1995 Mercedes-Benz S Class 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 S Class, 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
- Electrical2165.6%
- Engine39.4%
- Driver assistance13.1%
- Fuel system13.1%
- Interior & seats13.1%
- Other / unspecified13.1%
- Seat belts13.1%
- Brakes13.1%
- Tires & wheels13.1%
- Heating & air conditioning13.1%
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
WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT DUE TO NAKED WIRES WITH NO INSULATION CAUSING THE HARNESS TO CATCH FIRE BURNING HARNESS AND FRYING THE ALTERNATOR. THE CAUSE WAS SAID TO BE WIRE HARNESS DETERIORATED. IMPROPER INSULATION ON THE HARNESS. *JB
THE ENGINE CONTROL/FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 (61,000 MILES), HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT AND IS BEGINNING TO SHORT-CIRCUIT WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION--AND EVEN FIRE--INSIDE MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ CARS OF THE SAME AGE RANGE HAVING THE EXACT SAME DEFECT. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT TO MERCEDES AS FAR BACK AS 1997 THAT THEY CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO RECALL. THE NHTSA APPEARS TO BE LOOKING AT THIS DEFECT AS A SEPARATE ISSUE BY YEAR AND MODEL...IT IS DEFINITELY NOT! IT WAS A SUPPLIER ISSUE FOR ALL MERCEDES MODELS OF THE YEARS 1991-1997 AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS SUCH. YOU HAVE OVER 700 REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM. DO SOMETHING...NOW!!! *TR
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT DUE TO NAKED WIRES WITH NO INSULATION CAUSING THE HARNESS TO CATCH FIRE BURNING HARNESS AND FRYING THE ALTERNATOR. THE CAUSE WAS SAID TO BE WIRE HARNESS DETERIORATED. IMPROPER INSULATION ON THE HARNESS. *JB
ENGINE STARTED TO RUN POORLY WHILE UNDERWAY AND THEN QUIT ENTIRELY. TRACED TO SHORTS IN ENGINE WIRING CAUSED BY A DISINTEGRATION OF INSULATION IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE SEEMED TO BE A BURNING AT THE SITE OF THE FAILURE BY THE DISCOLORING OF THE COPPER STANDS. *TR
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
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 70 MPH. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, BUT IT DID NOT SLOW VEHICLE. VEHICLE WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT, ENGINE ROARING AND RPMS IN RED. CONSUMER STEERED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND APPLIED PARK BRAKE, PULLED KEY FROM IGNITION AND JUMPED OUT OF VEHICLE. ENGINE CONTINUED TO ROAR FOR 2-3 MINUTES THEN STALLED, BLACK SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. 6 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS DEALER DID $ 7200.00 OF ENGINE WORK. DEALER DETERMINED THE ACCELERATION WAS CAUSED BY A JAMMED FUEL INJECTOR PUMP.*AK *JB
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
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 70 MPH. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, BUT IT DID NOT SLOW VEHICLE. VEHICLE WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT, ENGINE ROARING AND RPMS IN RED. CONSUMER STEERED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND APPLIED PARK BRAKE, PULLED KEY FROM IGNITION AND JUMPED OUT OF VEHICLE. ENGINE CONTINUED TO ROAR FOR 2-3 MINUTES THEN STALLED, BLACK SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. 6 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS DEALER DID $ 7200.00 OF ENGINE WORK. DEALER DETERMINED THE ACCELERATION WAS CAUSED BY A JAMMED FUEL INJECTOR PUMP.*AK *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
PARTS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BEGAN FAILING. DRIVERS WINDOW WOULD NOT OPERATE AND AFTER MUCH TROUBLESHOOTING BY THE REPAIR SHOP, THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER GAUGES ON THE DASH FAILED AND THE PASSENGER WINDOW AND HORN FAILED TO OPERATE. AFTER DISASSEMBLING THE INTERIOR (SEATS, CONSOLE, DASH, ETC.) THE REPAIR SHOP CAME UPON THE PROBLEM - WIRES SHORTING ALL ALONG THE WIRING HARNESS AND CAUSE SPARKS AND SHORTS THROUGHOUT. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
DIESEL ENGINE PREGLOW WIRE HARNESS ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TRACTION CONTROL. *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
REAR SEAT BELT LOCKS UP. IMPORTED REPAIR SHOP ORDERED SEVERAL SEAT BELTS, ALL WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER & THEY DIDN'T KNOW OF THE PROBLEM. *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
DIESEL ENGINE PREGLOW WIRE HARNESS ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TRACTION CONTROL. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE NOTICED THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT MICHELIN TIRES.(MXV4) I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THAT TIRE. I HAD TWO UNEXPLAINED BLOWOUTS ON THE HIGHWAY, AND A YEAR LATER A "BUBBLE" ON THE SIDEWALL OF ANOTHER TIRE. MY EXPERIENCE AS AN EX-AIRCRAFT MECHANIC (16 YEARS), ALLOWED ME TO KNOW THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE AND I REPLACED THEM ALL. I FELT REALLY FOOLISH THAT I DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY TAKE ACTION AFTER THE BLOWOUTS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO VISIBLE CAUSE EITHER TIME. AS I REFLECT BACK, BOTH BLOWOUTS WERE ON A HOT SUMMER DAY AND THE POORLY CONSTRUCTED TIRE COULDN'T TAKE THE HEAT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A 1995 S320 BENZ . ON END OF SEPTEMBER THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I CHANGED THE AIR MASS FLOW SENSOR THAN A MONTH LATER THE A/C SOMETIMES WORK AND OTHER TIMES NOT I CHANGED THE VACUUM HOSES THAT GOES TO AC SOLENOID PLUS THE EGR HOSE, AND ONE WIRE THAT GOES TO THE A/C RELAY. NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN GOES ON AND I CALLED THE DEALER AND ASK IF ANY RECALL ON 1995 S320 THEY SAY NO. YET THERE IS OVER 150 COMPLAINED TO YOUR DEPARTMENT. *NM
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 .