What breaks most · 2010 to 2017 model years
Mercedes-Benz S550 problems by year
Owners have filed 133 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz S550 across model years 2010 to 2017. Three years stand out: 2015 for seat belts complaints, 2014 for steering complaints and 2010 for suspension complaints. The quietest years are 2012, 2013 and 2011.
- Years to check closely: 2015, 2014, 2010
- Fewest complaints: 2012, 2013, 2011
- Complaints on file
- 1332010 to 2017, all trims
- Worst year
- 201541 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 105 fires · 10 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 44kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 29Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1 | 0 | Suspension (6) | |
| 9 | 1 | 2 | Unknown or other (2) | |
| 5 | 0 | 2 | Engine (3) | |
| 7 | 0 | 0 | Wheels (2) | |
| 24 | 4 | 5 | Unknown or other (4) | |
| 41 | 4 | 5 | Unknown or other (7) | |
| 15 | 0 | 5 | Unknown or other (6) | |
| 16 | 0 | 10 | Unknown or other (3) |
What fails on the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 17% |
7 | 0 | — |
| Seat belts | 17% |
7 | 2 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 12% |
5 | 1 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 |
| Wheels | 12% |
5 | 0 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 12% |
5 | 2 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 |
| Air bags | 10% |
4 | 3 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 10% |
4 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 7% |
3 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Roof panel between windshield and panoramic sunroof has developed fine hairline fractures on the polycarbonate panel. Why wasn't my vehicle included in recall 21V-197? Thanks for your time.
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What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -Steering :Electrical Power Assist , Drive Shaft
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Wife driving 45 mph on 4 lane hwwy right front of car falls down on tire pulled off road soon as possibile right front air strut failed ruined tire damaged fender luckly only 45 mph not 80 mph on i-75 interstate or 130 mph on autobon in germany or somebody could have been dead
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mercedes-Benz S550 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2015, 2014, 2010 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz S550. The 2015 alone has 41 complaints, led by unknown or other.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz S550 problem?
On the 2015 model year, the most-reported component is unknown or other with 7 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz S550 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz S550 complaints that include mileage is about 44,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.