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1998 Mercedes Benz S Class

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Tires complaints

1 reports
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48,000 miles · Sep 11, 2004
Tires

I HAVE HAD THREE TIRE BOLOW OUTS ON MY MERCEDES-BENZ, IN IDENTICAL SITUATIONS, APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS APART. ALL THREE INCIDENTS HAPPENED ON THREE DIFFERENT HIGHWAYS, AT SPEEDS APPROXIMATING 60 MPH, AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS OF DRIVING. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED IN APRIL 2004, ON I-95 IN NEW HAVEN. THE SECOND OCCURRE…

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I HAVE HAD THREE TIRE BOLOW OUTS ON MY MERCEDES-BENZ, IN IDENTICAL SITUATIONS, APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS APART. ALL THREE INCIDENTS HAPPENED ON THREE DIFFERENT HIGHWAYS, AT SPEEDS APPROXIMATING 60 MPH, AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS OF DRIVING. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED IN APRIL 2004, ON I-95 IN NEW HAVEN. THE SECOND OCCURRED IN JULY 2004 ON I-95 IN DELAWARE. THE THIRD OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2004 IN CANADA ON HIGHWAY 401 IN KINGSTON. THESE WERE THE ONLY OCCASIONS WHEN I HAD DRIVEN IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS. IE: FOR MORE THAN 3 HOURS ON A HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF OVER 55 MPH, DURING THIS YEAR. ON ALL OTHER OCCASIONS THE TRIPS WERE SHORTER THAN 3 HOURS. THE WHEELS ARE DIFFERENT AT EACH OCCASION. THE FIRST WAS PASSENGER SIDE FRONT. THE SECOND WAS DRIVER SIDE REAR, AND THE THIRED WAS DRIVER SIDE FRONT. ON EACH OCCASION, AFTER RETURNING HOME I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP IN POUGHKEEPSIE, AND THEY HAVE ASSURED ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I THEN CONTACTED MICHELIN TIRES, AND THEY HAVE ASSURED ME THAT THERE ARE NO REPORTED INCIDENTS SIMILAR TO MINE. THE FIRST TWO TIRES WERE DISCARED. THE THIRD WAS INSPECTED BY SEARS AUTO CENTER. THERE ARE NO HOLES FOUND. THE TIRES ACCORDING TO SEARS HAD COME OFF THE RIM. THE TIRES INVOLVED BELONG TO A SET OF 4 THAT I BOUGHT FROM TIRE-RACK, AND MOUNTED BY MERCEDES DEALERSHIP IN 2002. SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT, I HAVE DILIGENTLY CHECKED TIRE PRESSURES WEEKLY, IN ADDITION TO VISUALLY INSPECTING THE TIRES BEFORE DRIVING. THIS CANNOT BE A COINCIDENCE. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10090822

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.