IllustrationAS YOU SLOW DOWN TO BRAKE THE CAR ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN CAUSING IT TO HIT A BUILDING. *TR
2006 Mercedes Benz S430
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all S430 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 8 of 12 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
12 reportsAFTER 2000 MILES THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND THEN ANOTHER LOUD BANG AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. THEN WE WERE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED ONLY THE BANGS WERE LOUDER AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. THE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET AT 25 MP…
Read full complaint
AFTER 2000 MILES THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND THEN ANOTHER LOUD BANG AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. THEN WE WERE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED ONLY THE BANGS WERE LOUDER AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. THE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET AT 25 MPH AND A CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS MAKING A TURN, THE BANGS STARTED AND THERE WAS THE SAME LOUD BANGING NOISES AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND HAD TO SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY OF THE CAR AND ALMOST ENDED UP OFF OF ROAD AND IN THE DIRT. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK 3 TIMES WITH NO RESULTS. MERCEDES WAS CALLED, AND THEY COULD CARE LESS. WE ARE STUCK WITH A VERY EXPENSIVE DANGEROUS CAR THAT THERE IS NO WAY OF PREDICTING WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN AND IT IS NOT SHOWING UP ON THE COMPUTER, SO MERCEDES HAS NO WAY OF FIXING THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER WANTS TO DRIVE THE AROUND WITH MY HUSBAND BUT WE EXPLAINED THAT TO DRIVE THIS CAR FOR 5-10 MILE OR EVEN 100 MILES IT IS NOT GOING TO GUARANTEE THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AND WILL WE WILL NOT TAKE THE CHANCE OF GETTING INTO THIS CAR AND GETTING INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.