Total Complaints
8 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ S400 · model year
2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2011MERCEDES-BENZS400 carries 8 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 2011 S400 is electrical system with 2 filings, followed by engine (2) and suspension (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 2011 S400. 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.
8
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20230601FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I bought a 2011 MB S400 last year. Everything was good till 3 months ago. I smelled a very bad gas leak one day and it gets worse after I fuel my thank. Nobody wants to seat my car after I buy a gas. I realized there is a gas on my driveway under my passenger seat. When I googled it, there is a recall for MB W221 for 2011 models because of the Fuel Filter parts problem. It's not designed for the heat. Somehow, some 2011 s are not part of this recall, and MB doesn't stand on their car even have the same problem. I removed the back seat and everywhere was gasoline because of the crooked fuel filter part. Protective layer was in so many pieces because of the heat. When I wrote the MB, they refused the replace the part, they didn't accept their safety problem that happened for 2011 MB W221 S class. Currently, I wait their respond. It is so sad, they refuse to replace 100$ part in part of recall. Be careful if you buy a MB, it is not designed for the heat, and MB refuses to replace the prob
20210325HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY. THE HYBRID BATTERY WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF TAMPA (4400 N DALE MABRY HWY, TAMPA, FL 33614, (813)543-8419) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER ELECTRONIC MODULE FOR THE HYBRID SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
Mileage: 18,000
20210325ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY. THE HYBRID BATTERY WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF TAMPA (4400 N DALE MABRY HWY, TAMPA, FL 33614, (813)543-8419) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER ELECTRONIC MODULE FOR THE HYBRID SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
Mileage: 18,000
20181128ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FLASHING INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL RELATED TO THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING. A SECOND UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER (PARK PLACE MOTORCARS MERCEDES-BENZ ARLINGTON, 4201 BELTWAY PL, ARLINGTON, TX 76018, 817-807-4800) DIAGNOSED THAT OIL LEAKED INTO A MODULE AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.
Mileage: 122,000
20181128ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FLASHING INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL RELATED TO THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING. A SECOND UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER (PARK PLACE MOTORCARS MERCEDES-BENZ ARLINGTON, 4201 BELTWAY PL, ARLINGTON, TX 76018, 817-807-4800) DIAGNOSED THAT OIL LEAKED INTO A MODULE AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.
Mileage: 122,000
20180913SUSPENSION
'TAKATA RECALL' MY AIR SUSPENSION WONT MAINTAIN THE PROPER AIR TO KEEP THE AIR SUSPENSION INITS PROPER PLACEWHEN PARKED. ALSO THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORS IS VERY ERATIC AND DONT DISPLAY TIRE PRESSURE LIKE ITS SUPPOSE TOO WHILE DRIVNG LOCALLY AND ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS CAR ONLY HAVE 65000 MILES ON IT AND I DIDNT EXPECT THESE PROBLEMS FROM A 2011 MERCEDES WITH LOW MILES.
Mileage: 65,000
20180913WHEELS
'TAKATA RECALL' MY AIR SUSPENSION WONT MAINTAIN THE PROPER AIR TO KEEP THE AIR SUSPENSION INITS PROPER PLACEWHEN PARKED. ALSO THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORS IS VERY ERATIC AND DONT DISPLAY TIRE PRESSURE LIKE ITS SUPPOSE TOO WHILE DRIVNG LOCALLY AND ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS CAR ONLY HAVE 65000 MILES ON IT AND I DIDNT EXPECT THESE PROBLEMS FROM A 2011 MERCEDES WITH LOW MILES.
Mileage: 65,000
20180420ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF TAMPA (4400 N DALE MABRY HWY, TAMPA, FL 33614) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED TSB NUMBER: 10050865 (ELECTRICAL AND AIR CONDITIONING), BUT THE VEHICLE HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED PER THE SERVICE BULLETIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 123,000
Compare 2011MERCEDES-BENZS400 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400 have?▼
The 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400?▼
The most-complained component for the 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and SUSPENSION.
Is the 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S400 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.