICLE WILL START IN PARK AND GO INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE BY ITSELF. THE INDICATER SAYS IT IS IN PARK WHEN IT STARTS BUT SHIFTS TO DRIVE OR REVERSE BY ITSELF EVEN WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE CAR JUST TAKES OFF. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seats | 415.4%ODI 10363056 · 43,358 mi2006 MERCEDES BENZ R500 DRIVERS SEAT FIRE WHEN HEATED SEAT WAS TURNED ON. FLAMES AND FIRE MELTED SEAT AND DAMAGED DRIVERS DRESS. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags | 27.7%ODI 10701716 · 80,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ R500. WHILE DRIVING AT 7 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLID ON THE SNOWY ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT FOREARM, RIGHT SHOULDER, AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE NECK THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 27.7%ODI 10313840 · 44,000 miAT COMPLETE STOP AT STOP LIGHT WITH BRAKE FULLY DEPRESSED THE TACHOMETER SHOWED SEVERAL REPEATED INCREASES IN RPM FROM 600-800 CAUSING THE CAR TO ROCK THEN THE CAR ACCELERATED TO 2200 RPM ACTIVATING THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS HAS RECURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS FROM THE 6-1100. THIS IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH DEPRESSION OF THE ACCELERATOR AT OTHER TIMES WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. MERCEDES LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND I ACCOMPANIED A TEST DRIVE AND ALL PROBLEMS OCCURRED FROM NO ACCELERATION SEVERAL SECONDS TO THE 6-800-RPM ACCELERATION … | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Unknown Or Other | 27.7% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
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.
2007: 0 complaints · 2008: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 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 | Fuel/Propulsion System | Steering | Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/Propulsion System | — | 1ODI 10781744COOLANT TANK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LEARNING THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE TANK. EUROFIX IN NASHVILLE TN STATED ITS GOING TO ALWAYS HAPPEN. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FLUSHED EVERY 3,000 MILES DUE TO THE LEAKAGE IS NON REPAIRABLE. STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. AM I ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED VIA THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURER? THIS CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING WITH A BETTER MODEL. | 1ODI 10781744COOLANT TANK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LEARNING THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE TANK. EUROFIX IN NASHVILLE TN STATED ITS GOING TO ALWAYS HAPPEN. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FLUSHED EVERY 3,000 MILES DUE TO THE LEAKAGE IS NON REPAIRABLE. STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. AM I ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED VIA THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURER? THIS CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING WITH A BETTER MODEL. |
| Steering | 1ODI 10781744COOLANT TANK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LEARNING THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE TANK. EUROFIX IN NASHVILLE TN STATED ITS GOING TO ALWAYS HAPPEN. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FLUSHED EVERY 3,000 MILES DUE TO THE LEAKAGE IS NON REPAIRABLE. STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. AM I ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED VIA THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURER? THIS CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING WITH A BETTER MODEL. | — | 1ODI 10781744COOLANT TANK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LEARNING THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE TANK. EUROFIX IN NASHVILLE TN STATED ITS GOING TO ALWAYS HAPPEN. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FLUSHED EVERY 3,000 MILES DUE TO THE LEAKAGE IS NON REPAIRABLE. STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. AM I ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED VIA THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURER? THIS CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING WITH A BETTER MODEL. |
| Suspension | 1ODI 10781744COOLANT TANK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LEARNING THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE TANK. EUROFIX IN NASHVILLE TN STATED ITS GOING TO ALWAYS HAPPEN. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FLUSHED EVERY 3,000 MILES DUE TO THE LEAKAGE IS NON REPAIRABLE. STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. AM I ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED VIA THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURER? THIS CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING WITH A BETTER MODEL. | 1ODI 10781744COOLANT TANK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LEARNING THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE TANK. EUROFIX IN NASHVILLE TN STATED ITS GOING TO ALWAYS HAPPEN. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FLUSHED EVERY 3,000 MILES DUE TO THE LEAKAGE IS NON REPAIRABLE. STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. AM I ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED VIA THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURER? THIS CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING WITH A BETTER MODEL. | — |
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.