AI Damage2005 Mercedes-Benz S 500: common problems
Owners of the 2005 Mercedes-Benz S 500 filed 11 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 11
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 64% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 27% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 18% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 5 Latches, locks, linkages 9% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 9% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (64% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 3 complaints (27% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (18% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (9% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 11 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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 door locks would not operate ,the trunk would not open and the seant would not move in any direction. I was driving the 118 freeway in ca . I was doing 65 mph when the incident occured. I had to get off the freeway and drive home on surface streets. Way too dangerous to continue on the freeway.
Tl contact owns a 2005 mercedes s500. The contact stated that the trunk lid failed to remained open and almost fell on the passenger head. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. The technician diagnosed that the trunk struts failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
So, monday I took it back in and told them to check my key door locks, because the door would open. "no key" but would not lock by holding the handle. Also, to check the transmission which was harsh when down shifting when it was cold. I got a call the next day telling me I needed a new transmission.
Polycarbonate headlight lenses, recently substituted for glass by manufacturer, become blackened and occluded over time, rendering headlamps increasingly ineffectual and making night time driving dangerous.
The contact stated that the engine and service light illuminated and there was a loss of brakes. The failure has occurred 16 times. The dealer was unable to repair the vehicle. The contact would not provide detailed information about the failures. The failure mileage was 3,591 and current mileage was 80,000.
Tl contact owns a 2005 mercedes benz s500. While driving 65 mph, the instrument panel lights went out. In addition, the turn signals would not illuminate. She took the vehicle to the dealer and they replaced the fuse. The instrument panel light would illuminate intermittently.
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 10,520 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 29% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S 500 has 11 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 11, about average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Mercedes-Benz S 500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, powertrain. Total complaints: 11. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (27%), brake failure (9%), A/C or heater (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz S 500?
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 2005 Mercedes-Benz S 500 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 2005 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 2026-11-05.