MERCEDES-BENZ 600 · model year

1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 600

2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1997MERCEDES-BENZ600 carries 2 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, 1 injury, 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 1997 600 is air bags with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (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 1997 600. 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.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

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

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1

Recent Complaints

20021017ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE ENGINE FAIL AND LOST POWER AND IT WAS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

19981014AIR BAGS

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG WHILE STANDING STILL IN PARK LOT RESULTING IN DRIVER BEING KNOCKED OUT AND TAKEN TO HOSPITAL.

Compare 1997MERCEDES-BENZ600 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 600 have?
The 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 600 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 600?
The most-complained component for the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 600 is AIR BAGS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 600 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.