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2012 Mercedes Benz S Class

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
1Owner complaints

Model-year median: 10.5

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2012 Mercedes Benz S Class

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 1 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Power Train: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
2
20091
2012
Compare all S Class years →

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

What owners reported most

Power Train
1

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: 0 of 1 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 →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2012
Power TrainCrash

2012 MERCEDES S550. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SLID BACKWARDS IN PARKING LOT *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAFETY ISSUE WAS REGARDING THE VEHICLE BEING PUT IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER STATED THREE WEEKS AGO, HE HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF PARKING HIS VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT. WITHOUT OPENING THE DOO…

Read full complaint

2012 MERCEDES S550. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SLID BACKWARDS IN PARKING LOT *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAFETY ISSUE WAS REGARDING THE VEHICLE BEING PUT IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER STATED THREE WEEKS AGO, HE HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF PARKING HIS VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT. WITHOUT OPENING THE DOOR, HE TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND WHEN HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SLID BACKWARDS AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MINUTE THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF, THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE PUT IN THE ELECTRONIC PARKING POSITION, RATHER THAN NEUTRAL.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10454119

Recall campaigns

1

11V496000 · Fuel System, Diesel

Oct 3, 2011

MERCEDES-BENZ USA (MBUSA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 VEHICLES INCLUDING E-CLASS (212 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 2010 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2011, R-CLASS (251 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2010 THROUGH APRIL 2011, ML-CLASS (W164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, GL-CLASS (X164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 S-CLASS (221 PLATFORM) VEHICLES. THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER MAY LEAK FROM THE AREA AROUND THE HEATING COMPONENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DIESEL FUEL MAY BE DEPOSITED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.

Remedy: MBUSA WILL CONTACT OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 30, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ USA AT 1-800-367-6372.

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

Defect investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.