Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Mercedes-Benz 500, most frequently naming the visibility, driver assistance and electrical categories. 1 manufacturer communication is on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1996 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 1997 | 2 | 3 |
| Aug 1999 | 1 | 4 |
| May 2011 | 1 | 5 |
| May 2012 | 1 | 6 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
WHEN IT RAINS THE CAR SHAKES AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE WOULD JUST SHUT DOWN, DUE TO A HARNESS PROBLEM. DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM THE SPEED OF THE CAR IT STARTS TO SLOWS DOWN BEFORE THE ENGINE DIES OUT AND WHEN I TRY TO CLOSE OR OPEN THE WINDOW IT WOULD DO IT SLOWLY, NOT AT NORMAL SPEED. ALSO ANOTHER PROBLEM, THERE'S A MISFIRE IN THE ENGINE. *TR
1996 MERCEDES BENZ S500. CONSUMER STATES TEMPERATURE/ CLIMATE CONTROL MECHANISM MALFUNCTIONED *TGW THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND WITHIOUT PRIOR WARNING THE DRIVESHAFT FELL OUT FROM TRANSMISSION. *AK
WINDOW BUTTON FAILED.
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED.
WHINING NOISE FROM TRANSMISSION.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
WHEELS
REAR WHEEL RIMS WIDER THAN FRONT RIMS - DIFFICULTY IN ROTATING TIRES. *TW
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.