Total Complaints
7 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ S320 · model year
1997 MERCEDES-BENZ S320
7 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997MERCEDES-BENZS320 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 2 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 S320 is air bags:frontal with 1 filings, followed by seat belts:front:anchorage (1) and seat belts:front:retractor (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 S320. 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.
7
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
2
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160607EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 (NA) MERCEDES-BENZ S320. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT A FAILURE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.
Mileage: 195,000
20050325AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
THE SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
20040902POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DIDN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM THE FIRST TO THE SECOND GEAR. DEALERSHIP HAS WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
20040409FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED A GAS ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALER THAT THE PROBLEM RECURRED AFTER FUEL RAIL WAS BEING FIXED. *AK
20020717SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FRONT SEAT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FULLY EXTENDED AND FAILED TO RETRACT.*AK
20000114CrashFatalAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
HI CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT FORCE AND ACCELERATION CAN MAKE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING ON A S320? NOW THERE IS A S32O HIT THE BARRIER AND FELL IN A DITCH WITH HEAD FORWARD.THE HEAD(INCLUDING BONNET) WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE VERTICAL STRUCTURE COULD NOT BE FOUND BACKWARD'S OUT OF SHAPE .THE BELTS ARE BROKEN AND THE AIRBAGS CAN'T DEPLOY.THE DRIVER IS DEAD.MB SAID THE AIRBAG SYSTEM NO PROBLEM.SORRY THE VIN AND ZIP CODE AND THE DEALER INFORMATION ARE WRONG.I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!! *AK
20000114CrashFatalSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
HI CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT FORCE AND ACCELERATION CAN MAKE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING ON A S320? NOW THERE IS A S32O HIT THE BARRIER AND FELL IN A DITCH WITH HEAD FORWARD.THE HEAD(INCLUDING BONNET) WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE VERTICAL STRUCTURE COULD NOT BE FOUND BACKWARD'S OUT OF SHAPE .THE BELTS ARE BROKEN AND THE AIRBAGS CAN'T DEPLOY.THE DRIVER IS DEAD.MB SAID THE AIRBAG SYSTEM NO PROBLEM.SORRY THE VIN AND ZIP CODE AND THE DEALER INFORMATION ARE WRONG.I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!! *AK
Compare 1997MERCEDES-BENZS320 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ S320 have?▼
The 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ S320 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ S320?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ S320 is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ S320 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.