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2016 MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC

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

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: 9 of 11 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.

  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Wheels. 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.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

2 reports
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50 miles · Apr 3, 2016
Service BrakesUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

FROM 2014 THROUGH 2016 THE INTELLIGENT DRIVE AND THE DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGE DOES NOT WORK. I KEEP SAYING THE S550 THINKS 200 FEET IS 90 FEET AND 100 FEET IS 30 FEET. WHAT I MEAN TO SAY IS THE SYSTEMS THINK 90 FEET DISTANCE IS 200 FEET AWAY AND 30 FEET IS 100 FEET AWAY. IT DOES NOT MEASURE THE DISTANCE PROPERLY. IT COULD BE,…

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FROM 2014 THROUGH 2016 THE INTELLIGENT DRIVE AND THE DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGE DOES NOT WORK. I KEEP SAYING THE S550 THINKS 200 FEET IS 90 FEET AND 100 FEET IS 30 FEET. WHAT I MEAN TO SAY IS THE SYSTEMS THINK 90 FEET DISTANCE IS 200 FEET AWAY AND 30 FEET IS 100 FEET AWAY. IT DOES NOT MEASURE THE DISTANCE PROPERLY. IT COULD BE, AND MOST LIKELY, A PROGRAMING ISSUE. IT IS THE SAME ON ALL THE 2014 THROUGH 2016 S550'S I HAVE TRIED. THE OTHER THING IT DOES WITH THE DISTRONIC CRUISE CONTROL IS WHEN IT STARTS TO BRAKE, THE DISTANCE SET DECREASES AND THE CAR SPEEDS UP AND AGAIN THE DISTANCE SET DECREASES AND THE CAR SPEEDS UP AND SO ON. IT CHANGES THE DISTANCE ( YOU CAN SEE IT HAPPEN IN THE IN THE MENU SETTING ON THE SPEED AND TACHOMETER SCREEN) AS SOON AS THE CAR AUTONOMOUSLY BRAKES. SET IT AT 200 FEET AND IN REALITY IT IS 90 FEET AND AS SOON AS IT BRAKES THE DISTANCE TO KEEP INSTANTLY DROPS TO JUST UNDER WHAT IT IS SET AT SO THE CAR THINKS THE DANGER IS OVER AND SPEEDS UP AGAIN AND THEN BRAKES AGAIN. AND YOU KEEP GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE CAR IN FRONT BECAUSE THE SET DISTANCED KEEPS CHANGING AND YOU HAVE TO BRAKE SO YOU DO NOT HIT THE CAR IN FRONT BECAUSE THE S550 WON'T. I HOPE THIS MAKES SENSE. IT IS EASIER TO SHOW WITH THE DISTANCE GRAPHIC UP ON THE SCREEN. THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY SCREWED UP. AS IS THE LED LIGHTING SYSTEM IN THE SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN AND SLUSH. CANNOT DRIVE IT AT NIGHT IN A WINTER STORM. IT ALL HAPPENS AROUND TOWN TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I WAS ACTUALLY TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR THE DISTRONIC CRUISE TO WORK I HAVE TO BE DRIVING FASTER THAN 75 MPH. MY 2007 S550 4 MATIC'S DISTRONIC AND AUTONOMOUS BRAKING WORKED PERFECTLY.

NHTSA ODI #10853154

30 miles · Jan 10, 2016
Unknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

IN 2015 MERCEDES BOUGHT BACK MY 2014 S550 DUE TO THE REASONS STATED HERE.THEY ALSO HELPED ME BUY A 2016 S,WHICH CAME IN AROUND 12/18/2015 FIGURED THE PROBLEMS WOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BY THEN.MERCEDES HAD ENOUGH TIME TO FIX THEM IF THEY WANTED TO SINCE I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING SINCE I FIRST GOT MY 2014.I IMMEDIATELY COMPLAINED, WHEN…

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IN 2015 MERCEDES BOUGHT BACK MY 2014 S550 DUE TO THE REASONS STATED HERE.THEY ALSO HELPED ME BUY A 2016 S,WHICH CAME IN AROUND 12/18/2015 FIGURED THE PROBLEMS WOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BY THEN.MERCEDES HAD ENOUGH TIME TO FIX THEM IF THEY WANTED TO SINCE I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING SINCE I FIRST GOT MY 2014.I IMMEDIATELY COMPLAINED, WHEN MY 2016 CAME IN ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES AS MY 2014 HEAD.THE DISTRONIC PLUS.YOU CHOOSE THE DISTANCE YOU WANT TO KEEP FROM THE CAR IN FRONT. ONCE THAT DISTANCE IS SET, IT DOES NOT KEEP THAT DISTANCE.THE CAR THINKS 200 FEET IS 90 FEET &100 FEET IS 40.IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE A CAR THAT PULLS IN FRONT OF YOU THAT IS A CAR LENGTH AWAY & DOES NOT SLOW DOWN.IF A CAR MOVES OUT FROM IN FRONT OF YOU,THE CAR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE CAR THAT WAS IN FRONT OF THE OTHER CAR THAT LEFT YOUR LANE, YOUR CAR SPEEDS UP AND DOES NOT SLOW DOWN FOR THAT CAR IN FRONT AND YOU HAVE TO SHARPLY BRAKE.MY CAR SLOWS DOWN TOO LATE ALL THE TIME AND I HAVE TO APPLY THE BRAKES WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED AUTONOMOUSLY & BRING THE CAR TO A FULL STOP FROM THE CAR IN FRONT MAINTAINING THE PRE SET DISTANCE.THIS HAPPENS USING IT ON SIDE ROADS AND ON THE HIGHWAY. THE AUTONOMOUS BRAKING SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN AT ALL SPEEDS.MY CAR HAS THE DRIVER ASSISTANCE PKG.NONE IN THAT PKG WORK WELL, IF AT ALL. I HAD AN AUDI Q7 WITH THE SAME TYPE OF CRUISE CONTROL,I NOW HAVE A 2015 AUDI Q7 WITH IT.I HAVE HAD 2 FORD EDGE'S , 2 LEXUS LS450'S AFTER THE LEXUS I PURCHASED A 2007 MERCEDES S-550 WITH IT .IN ALL THOSE CARS IT WORKED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. AUTONOMOUS BRAKING AND PRE SAFE AND DISTRONIC CRUISE AND ALL OF THE DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGES AVAILABLE THEN WERE AMAZING IN THE 2007 AND I FELT SAFE IN THAT CAR. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE AT ALL NOW. IF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS IT IS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEMS OR HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE AS I DO WITH THE SAFETY SYSTEMS. OR MERCEDES LIED.

NHTSA ODI #10819210

Official recalls

1

19V787000 · Communication

Nov 1, 2019

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019120008.

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.