Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ S400 · model year
2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S400
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2013MERCEDES-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 2013 S400 is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by power train (1) and unknown or other (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 2013 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20250507ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
-Combustion engine sporadically fails to start. -Combustion engine can no longer be started. -Start/Stop function is sporadically unavailable (READY displayed in yellow in instrument cluster). -Start/Stop function fails to function properly in dangerous road conditions - e.g., when pulling into an intersection, in stop & go traffic, when proceeding at a stop light, etc. -This is the second time this major incident has occurred; this was repaired in December 2020 under manufacturer warranty. The Power Electronics (Electric Motor) Control Unit was replaced. It is clear this is a recurring failure affecting this vehicle. ***Campaign No. 2012080004, November 2012 addresses this exact issue - for this exact car (i.e., Mercedes-Benz S 400 (221.195) V6-3.5L (272.974) Hybrid. However, that Recall Campaign is covers Model Years 2010-2012, but fails to cover MY 2013, which is exactly the same as the covered vehicles. This Campaign instructs to Check/Replace the Power Electronics Module, whi
20250507POWER TRAIN
-Combustion engine sporadically fails to start. -Combustion engine can no longer be started. -Start/Stop function is sporadically unavailable (READY displayed in yellow in instrument cluster). -Start/Stop function fails to function properly in dangerous road conditions - e.g., when pulling into an intersection, in stop & go traffic, when proceeding at a stop light, etc. -This is the second time this major incident has occurred; this was repaired in December 2020 under manufacturer warranty. The Power Electronics (Electric Motor) Control Unit was replaced. It is clear this is a recurring failure affecting this vehicle. ***Campaign No. 2012080004, November 2012 addresses this exact issue - for this exact car (i.e., Mercedes-Benz S 400 (221.195) V6-3.5L (272.974) Hybrid. However, that Recall Campaign is covers Model Years 2010-2012, but fails to cover MY 2013, which is exactly the same as the covered vehicles. This Campaign instructs to Check/Replace the Power Electronics Module, whi
20250507UNKNOWN OR OTHER
-Combustion engine sporadically fails to start. -Combustion engine can no longer be started. -Start/Stop function is sporadically unavailable (READY displayed in yellow in instrument cluster). -Start/Stop function fails to function properly in dangerous road conditions - e.g., when pulling into an intersection, in stop & go traffic, when proceeding at a stop light, etc. -This is the second time this major incident has occurred; this was repaired in December 2020 under manufacturer warranty. The Power Electronics (Electric Motor) Control Unit was replaced. It is clear this is a recurring failure affecting this vehicle. ***Campaign No. 2012080004, November 2012 addresses this exact issue - for this exact car (i.e., Mercedes-Benz S 400 (221.195) V6-3.5L (272.974) Hybrid. However, that Recall Campaign is covers Model Years 2010-2012, but fails to cover MY 2013, which is exactly the same as the covered vehicles. This Campaign instructs to Check/Replace the Power Electronics Module, whi
Compare 2013MERCEDES-BENZS400 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S400 have?▼
The 2013 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 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S400?▼
The most-complained component for the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S400 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2013 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.