MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS · model year

1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS

32 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1995MERCEDES-BENZS CLASS carries 32 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 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 1995 S CLASS is electrical system:wiring:front underhood with 10 filings, followed by electrical system (9) and electrical system:wiring (2). 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 1 investigation file overlapping the 1995 S CLASS. 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.

32
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

32 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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM1
TIRES1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH1
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM1
ENGINE1

Recent Complaints

20130903FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT DUE TO NAKED WIRES WITH NO INSULATION CAUSING THE HARNESS TO CATCH FIRE BURNING HARNESS AND FRYING THE ALTERNATOR. THE CAUSE WAS SAID TO BE WIRE HARNESS DETERIORATED. IMPROPER INSULATION ON THE HARNESS. *JB

Mileage: 140,000

20130903FireENGINE

WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT DUE TO NAKED WIRES WITH NO INSULATION CAUSING THE HARNESS TO CATCH FIRE BURNING HARNESS AND FRYING THE ALTERNATOR. THE CAUSE WAS SAID TO BE WIRE HARNESS DETERIORATED. IMPROPER INSULATION ON THE HARNESS. *JB

Mileage: 140,000

20120314ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE ENGINE CONTROL/FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 (61,000 MILES), HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT AND IS BEGINNING TO SHORT-CIRCUIT WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION--AND EVEN FIRE--INSIDE MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ CARS OF THE SAME AGE RANGE HAVING THE EXACT SAME DEFECT. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT TO MERCEDES AS FAR BACK AS 1997 THAT THEY CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO RECALL. THE NHTSA APPEARS TO BE LOOKING AT THIS DEFECT AS A SEPARATE ISSUE BY YEAR AND MODEL...IT IS DEFINITELY NOT! IT WAS A SUPPLIER ISSUE FOR ALL MERCEDES MODELS OF THE YEARS 1991-1997 AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS SUCH. YOU HAVE OVER 700 REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM. DO SOMETHING...NOW!!! *TR

Mileage: 60,000

20120128SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

DIESEL ENGINE PREGLOW WIRE HARNESS ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TRACTION CONTROL. *TR

Mileage: 45,450

20120128TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

DIESEL ENGINE PREGLOW WIRE HARNESS ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TRACTION CONTROL. *TR

Mileage: 45,450

20120128ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DIESEL ENGINE PREGLOW WIRE HARNESS ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TRACTION CONTROL. *TR

Mileage: 45,450

20110211ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES S-CLASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ENGAGE IN LIMP MODE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION OVER 25 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMING FROM THE WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS CONNECTED FROM THE COMPUTER TO THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THE WIRING WAS DETERIORATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

Mileage: 81,000

20100722ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ENGINE WIRE HARNESS CAUSING MY CAR TO STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

Mileage: 243,000

20100404ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY ASR LIGHT IS ON IN MY CAR WHICH IS A MERCEDES BENZ S600 DO TO A BAD WIRING HARNESS ON THE CAR,AND IT PUTS OUT A BIG BIG CLOUD OF SMOKE WHILE DRIVING,I TOOK THE ASR FUSE OUT AND IT STOPS BUT I HAVE TO PUT IT BACK IN BECAUSE THE ABS/AND THE SRS LIGHT COME ON ALSO. *TR

Mileage: 149,000

20091026ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1995 MERCEDES S420 ASR COME ON WHILE DRIVING CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO STIFFEN AND DRIVING DIFFICULT IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT WHILE DRIVING. WHILE ASR LIGHT IS ON WHILE DRIVING EASING UP OFF GAS PEDAL CAUSES CAR TO JERK FORWARD WHILE BRAKING. *TR

Mileage: 98,000

20090429ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MERCEDES BENZ 1995 S420 WIRING HARNESS CRACKING OF INSULATION LET TO STUCK STARTER WOULD NOT TURN OFF DRAINED ALL BATTERY POWER BECAME VERY HOT. 'ARCING PRESENT IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FROM BARE WIRES DUE TO FLAKING INSULATION ON WIRING. *TR

