Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ S400 · model year
2012 MERCEDES-BENZ S400
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012MERCEDES-BENZS400 carries 3 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 2012 S400 is electronic stability control (esc) with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and engine (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 2012 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.
3
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20190108ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY IN TRAFFIC, INTERSECTIONS. VEHICLE STARTS INTERMITTENTLY, RUN, OPERATES HOWEVER, STALLS WHEN TRANSITIONING FROM STOPPED POSITION TO ACCELERATION. A KNOWN DEFECT PURSUANT TO MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2012080004. PRESENTED VEHICLE TO MERCEDES BENZ FOR REPAIR. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE CAMPAIGN AND REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT POWER ELECTRONICS MODULE HOWEVER, THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE AND PRESENTED ME AN $11K ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. MERCEDES BENZ MANUFACTURER REFUSING TO HONOR KNOWN DEFECT RECALL. EXTREME BAD FAITH.
Mileage: 65,000
20190108ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY IN TRAFFIC, INTERSECTIONS. VEHICLE STARTS INTERMITTENTLY, RUN, OPERATES HOWEVER, STALLS WHEN TRANSITIONING FROM STOPPED POSITION TO ACCELERATION. A KNOWN DEFECT PURSUANT TO MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2012080004. PRESENTED VEHICLE TO MERCEDES BENZ FOR REPAIR. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE CAMPAIGN AND REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT POWER ELECTRONICS MODULE HOWEVER, THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE AND PRESENTED ME AN $11K ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. MERCEDES BENZ MANUFACTURER REFUSING TO HONOR KNOWN DEFECT RECALL. EXTREME BAD FAITH.
Mileage: 65,000
20190108ENGINE
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY IN TRAFFIC, INTERSECTIONS. VEHICLE STARTS INTERMITTENTLY, RUN, OPERATES HOWEVER, STALLS WHEN TRANSITIONING FROM STOPPED POSITION TO ACCELERATION. A KNOWN DEFECT PURSUANT TO MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2012080004. PRESENTED VEHICLE TO MERCEDES BENZ FOR REPAIR. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE CAMPAIGN AND REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT POWER ELECTRONICS MODULE HOWEVER, THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE AND PRESENTED ME AN $11K ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. MERCEDES BENZ MANUFACTURER REFUSING TO HONOR KNOWN DEFECT RECALL. EXTREME BAD FAITH.
Mileage: 65,000
Compare 2012MERCEDES-BENZS400 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ S400 have?▼
The 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ S400 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ S400?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ S400 is ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ENGINE.
Is the 2012 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.