AI Damage2008 Mercedes-Benz S63: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz S63 filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electronic stability control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 40% of all complaints
- 2 Electronic stability control 20% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 20% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 20% of all complaints
- 5 Wheels 20% of all complaints
- Engine: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 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 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
About 2 to 3 weeks ago I suddenly started smelling faint gas outside the vehicle on the driver side. Over 2 weeks it got stronger and finally I was able to smell it inside and immediately investigated.
I bougt my car 5 months ago I have 52,667 miles on it last week my car just broke down it was towed to dealer and I had to replace thermostat and belt tensioner I paid $1572.58 for it when I received my car it was started but after arriving home I turned off the car and left it after a while a herd weird noise I…
The engine hyrdo locked at 66000 miles and failed a piston rod according to mercedes. Car was maintained and showed no abnormal functionality, just prior to incident at highway speed. Engine locked up. This appears to be a common problem with this car and could be associated with failed head bolt stud.
Heading west on I-10 around 7pm on october 17, 2015 just before mile marker 42. Road construction cut old asphalt out and left a groove over 4" high. I changed lanes and blew one tire (cut side wall straight through on right front tire) our and gouged the other tire.
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 14,283 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S63 has 2 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
- Fuel/propulsion 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 2008 Mercedes-Benz S63?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electronic stability control, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (20%), windows, sunroof (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz S63?
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 2008 Mercedes-Benz S63 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 2008 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.