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Mercedes-Benz S500Years to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 175 NHTSA owner complaints across 15 model years, no Mercedes-Benz S500 year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 2001 and 2002. The S500 has 10 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 2000Best years'01 '02Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints175Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls101993–2023 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Mercedes-Benz S500 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the S500 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'93'94'95'96'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'21'23
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2023Not rated–/1001 complaint · 3 recalls2021Not rated–/1001 complaint · 7 recalls2007Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls2006Not rated–/10013 complaints · 0 recalls2005Not rated–/10011 complaints · 0 recalls2004Not rated–/10012 complaints · 0 recalls2003Not rated–/10010 complaints · 0 recalls2002Solid58/10025 complaints · 0 recalls2001Solid50/10034 complaints · 0 recalls2000Caution37/10055 complaints · 0 recalls1999Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls1996Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls1995Not rated–/1004 complaints · 0 recalls1994Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls1993Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Mercedes-Benz S500 problems

All model years combined: 175 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system975
Suspension270
Interior lighting241
Exterior lighting211
Power train151
Engine121
Vehicle speed control122
Engine and engine cooling70
Structure70
16 other systems499
10 recalls

Mercedes-Benz S500 recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

82%Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components25V-116 · 2021 · Feb 24, 2025 · 20,339 vehicles57%Communication: auto crash notification24V-807 · 2021 · Oct 25, 2024 · 21 vehicles96%Wiring: fuses and circuit breakers24V-115 · 2023 · Feb 16, 2024 · 31,848 vehicles89%Delivery: fuel pump23V-880 · 2023 · Dec 21, 2023 · 79,676 vehicles89%Delivery: fuel pump23V-445 · 2023 · Jun 26, 2023 · 143,551 vehicles94%Back over prevention: display function22V-493 · 2021 · Jul 11, 2022 · 8,530 vehicles91%Communication: auto crash notification22V-365 · 2021 · May 20, 2022 · 242,722 vehicles100%Steering: column22V-214 · 2021 · Apr 1, 2022 · 4 vehicles96%Exterior lighting: back up lights22V-167 · 2021 · Mar 18, 2022 · 9,156 vehicles96%Air bag/restraint control module: software21V-789 · 2021 · Oct 11, 2021 · 1,311 vehicles
2 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the S500

  1. AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILUREPE07042 · 2002 · closed Nov 20, 2007
    No recall
  2. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILUREPE05062 · 2000–2001 · closed Feb 8, 2006
    Led to recall 06V-028