AI Damage2014 Mercedes-Benz S 550: common problems
Owners of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S 550 filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 17% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 7 Seat belts 8% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- Visibility: 4 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Air bags: 2 complaints (8% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 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 fire department was also present. There were no injuries; however, medical attention was sought later. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The insurance company deemed the vehicle destroyed. The vehicle was not diagnosed.
When functioning properly, the right passenger mirror tilts downward and to the right when the vehicle is placed in reverse so that the driver can see all objects to the right rear of the vehicle (in the vehicle's blind spot).
I purchased a new 2014 mercedes s550 and the day after purchase, the airbag malfunction light came on. I set up an appointment to have this corrected, and was told it was fixed. A couple of weeks later, I was traveling at approximately 20mph, approaching an intersection where I did not have a stop sign.
We almost got into crash the other day, our 8-year-old kid got our attention that rear seatbelt got very loose and did NOT retract back at all. he almost hit his head. when I asked him if it has been like this he said no, it was tight when I buckled it in. We tried several times to retract it manually with no luck.
The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact became aware of oil spots on the driveway after parking the vehicle.
The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the brake pads were corroded. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was confirmed that the brake pads were severely corroded.
The vehicle dropped at front axle areas on both sides. The next message stated "Vehicle to Low". Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Could not drive regular speed limit almost got rear ended. Reproduced i am not sure, there is however about 3 manufacturer communications on this issue.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -Steering :Electrical Power Assist , Drive Shaft
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 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S 550 has 16 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 24, above average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S 550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, service brakes, steering. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (13%), knocking, grinding or other noise (13%), warning lights, check engine (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2014 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 2014 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 2014 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.