RoadVitals

1997 Mercedes-Benz S320 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
6
Latest Jun 7, 2016
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
5
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 Mercedes-Benz S320, 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

  • Airbags228.6%
  • Seat belts228.6%
  • Heating & air conditioning114.3%
  • Fuel system114.3%
  • Transmission114.3%

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

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THE SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID 10115891 · filed Mar 25, 2005

HI CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT FORCE AND ACCELERATION CAN MAKE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING ON A S320? NOW THERE IS A S32O HIT THE BARRIER AND FELL IN A DITCH WITH HEAD FORWARD.THE HEAD(INCLUDING BONNET) WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE VERTICAL STRUCTURE COULD NOT BE FOUND BACKWARD'S OUT OF SHAPE .THE BELTS ARE BROKEN AND THE AIRBAGS CAN'T DEPLOY.THE DRIVER IS DEAD.MB SAID THE AIRBAG SYSTEM NO PROBLEM.SORRY THE VIN AND ZIP CODE AND THE DEALER INFORMATION ARE WRONG.I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!! *AK

NHTSA ID 717329 · filed Jan 14, 2000

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.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

FRONT SEAT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FULLY EXTENDED AND FAILED TO RETRACT.*AK

NHTSA ID 764075 · filed Jul 11, 2002

HI CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT FORCE AND ACCELERATION CAN MAKE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING ON A S320? NOW THERE IS A S32O HIT THE BARRIER AND FELL IN A DITCH WITH HEAD FORWARD.THE HEAD(INCLUDING BONNET) WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE VERTICAL STRUCTURE COULD NOT BE FOUND BACKWARD'S OUT OF SHAPE .THE BELTS ARE BROKEN AND THE AIRBAGS CAN'T DEPLOY.THE DRIVER IS DEAD.MB SAID THE AIRBAG SYSTEM NO PROBLEM.SORRY THE VIN AND ZIP CODE AND THE DEALER INFORMATION ARE WRONG.I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!! *AK

NHTSA ID 717329 · filed Jan 14, 2000

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 (NA) MERCEDES-BENZ S320. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT A FAILURE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

NHTSA ID 10873088 · filed Jun 7, 2016

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED A GAS ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALER THAT THE PROBLEM RECURRED AFTER FUEL RAIL WAS BEING FIXED. *AK

NHTSA ID 10066914 · filed Apr 9, 2004

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Transmission

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DIDN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM THE FIRST TO THE SECOND GEAR. DEALERSHIP HAS WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID 10090288 · filed Sep 2, 2004

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

Data on this page last refreshed .