2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
14
Complaints
0
Recalls
1
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
0
Injuries
71.4
Severity index
Severity index 71.4 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 7 | 50.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 5 | 35.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 3 | 21.4% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 14.3% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 14.3% |
| STEERING | 1 | 7.1% |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 7.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 7.1% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 7 of 14 complaints (50.0%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.