Mercedes-Benz S-Class years to avoid
Every Mercedes-Benz S-Class model year on file (2012-2023), ranked worst to best by severity index - the share of owner complaints that report a crash, fire, injury or fatality.
2015
Worst year on file
110.6
Severity index
Unknown Or Other
Most-reported system
2017
Cleanest year on file
Ranked worst to best
| # | Model year | Severity | Complaints | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 110.6 High | 51 | Unknown Or Other |
| 2 | 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 99.2 High | 34 | Electrical System |
| 3 | 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 74.4 Medium | 25 | Unknown Or Other |
| 4 | 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 69.0 Medium | 29 | Engine |
| 5 | 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 65.1 Medium | 12 | Forward Collision Avoidance |
| 6 | 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 62.2 Medium | 14 | Engine |
| 7 | 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 61.2 Medium | 16 | Unknown Or Other |
| 8 | 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 56.8 Medium | 46 | Forward Collision Avoidance |
| 9 | 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 53.5 Medium | 29 | Unknown Or Other |
| 10 | 2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 50.0 Medium | 22 | Unknown Or Other |
A high rank here means a larger share of this year's complaints described a crash, fire or injury - not that the vehicle is unsafe to drive, and not a reliability or repair-cost rating. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class complaints and recalls by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crashes | Fires | Severity | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 62.2 Medium | ENGINE |
| 2014 | 25 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 74.4 Medium | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2015 | 51 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 110.6 High | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2016 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53.5 Medium | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2017 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.0 Medium | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2018 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 69.0 Medium | ENGINE |
| 2019 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 61.2 Medium | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2021 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 99.2 High | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
| 2022 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 56.8 Medium | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE |
| 2023 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 65.1 Medium | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE |
Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold; a high-volume seller will attract more filings than a rare trim.