ENGINE HAS OIL LEAK SIMILAR TO MANY 2011-2012 DIESEL MODEL.
2012 MERCEDES-BENZ S350
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 →Model-year median: 4
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView 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 S350
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 7 owner complaints · 0 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)
- Engine: 3 reports
- Fuel/propulsion System: 2 reports
- Power Train: 2 reports
- Vehicle Speed Control: 2 reports
- Unknown Or Other: 1 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
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
Compare all S350 years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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: 7 of 7 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.
- Engine. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. 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.
Engine complaints
3 reportsI DID SOME RESEARCH ON MERCEDES 3.0L DIESEL MOTORS AND THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE SEAL FAILING ABOUT 50,000 MILES CAUSING THE MOTOR TO LEAK OIL AND THE SEAL AS WELL AS THE OIL COOLER NEED TO BE REPLACED. IT IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 3.0L DIESEL ENGINES THAT WHEN YOU CALL ANY REPAIR SHOP THE FIRST THING THEY ASK IS…
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I DID SOME RESEARCH ON MERCEDES 3.0L DIESEL MOTORS AND THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE SEAL FAILING ABOUT 50,000 MILES CAUSING THE MOTOR TO LEAK OIL AND THE SEAL AS WELL AS THE OIL COOLER NEED TO BE REPLACED. IT IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 3.0L DIESEL ENGINES THAT WHEN YOU CALL ANY REPAIR SHOP THE FIRST THING THEY ASK IS IF THE CAR IS A DIESEL. ALSO THE SEAL REPLACEMENT IS ALL OVER THE MERCEDES BLOGS SAYING THE SAME ISSUE ON THE 3.0L DIESELS. THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO AS IT IS AN ENGINE SEAL PROBLEM AND IS OCCURRING CONSISTENTLY IN ALL THE 3.0L DIESELS IN THE S CLASS, E CLASS, ML CLASS, G CLASS. ALL MODELS THAT MERCEDES SOLD THE 3.0L ENGINE IN THE US.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ S350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT THEN COASTED OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER F…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ S350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT THEN COASTED OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SIDE CHARGE AIR HOSE INTO THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR WAS TORN AND CAUSED THE LOSS OF HOSE PRESSURE. BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No 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.
Illustration