AI Damage1997 Mercedes-Benz S320: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Mercedes-Benz S320 filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 33% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 33% of all complaints
- 3 Equipment 17% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 17% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- Air bags: 2 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Equipment: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 6 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 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 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.
Hi can you tell me what force and acceleration can make the airbag deploying on a s320? Now there is a s32o hit the barrier and fell in a ditch with head forward.the head(including bonnet) was damaged, but the vertical structure could not be found backward's out of shape .the belts are broken and the airbags can't…
When the contact attempted to start the vehicle, the air conditioner compressor failed to function. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed, but a failure could not be found. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 195,000.
The srs light appeared on the dashboard and remained on while driving. Driver took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, but mechanic could not duplicate the problem.
While driving at any speed automatic transmission didn't shift properly from the first to the second gear. Dealership has was notified.
While driving consumer smelled a gas odor coming from the vents. Consumer drove the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that fuel rail needed to be replaced. Consumer informed the dealer that the problem recurred after fuel rail was being fixed.
Front seat driver's side seat belt fully extended and failed to retract.
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 13,281 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S320 has 4 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 6, above 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.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- 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 1997 Mercedes-Benz S320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, seat belts, equipment. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (17%), A/C or heater (17%), seat belts (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Mercedes-Benz S320?
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 1997 Mercedes-Benz S320 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 1997 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.