AI Damage1999 Mercedes-Benz S Class: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mercedes-Benz S Class filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 33% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 22% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 22% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 11% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 11% of all complaints
- Air bags: 3 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (11% 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
- automatic, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 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 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
Airbags in 1999 s500 mercedes failed to deploy in frontal collision with a utility pole at speed estimated between 15-25 mph. Driver was wearing his seat belt.
Mercedes s-class w220 airmatic problems,do something about it ! They are sucking uss outttttt!
Rear view mirror failure on 1999 mercedes benz s320. Mirror is an auto dim rear view mirror and view is obstructed because liquid crystal material is "leaking" out of mirror. This is a design and quality issue that would not occur with a standard rear view mirror.
She immediately pulled on to the grass median when she heard "clunk, clunk" from the rear of the vehicle. I periodically check tire pressures on our cars and checked the tire pressures the previous day and all four tires had approximately 30 lbs. Of air pressure.
Airmatic warning keep coming up, say the car is to low stop.
The srs light on the dash indicates a potental air bag malfunction. The dealer confirms the srs module has failed on my 1999 mercedes s320 making the air bags inoperable.
When I tried to fasten the driver's seat belt it wouldn't release. After two attempts to release the seat belt, it fully released without any tension on the seat belt. The driver's seat belt is completely useless as a restraining device since there is no tension.
The front passenger side and driver side seat belts were not retracting.
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 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S Class has 19 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 9, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mercedes-Benz S Class?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, seat belts, suspension. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (33%), airbag warning light (11%), windows, sunroof (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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.