AI DamageMercedes-Benz S350: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Mercedes-Benz S350 across 4 model years: 14 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 36% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
- Engine: 5 complaints (36% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (14% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (14% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 14 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 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
I did some research on mercedes 3.0l diesel motors and there seems to be an issue with the seal failing about 50,000 miles causing the motor to leak oil and the seal as well as the oil cooler need to be replaced.
"takata recall" the vehicle slips into a limp mode while driving. This have happened several times. I'm taking it to the mb dealer this weekend. 11/16/2016. 57kmiles
Vehicle entered limp home mode while entering intersection. Dealership said codes did not indicate an issue and could not reproduce problem. Only actions taken was a computer test and road test. After leaving the dealer, the vehicle entered the limp home mode again this time on the highway.
While driving at freeway speeds car went into limp mode. Engine rmp were limited to 1500rpm and speed dropped to 25mph.this happened 3 times during week of 3/14/16 and again on 3/22/16. Had to make defensive emergency maneuver to steer the car away from the traffic lanes and stop on the side of the freeway.
I have had to repeatedly replace front headlight bulbs since a few years after purchasing this car brand new. I questioned service advisor on many occasions and was told they never saw a car go through so many bulbs. I have several service/receipts document this. The bulb rings are now melted on both sides.
While driving at various speeds, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The engine caught on fire while the vehicle was unoccupied. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
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.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other models of this make
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.