AI Damage1995 Mercedes-Benz S Class: common problems
Owners of the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S Class filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 27
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 81% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 4% of all complaints
- 4 Equipment 4% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 4% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 4% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 4% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 22 complaints (81% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (7% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (4% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (4% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (4% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.2 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 4.2 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- 5 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- 6 L · petrol · 12 cyl
- 3.5 L · diesel · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
- automatic, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 27 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 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
Wire harness shorted out due to naked wires with no insulation causing the harness to catch fire burning harness and frying the alternator. The cause was said to be wire harness deteriorated. Improper insulation on the harness.
The engine control/fuel injection wiring harness of my 1995 mercedes-benz s420 (61,000 miles), has cracked insulation throughout and is beginning to short-circuit with the risk of causing dangerous engine malfunction--and even fire--inside my engine compartment.
The contact stated that the vehicle would independently engage in limp mode causing the vehicle to become resistant to acceleration over 25 mph. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the failure was coming from the wiring harness that was connected from the computer to the engine.
Engine started to run poorly while underway and then quit entirely. Traced to shorts in engine wiring caused by a disintegration of insulation in engine compartment. There seemed to be a burning at the site of the failure by the discoloring of the copper stands.
On end of september the engine light comes on and I changed the air mass flow sensor than a month later the a/c sometimes work and other times not I changed the vacuum hoses that goes to ac solenoid plus the egr hose, and one wire that goes to the a/c relay.
I had two unexplained blowouts on the highway, and a year later a "bubble" on the sidewall of another tire. My experience as an ex-aircraft mechanic (16 years), allowed me to know these tires are unsafe and I replaced them all.
Engine continued to roar for 2-3 minutes then stalled, black smoke from the exhaust. 6 weeks prior to this dealer did $ 7200.00 of engine work. Dealer determined the acceleration was caused by a jammed fuel injector pump.
Rear seat belt locks up. Imported repair shop ordered several seat belts, all were having the same problem. Consumer contacted manufacturer & they didn't know of the problem.
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 7,189 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S Class has 19 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 27, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S Class?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, engine. Total complaints: 27. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (22%), stalls while driving (22%), warning lights, check engine (15%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S Class?
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 1995 Mercedes-Benz S Class 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 1995 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.