AI Damage2012 Mercedes-Benz S 550: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S 550 filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and fuel/propulsion system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 60% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 60% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 20% of all complaints
- Engine: 3 complaints (60% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 3 complaints (60% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 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.
From the get go the check engine light would come on. I checked the codes and they indicated an "electrical fault on bank 1, oxygen sensor 1. I replaced the wiring harness on that sensor as well as the sensor. From then until now the car would code weekly about the same issue.
There is a strong smell of fuel in the cabin. When I lifted up the rear seats, where the odor is coming from, I see a film of fuel around the fuel sending unit on the driver's side. I lift up the sound insulation and I see fuel that has leaked on total the top of the sending unit.
Vehicle cut on fire while sitting lucky outside, the corner of engine passenger side bellow the headlight stores the suspension air pump and electric hydraulic steering pump.. Base on my inspection the ehps heated and set on fire.someone saw the car on fire and called fire dept.. Car was lock and store after hours
On september 5, 2019, the contact was alerted by someone of a fuel leak under the rear of the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with nhtsa campaign number: 12v557000 (fuel system, gasoline).
There is an plastic plug in the oil system that leaks oil from the engine on to the exhaust manifold. This was reported because of increased oil consumption, vapor in the engine space and a smell of burned oil.
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 14,283 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S 550 has 16 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S 550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (40%), fuel system, fuel smell (20%), headlights and tail lights (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S 550?
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 S 550 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.