1995 Mercedes-Benz 500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1995 Mercedes-Benz 500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical433.3%
- Engine325.0%
- Driver assistance18.3%
- Brakes18.3%
- Fuel system18.3%
- Seat belts18.3%
- Visibility18.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
DETERIORATED ENGINE HARNESS WIRING CAUSING FORCED LIMP MODE AND OTHER GREMLINS. *TR
I OWN A BEAUTIFUL BLACK 1995 S500 MERCEDES BENZ WITH 142,000 MILES. AS YOU KNOW, THE MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATION KNOWINGLY INSTALLED A BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS IN MODELS '91-'96. THESE ENGINE WIRE HARNESSES, WERE PURPOSELY INSTALLED AND DESIGNED TO BREAKDOWN AND DISINTEGRATE. BECAUSE OF THIS FLAWED DECISION, I NOW FACE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIR COSTS. AFTER RESEARCHING MY VEHICLE'S DIAGNOSIS, I DISCOVERED THAT MERCEDES CORPORATION KNEW THE HORRIFIC, DETRIMENTAL HAZARDS AND IMMENSE FINANCIAL COSTS OWNERS INHERITED DUE TO THE BIO-DEGRADABLE MATERIAL IN THEIR VEHICLES. I FIND IT TO BE CRIMINAL AND SHAMEFUL THAT MERCEDES HAS NEVER TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND HAVE NEVER NOTIFIED POTENTIAL BUYERS OR OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES OF THE HAZARDS AND EXPENSE. THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. THE ENTIRE CAR IS AT RISK AND SO IS MY LIFE. I AM EXPERIENCING ALL KINDS OF MALFUNCTIONS IN MY VEHICLE. WHEN I WENT INTO MERCEDES TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, THE WIRE HARNESS AND ACTUATOR WERE GIVEN AS THE CAUSE AND IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE OF REPLACEMENT. NEVER ONCE DID MERCEDES INFORM ME WHY THE HARNESS HAD FAILED. THE WIRES HAVE BECOME UNSTABLE, CAUSING SHORTS, MALFUNCTIONS, SMOKE, AND UNRELIABLE STARTUP. MERCEDES BENZ KNEW IT FROM THE START, AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION ALSO KNOWS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY MERCEDES BENZ HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS OBVIOUS SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE UNNECESSARY HARM AND DEATH? AFTER RESEARCHING RECALLS, WHAT I FOUND LEFT ME DISGUSTED AND OUTRAGED. I AM UNDERTAKING A CAMPAIGN TO GET THIS OUT TO THE CONSUMER. I WONDER HOW MANY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS, INJURIES EVEN DEATHS HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS SILENCE. HAS NHTSA RESEARCHED THIS? RECALL..IT?S THE RIGHT THING TO DO! *TR UPDATED 10/04/12
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
DETERIORATED ENGINE HARNESS WIRING CAUSING FORCED LIMP MODE AND OTHER GREMLINS. *TR
I OWN A BEAUTIFUL BLACK 1995 S500 MERCEDES BENZ WITH 142,000 MILES. AS YOU KNOW, THE MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATION KNOWINGLY INSTALLED A BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS IN MODELS '91-'96. THESE ENGINE WIRE HARNESSES, WERE PURPOSELY INSTALLED AND DESIGNED TO BREAKDOWN AND DISINTEGRATE. BECAUSE OF THIS FLAWED DECISION, I NOW FACE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIR COSTS. AFTER RESEARCHING MY VEHICLE'S DIAGNOSIS, I DISCOVERED THAT MERCEDES CORPORATION KNEW THE HORRIFIC, DETRIMENTAL HAZARDS AND IMMENSE FINANCIAL COSTS OWNERS INHERITED DUE TO THE BIO-DEGRADABLE MATERIAL IN THEIR VEHICLES. I FIND IT TO BE CRIMINAL AND SHAMEFUL THAT MERCEDES HAS NEVER TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND HAVE NEVER NOTIFIED POTENTIAL BUYERS OR OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES OF THE HAZARDS AND EXPENSE. THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. THE ENTIRE CAR IS AT RISK AND SO IS MY LIFE. I AM EXPERIENCING ALL KINDS OF MALFUNCTIONS IN MY VEHICLE. WHEN I WENT INTO MERCEDES TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, THE WIRE HARNESS AND ACTUATOR WERE GIVEN AS THE CAUSE AND IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE OF REPLACEMENT. NEVER ONCE DID MERCEDES INFORM ME WHY THE HARNESS HAD FAILED. THE WIRES HAVE BECOME UNSTABLE, CAUSING SHORTS, MALFUNCTIONS, SMOKE, AND UNRELIABLE STARTUP. MERCEDES BENZ KNEW IT FROM THE START, AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION ALSO KNOWS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY MERCEDES BENZ HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS OBVIOUS SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE UNNECESSARY HARM AND DEATH? AFTER RESEARCHING RECALLS, WHAT I FOUND LEFT ME DISGUSTED AND OUTRAGED. I AM UNDERTAKING A CAMPAIGN TO GET THIS OUT TO THE CONSUMER. I WONDER HOW MANY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS, INJURIES EVEN DEATHS HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS SILENCE. HAS NHTSA RESEARCHED THIS? RECALL..IT?S THE RIGHT THING TO DO! *TR UPDATED 10/04/12
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
TURNING INTO PARKING LOT VEHICLE SURGED 80 MPH TWICE, RESULTING IN TWO ACCIDENTS, DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES IN SECOND ACCIDENT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
DETERIORATED ENGINE HARNESS WIRING CAUSING FORCED LIMP MODE AND OTHER GREMLINS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT AND WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS ON THEY ARE VERY LOOSE. THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT HOLD CONSUMER IN THE SEAT IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED BOTH BUT STILL HAVNG THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR DEFROSTER FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .