AI Damage2012 Mercedes-Benz R350: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz R350 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 63% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- Air bags: 5 complaints (63% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact stated that the rear end of the vehicle was making a grinding sound while the brake pedal was depressed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who completed the inspection mentioned in the recall and concluded that a replacement was needed. The approximate failure mileage was 185,000.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz r350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
"takata recall" - while driving along a county street my vehicle completely stalled. I put in park and it started and went approximately a 1/2 of a mile and stalled again. It did this twice more before I got home where I shut it off and called a tow company to take it to the shop.
Takata recall manufacturer advised me of the defect in may 2016. The letter advised it would take some time to design and ultimately replace the defective part. No further notices have been received with a solution after more than 18-months. No accidents or collisions have occurred to test the bag effectiveness.
Takata recall I received a post card in the mail from tk holdings stating to contact the dealer for a free repair. I have contacted the dealer and they state that the airbags are on back order. The issue is not being resolved in a timely manner
The contact stated that the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed a diagnostic that detected sludge in the engine. The engine was replaced however, the failure was not corrected and the vehicle continued to sporadically stall.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,899 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the R350 has 34 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz R350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (25%), knocking, grinding or other noise (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz R350?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2012 Mercedes-Benz R350 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2012 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.