Total Complaints
14 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 500 · model year
1995 MERCEDES-BENZ 500
14 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1995MERCEDES-BENZ500 carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1995 500 is electrical system with 4 filings, followed by engine (2) and vehicle speed control (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1995 500. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
14
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REAR WINDOW | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130422ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DETERIORATED ENGINE HARNESS WIRING CAUSING FORCED LIMP MODE AND OTHER GREMLINS. *TR
Mileage: 123,233
20130422ENGINE
DETERIORATED ENGINE HARNESS WIRING CAUSING FORCED LIMP MODE AND OTHER GREMLINS. *TR
Mileage: 123,233
20130422FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
DETERIORATED ENGINE HARNESS WIRING CAUSING FORCED LIMP MODE AND OTHER GREMLINS. *TR
Mileage: 123,233
20120912ENGINE
I OWN A BEAUTIFUL BLACK 1995 S500 MERCEDES BENZ WITH 142,000 MILES. AS YOU KNOW, THE MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATION KNOWINGLY INSTALLED A BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS IN MODELS '91-'96. THESE ENGINE WIRE HARNESSES, WERE PURPOSELY INSTALLED AND DESIGNED TO BREAKDOWN AND DISINTEGRATE. BECAUSE OF THIS FLAWED DECISION, I NOW FACE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIR COSTS. AFTER RESEARCHING MY VEHICLE'S DIAGNOSIS, I DISCOVERED THAT MERCEDES CORPORATION KNEW THE HORRIFIC, DETRIMENTAL HAZARDS AND IMMENSE FINANCIAL COSTS OWNERS INHERITED DUE TO THE BIO-DEGRADABLE MATERIAL IN THEIR VEHICLES. I FIND IT TO BE CRIMINAL AND SHAMEFUL THAT MERCEDES HAS NEVER TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND HAVE NEVER NOTIFIED POTENTIAL BUYERS OR OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES OF THE HAZARDS AND EXPENSE. THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. THE ENTIRE CAR IS AT RISK AND SO IS MY LIFE. I AM EXPERIENCING ALL KINDS OF MALFUNCTIONS IN MY VEHICLE. WHEN I WENT INTO MERCEDES TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, THE WIRE HARNESS AND ACTUATOR WERE GIV
20120912ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I OWN A BEAUTIFUL BLACK 1995 S500 MERCEDES BENZ WITH 142,000 MILES. AS YOU KNOW, THE MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATION KNOWINGLY INSTALLED A BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS IN MODELS '91-'96. THESE ENGINE WIRE HARNESSES, WERE PURPOSELY INSTALLED AND DESIGNED TO BREAKDOWN AND DISINTEGRATE. BECAUSE OF THIS FLAWED DECISION, I NOW FACE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIR COSTS. AFTER RESEARCHING MY VEHICLE'S DIAGNOSIS, I DISCOVERED THAT MERCEDES CORPORATION KNEW THE HORRIFIC, DETRIMENTAL HAZARDS AND IMMENSE FINANCIAL COSTS OWNERS INHERITED DUE TO THE BIO-DEGRADABLE MATERIAL IN THEIR VEHICLES. I FIND IT TO BE CRIMINAL AND SHAMEFUL THAT MERCEDES HAS NEVER TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND HAVE NEVER NOTIFIED POTENTIAL BUYERS OR OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES OF THE HAZARDS AND EXPENSE. THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. THE ENTIRE CAR IS AT RISK AND SO IS MY LIFE. I AM EXPERIENCING ALL KINDS OF MALFUNCTIONS IN MY VEHICLE. WHEN I WENT INTO MERCEDES TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, THE WIRE HARNESS AND ACTUATOR WERE GIV
20100220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ON FEB 18, I DROVE MY MB S500, 1995 WITH MY FAMILY ON ORANGE HIGHWAY 5 AT 70M/H AND SUDDENLY MY CAR ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE, I WAS ALMOST GET HIT BY THE TRUCK IN MY BACK. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE AND RESTART THE ENGINE AND IT STILL WORKED BUT WITH A RED SIGNAL "CHECK THE ENGINE". I DROVE TO THE NEARBY MB REPAIR STORE AND IT IS A PROBLEM CALLED " ENGINE WIRE HARNESS" DEFECT. THE PROBLEM ALMOST GET ME AND BROTHER KILLED. I AM STILL TERRIFIED. *TR
Mileage: 79,000
20100220ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON FEB 18, I DROVE MY MB S500, 1995 WITH MY FAMILY ON ORANGE HIGHWAY 5 AT 70M/H AND SUDDENLY MY CAR ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE, I WAS ALMOST GET HIT BY THE TRUCK IN MY BACK. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE AND RESTART THE ENGINE AND IT STILL WORKED BUT WITH A RED SIGNAL "CHECK THE ENGINE". I DROVE TO THE NEARBY MB REPAIR STORE AND IT IS A PROBLEM CALLED " ENGINE WIRE HARNESS" DEFECT. THE PROBLEM ALMOST GET ME AND BROTHER KILLED. I AM STILL TERRIFIED. *TR
Mileage: 79,000
20080204ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THE ENGINE/FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1995 S500 MERCEDES-BENZ HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT. WIRES ARE EXPOSED. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AND THE COST IS OVERWHELMING TO REPAIR. I HAVE ALREADY SPENT MUCH IN OTHER UNNECESSARILY REPAIRS. MERC-BENZ SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH POOR MATERIALS. *TR
20080204ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE ENGINE/FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1995 S500 MERCEDES-BENZ HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT. WIRES ARE EXPOSED. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AND THE COST IS OVERWHELMING TO REPAIR. I HAVE ALREADY SPENT MUCH IN OTHER UNNECESSARILY REPAIRS. MERC-BENZ SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH POOR MATERIALS. *TR
20001101CrashFatalSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19980610VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REAR WINDOW
REAR DEFROSTER FAILED.
19980610UNKNOWN OR OTHER
OIL PRESSURE GAUGE NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
19970414SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT AND WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS ON THEY ARE VERY LOOSE. THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT HOLD CONSUMER IN THE SEAT IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED BOTH BUT STILL HAVNG THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
19950522CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TURNING INTO PARKING LOT VEHICLE SURGED 80 MPH TWICE, RESULTING IN TWO ACCIDENTS, DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES IN SECOND ACCIDENT. *AK
Compare 1995MERCEDES-BENZ500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 have?▼
The 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 has 14 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ 500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.