Mileage: 189,000

20081108ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I HAVE A 1995 MERCEDES S320. THE 'CHECK ENGINE' IS ON, INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I TOOK IT TO MERCEDES DEALER SHOP, AND THEY TOLD ME IT HAVE 8 FAULT CODES. THE FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS IS HARD AND BRITTLE. IT TOOK THEM 4 HOURS TO FIND THE FIX THE SHORT. THE REPAIR COST IS $400. THE FIX DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AS THE 'CHECK ENGINE' WILL COME ON AFTER 50 MILES! THE MB SHOP ALSO RECOMMEND THE WIRING HARNESS TO BE REPLACED, COST ~$1,200 FOR THE PART (NOT INCLUDING LABOR). I THINK THIS IS A DEFECT FROM MERCEDES AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALL/CORRECT BY MERCEDES. *TR

Mileage: 178,300

20080824ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ENGINE STARTED TO RUN POORLY WHILE UNDERWAY AND THEN QUIT ENTIRELY. TRACED TO SHORTS IN ENGINE WIRING CAUSED BY A DISINTEGRATION OF INSULATION IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE SEEMED TO BE A BURNING AT THE SITE OF THE FAILURE BY THE DISCOLORING OF THE COPPER STANDS. *TR

Mileage: 92,000

20080310ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WIRING HARNESS FAILURE CAUSING STALLING. *TR

Mileage: 47,820

20071125ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

MY AUXILIARY FANS WOULD NOT INITIATE, SO WE DECIDED TO REPLACE THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE FANS. LOW AND BEHOLD, THE WIRING THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THIS SWITCH WAS CRUMBLING LIKE STALE BREAD CRUMBS AND FLAKES. I WANTED TO REPLACE THE WIRE, SO I UNDID THE ENTIRE HARNESS. I FOUND WORSE! THE ENTIRE HARNESS WAS CRUMBLING, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE IT BEFORE BECAUSE OF THE BLACK COVERING AROUND THE WIRING. THE HARNESS IS COMPLETELY RUINED AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THE # OF COMPLAINTS I'M FINALLY SEEING REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. WOW! BAD ENGINEERING ON THE PART OF MERCEDES FOR THIS ISSUE. MY CAR IS A 1995 THAT HAS BEEN GARAGE ITS ENTIRE LIFE, FOR THE MOST PART. I AM GOING THROUGH THE PAINSTAKING LABOR OF RE-WIRING THIS ENTIRE HARNESS MYSELF...AND IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD. *TR

20071115ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

THE FUEL SYSTEM WIRING HARNESS ON MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S600 SHORTED OUT AND MADE MY CAR INOPERABLE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC DRIVE BACK FROM WORK. I WAS ABLE TO 'JIGGLE' THE WIRES ENOUGH TO LIMP TO MY DRIVEWAY. WHILE 'LIMPING', THE CAR CONTINUOUSLY BACKFIRED AND HEAVED TOWARDS THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME, NARROWLY REAR-ENDING THEM. *TR

Mileage: 167,000

20070908ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

ASR LIGHT COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. FAULTY WIRING CAUSING ASR TO FAIL. COST TO REPAIR $1,500. CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN DEFECT.*JB

Mileage: 212,000

20070827ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

MB WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. *JB

Mileage: 161,000

20061211ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

ENGINE STALLS AND RUNS ROUGH. WIRE HARNESS FAILED AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *NM

Mileage: 80,000

20061210EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

I HAVE A 1995 S320 BENZ . ON END OF SEPTEMBER THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I CHANGED THE AIR MASS FLOW SENSOR THAN A MONTH LATER THE A/C SOMETIMES WORK AND OTHER TIMES NOT I CHANGED THE VACUUM HOSES THAT GOES TO AC SOLENOID PLUS THE EGR HOSE, AND ONE WIRE THAT GOES TO THE A/C RELAY. NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN GOES ON AND I CALLED THE DEALER AND ASK IF ANY RECALL ON 1995 S320 THEY SAY NO. YET THERE IS OVER 150 COMPLAINED TO YOUR DEPARTMENT. *NM

Compare 1995MERCEDES-BENZS CLASS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS have?
The 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS has 32 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS?
The most-complained component for the 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD with 10 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING.
Is the 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S 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 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.