Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS · model year
2005 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS
3 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005MERCEDES-BENZS CLASS carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 2005 S CLASS is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and air bags (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 1 investigation file overlapping the 2005 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.
3
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090514ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2005 SMART CAR. MAINTENANCE BOOK SAYS GET TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY, SO WE DID. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED REPLACED. *TR
Mileage: 38,717
20090514AIR BAGS
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2005 SMART CAR. MAINTENANCE BOOK SAYS GET TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY, SO WE DID. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED REPLACED. *TR
Mileage: 38,717
20061021CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
MERCEDES BENZ S 500 HAD TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 12,000 TO 14,000 MILES ON IT. DEALER IS TRYING TO BLAME BRAKE FAILURE ON RUST ON ROTORS DUE TO LACK OF USE OF VEHICLE. I DON'T THINK THE MANUAL WARNS ABOUT THIS. SOUNDS LIKE A MAKE UP STORY TO ME. I HAVE HAD MERCEDES VEHICLES FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS BEFORE. BRAKE FAILURE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT SINCE AT VERY LOW SPEED NO INJURIES. IF IT HAD HAPPENED AT A HIGH SPEED IT COULD HAVE LED TO SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH. *NM
Mileage: 12,000
Compare 2005MERCEDES-BENZS CLASS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS have?▼
The 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS has 3 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS?▼
The most-complained component for the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and AIR BAGS.
Is the 2005 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.