Total Complaints
5 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ R CLASS · model year
2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R CLASS
5 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2006MERCEDES-BENZR CLASS carries 5 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2006 R CLASS is engine and engine cooling:engine with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (1) and power train (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2006 R CLASS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
5
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140429ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WE THOUGHT THAT OUR CAR WAS BURNING OUT THE REAR BULBS REALLY FAST OR THAT THERE WAS A SHORT. TURNS OUT THAT WHEN WE TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIRS TO THE BALANCE SHAFT, WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS INDEED A SHORT IN THE HARNESS. APPARENTLY, THE C-CLASS IS NOT THE ONLY MODEL HAVING THIS PROBLEM. *JS
20140429EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WE THOUGHT THAT OUR CAR WAS BURNING OUT THE REAR BULBS REALLY FAST OR THAT THERE WAS A SHORT. TURNS OUT THAT WHEN WE TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIRS TO THE BALANCE SHAFT, WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS INDEED A SHORT IN THE HARNESS. APPARENTLY, THE C-CLASS IS NOT THE ONLY MODEL HAVING THIS PROBLEM. *JS
20110111ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2006 MERCEDES BENZ R350 3.5 272 ENGINE CONSTANT CEL FOR P0016 P0017 CAM BALANCE SHAFTS FOR LEFT SIDE INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAM BALANCERS WORN GEARS DUE TO INCORRECTLY HARDENED GEARS DURING MANUFACTURE. IF GEARS FAIL ENGINE WILL FAIL TIMING CHAIN MAY CAUSE ENGINE TO SEIZE OR SMASH VALVES POSSIBLY CAUSING A WRECK IF OCCURS AT HIGH SPEED. MB HAS KNOWN THAT THEIR ENGINES ARE UNSAFE SINCE 2007 ISSUING TSB'S BUT NOT RECALLING ENGINES EXPECTING CUSTOMERS TO PAY FROM $4000 TO $7500 FOR REPAIRS AFTER THEY HAVE DONE MINOR REPAIRS SUCH AS REPLACING THE SOLENOIDS FOR THE CAMSHAFT BALANCERS ( AS I HAVE ALREADY DONE ) DEALERS SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND PRETTY MUCH ALL 2006 2007 272 ENGINES HAVE THIS PROBLEM OVER THE WHOLE CLASSES OF MB VEHICLES NOT JUST R CLASS, BUT MBUSA IS DENYING THIS, SINCE A CLASS ACION SUIT WAS FILED AGAINST MBUSA THEY HAVE STARTED TO COVER REPAIRS TO SOME PEOPLE WHO'S WARRANTIES HAVE EXPIRED BUT NOT ALL....... A PROBLEM EXISTS DEALERS KNOW IT EXISTS AND NOW MBUSA IS STAR
Mileage: 65,149
20110111ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
2006 MERCEDES BENZ R350 3.5 272 ENGINE CONSTANT CEL FOR P0016 P0017 CAM BALANCE SHAFTS FOR LEFT SIDE INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAM BALANCERS WORN GEARS DUE TO INCORRECTLY HARDENED GEARS DURING MANUFACTURE. IF GEARS FAIL ENGINE WILL FAIL TIMING CHAIN MAY CAUSE ENGINE TO SEIZE OR SMASH VALVES POSSIBLY CAUSING A WRECK IF OCCURS AT HIGH SPEED. MB HAS KNOWN THAT THEIR ENGINES ARE UNSAFE SINCE 2007 ISSUING TSB'S BUT NOT RECALLING ENGINES EXPECTING CUSTOMERS TO PAY FROM $4000 TO $7500 FOR REPAIRS AFTER THEY HAVE DONE MINOR REPAIRS SUCH AS REPLACING THE SOLENOIDS FOR THE CAMSHAFT BALANCERS ( AS I HAVE ALREADY DONE ) DEALERS SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND PRETTY MUCH ALL 2006 2007 272 ENGINES HAVE THIS PROBLEM OVER THE WHOLE CLASSES OF MB VEHICLES NOT JUST R CLASS, BUT MBUSA IS DENYING THIS, SINCE A CLASS ACION SUIT WAS FILED AGAINST MBUSA THEY HAVE STARTED TO COVER REPAIRS TO SOME PEOPLE WHO'S WARRANTIES HAVE EXPIRED BUT NOT ALL....... A PROBLEM EXISTS DEALERS KNOW IT EXISTS AND NOW MBUSA IS STAR
Mileage: 65,149
20110111POWER TRAIN
2006 MERCEDES BENZ R350 3.5 272 ENGINE CONSTANT CEL FOR P0016 P0017 CAM BALANCE SHAFTS FOR LEFT SIDE INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAM BALANCERS WORN GEARS DUE TO INCORRECTLY HARDENED GEARS DURING MANUFACTURE. IF GEARS FAIL ENGINE WILL FAIL TIMING CHAIN MAY CAUSE ENGINE TO SEIZE OR SMASH VALVES POSSIBLY CAUSING A WRECK IF OCCURS AT HIGH SPEED. MB HAS KNOWN THAT THEIR ENGINES ARE UNSAFE SINCE 2007 ISSUING TSB'S BUT NOT RECALLING ENGINES EXPECTING CUSTOMERS TO PAY FROM $4000 TO $7500 FOR REPAIRS AFTER THEY HAVE DONE MINOR REPAIRS SUCH AS REPLACING THE SOLENOIDS FOR THE CAMSHAFT BALANCERS ( AS I HAVE ALREADY DONE ) DEALERS SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND PRETTY MUCH ALL 2006 2007 272 ENGINES HAVE THIS PROBLEM OVER THE WHOLE CLASSES OF MB VEHICLES NOT JUST R CLASS, BUT MBUSA IS DENYING THIS, SINCE A CLASS ACION SUIT WAS FILED AGAINST MBUSA THEY HAVE STARTED TO COVER REPAIRS TO SOME PEOPLE WHO'S WARRANTIES HAVE EXPIRED BUT NOT ALL....... A PROBLEM EXISTS DEALERS KNOW IT EXISTS AND NOW MBUSA IS STAR
Mileage: 65,149
Compare 2006MERCEDES-BENZR CLASS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R CLASS have?▼
The 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R CLASS has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R CLASS?▼
The most-complained component for the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R CLASS is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R CLASS 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R CLASS; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.