Total Complaints
2 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ S · model year
2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001MERCEDES-BENZS 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, 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 2001 S is exterior lighting with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (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 2001 S. 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
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 |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110921EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2001 MERCEDES S500 INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK WHILE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NO TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ,SPEED, LIGHTS, TEMP OR GAS GAUGE. DISCOVER RECALL NOTICE IN 2006 BUT VIN NUMBERS NOT INCLUDED.. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES WOULD REPLACE CLUSTER IF FAILED WITHIN 10 YEARS OF IN SERVICE DATE. CLUSTER FAILED 10 YEAR 2 MONTHS. NO HELP FROM MERCEDES DEALER. *TR
Mileage: 112,000
20110921ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2001 MERCEDES S500 INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK WHILE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NO TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ,SPEED, LIGHTS, TEMP OR GAS GAUGE. DISCOVER RECALL NOTICE IN 2006 BUT VIN NUMBERS NOT INCLUDED.. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES WOULD REPLACE CLUSTER IF FAILED WITHIN 10 YEARS OF IN SERVICE DATE. CLUSTER FAILED 10 YEAR 2 MONTHS. NO HELP FROM MERCEDES DEALER. *TR
Mileage: 112,000
Compare 2001MERCEDES-BENZS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S have?▼
The 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S is EXTERIOR LIGHTING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ S 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.