CSR

Mercedes-Benz · NHTSA safety record

2011 Mercedes-Benz S550

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

8

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz S550 have filed 8 safety complaints with NHTSA between May 2015 and April 2025. The most complained-about system is the fuel and propulsion system, named in 2 of them (25%). The typical failure was reported at 67,440 miles, the median across the 4 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

12V557000 · December 3, 2012

The defect
Mercedes-Benz is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 S400, S550, S550 4Matic, S63 AMG, C300, C300 4Matic, E350, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, CL550 4Matic, and CL63 AMG vehicles manufactured from April 18, 2011, through July 12, 2011. Due to an irregularity stemming from the molding process of the fuel filter flange, the fuel filter flange may crack when operated in high temperatures.
The risk
If the fuel filter flange cracks, it will leak fuel which may lead to a fire if an external ignition source is present.
The remedy
Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel filter, free of charge. The recall campaign is expected to begin in February 2013. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. · up to 5,800 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

11V493000 · October 3, 2011

The defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (Mercedes Benz) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 S550, S550 CGI, S63, S600 Bi-Turbo, S65 AMG, S550 4-Matic, and S550 CGI 4-Matic and S400 Hybrid vehicles manufactured from March 3, 2011, through July 30, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)." The tire pressure monitoring system indicators may only illuminate for a portion of the time required by the standard and under certain conditions may not re-illuminate immediately after the vehicle is restarted as required.
The risk
If all four wheel sensors in the subject vehicles are simultaneously malfunctioning or missing, the TPMS will provide an initial warning, but this warning will not automatically repeat on subsequent ignition cycles, failing to remind the driver that the system is offline. Driving unknowingly with incorrectly inflated tires may result in sudden tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Mercedes Benz will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the tire pressure monitoring unit, free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2014. Owners may contact Mercedes Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. · up to 158 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 8.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 25%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 25%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 13%
ENGINE 1 13%
STRUCTURE 1 13%
SUSPENSION 1 13%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 13%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2015 at 1.

2015 2025
2015 to 2025

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ENGINE

fire · towed · 118,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WHICH STARTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HARNESS LEADING TO THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HOUSE OF IMPORTS (6862 AUTO CENTER DR, BUENA PARK, CA 90621, (714) 627-5553) FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OVER A MONTH AGO WHERE IT WAS STILL AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE MANGER WAS ASSIGNED. THE CONTACT SENT PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE AND FAILED PARTS TO THE

NHTSA complaint 11121753, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

crash · 67,000 miles

SHIFTING LEVER IS UP FOR REVERSE, CENTER FOR PARK, DOWN FOR FORWARD. ALL OTHER TRANSMISSIONS YOU PUSH UP FOR PARK. AFTER DRIVING ALL OTHER CARS, EVEN PRIOR MERCEDES IF YOU EXIT THE CAR YOU PUSH THE TRANSMISSION LEVER TO UP FOR PARK EVEN WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING YOU PUSH THE LEVER UP FOR PARK. THIS BECOMES A HABIT, A REFLEXIVE ACTION BUT IF YOU DO THIS IN THIS MERCEDES YOU GO INTO REVERSE. WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IS I STARTED THE CAR IN MY GARAGE AND FORGOT SOMETHING SO I HOPPED OUT WHILE REACHING FOR THE SHIFT LEVER AND PUSHED UP FOR PARK, BUT IT WASN'T PARK, IT WAS REVERSE AND MY CAR STARTED BACKWARD WITH ME ONLY PARTIALLY IN THE CAR. I BARELY MADE IT BACK IN BEFORE I WIPED OUT MY DRIVERS DOOR

NHTSA complaint 11002352, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION:SPRINGS/BAGS

67,879 miles

The contact's daughter owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz S550. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage, the contact noticed that the air suspension had collapsed. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that it was a known failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,879.

NHTSA complaint 11657449. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My driver side Rear seat underneath is leaking gasoline. FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE If the fuel filter flange cracks, it will leak fuel which may lead to a fire if an external ignition source is present. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V557000

NHTSA complaint 11587642. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I am filing a complaint with your agency regarding a fuel pump malfunction with my 2011 Mercedes S550 (VIN# [XXX]), because I feel that the incident below is a major safety concern and is similarly situated to the following NHTSA Campaign #12V557000. On March 15, 2022, I was pumping gas into my vehicle at Costco in Brookhaven, Georgia. The gas attendant and I were chatting about gas prices and so forth. In 10-to-15 minutes Costco's members that were getting gas, were attempting to alert us that an ocean ($88.00) of fuel was rapidly spewing out the opposite side (driver side) of the vehicle's fuel tank. On March 16, 2022, I had the vehicle towed to RBM of Atlanta in Sandy Springs, Georgia.

NHTSA complaint 11457260, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
IABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, I WAS UNABLE TO START MY CAR. IT HAD A WARNING MESSAGE 'SERVICES REQUIRED. DO NOT SHIFT THE GEAR'. WE TOWED OUR CAR TO THE DEALER AND LEARNED THAT THE BACKSEAT FLOOD HAD STANDING WATER! THIS CAUSED THE ELECTRONIC SHORTAGE. WE PAID OVER $2000 TO MAKE THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN. IT LOOKS THAT THE RAIN GOT IN THROUGH DRIVER SIDE BACK WINDOW BECAUSE OF THE SEALING PROBLEMS. IT RAINED LAST NIGHT. I JUST LOOKED AT MY CAR. THE BACK FLOOR LIKES RIVER AGAIN. I AM UNABLE TO START THE CAR AGAIN. NOW WE FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE. WE DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE RAIN WILL GET INTO THE CAR TO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS. WE ARE AFRAID THAT WE MAY BE TRAPPED IN A FLOOD IF WE DRIVE IT IN

NHTSA complaint 11360693, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Mercedes-Benz S550

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2017 16 10
2016 15 5
2015 41 5
2014 24 5

Other 2011 Mercedes-Benz models

Every Mercedes-Benz on this site — 216 vehicles, 576 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst