Total Complaints
9 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 500 · model year
1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 500
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996MERCEDES-BENZ500 carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. 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 1996 500 is power train:automatic transmission with 1 filings, followed by structure:body:door (1) and visibility:power window devices and controls (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 1996 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.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | 1 |
| VISIBILITY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120503FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHEN IT RAINS THE CAR SHAKES AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE WOULD JUST SHUT DOWN, DUE TO A HARNESS PROBLEM. DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM THE SPEED OF THE CAR IT STARTS TO SLOWS DOWN BEFORE THE ENGINE DIES OUT AND WHEN I TRY TO CLOSE OR OPEN THE WINDOW IT WOULD DO IT SLOWLY, NOT AT NORMAL SPEED. ALSO ANOTHER PROBLEM, THERE'S A MISFIRE IN THE ENGINE. *TR
20120503ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHEN IT RAINS THE CAR SHAKES AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE WOULD JUST SHUT DOWN, DUE TO A HARNESS PROBLEM. DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM THE SPEED OF THE CAR IT STARTS TO SLOWS DOWN BEFORE THE ENGINE DIES OUT AND WHEN I TRY TO CLOSE OR OPEN THE WINDOW IT WOULD DO IT SLOWLY, NOT AT NORMAL SPEED. ALSO ANOTHER PROBLEM, THERE'S A MISFIRE IN THE ENGINE. *TR
20120503ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
WHEN IT RAINS THE CAR SHAKES AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE WOULD JUST SHUT DOWN, DUE TO A HARNESS PROBLEM. DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM THE SPEED OF THE CAR IT STARTS TO SLOWS DOWN BEFORE THE ENGINE DIES OUT AND WHEN I TRY TO CLOSE OR OPEN THE WINDOW IT WOULD DO IT SLOWLY, NOT AT NORMAL SPEED. ALSO ANOTHER PROBLEM, THERE'S A MISFIRE IN THE ENGINE. *TR
20110525VISIBILITY
1996 MERCEDES BENZ S500. CONSUMER STATES TEMPERATURE/ CLIMATE CONTROL MECHANISM MALFUNCTIONED *TGW THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. *JB
19990813POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND WITHIOUT PRIOR WARNING THE DRIVESHAFT FELL OUT FROM TRANSMISSION. *AK
19971106STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED.
19971106VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WINDOW BUTTON FAILED.
19971106EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
RADIO ANTENNA FAILED.
19971003POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHINING NOISE FROM TRANSMISSION.
Compare 1996MERCEDES-BENZ500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 have?▼
The 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR and VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS.
Is the 1996 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.