NHTSA vehicle safety data

1995 Mercedes Benz S Class Recalls & Complaints

The 1995 Mercedes Benz S Class has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 27 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mercedes Benz dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1995 Mercedes Benz S Class. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

1995 Mercedes Benz S Class owner complaints

Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 1995 Mercedes Benz S Class, describing incidents dated July 1, 1999 to August 4, 2013.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 22 complaints
Engine 3 complaints
Equipment 1 complaint
Fuel/Propulsion System 1 complaint
Seat Belts 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint

Of the 27 complaints on file, 1 reports a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10541734 · Filed September 3, 2013
WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT DUE TO NAKED WIRES WITH NO INSULATION CAUSING THE HARNESS TO CATCH FIRE BURNING HARNESS AND FRYING THE ALTERNATOR. THE CAUSE WAS SAID TO BE WIRE HARNESS DETERIORATED. IMPROPER INSULATION ON THE HARNESS. *JB
ODI #10451706 · Filed March 14, 2012
THE ENGINE CONTROL/FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 (61,000 MILES), HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT AND IS BEGINNING TO SHORT-CIRCUIT WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION--AND EVEN FIRE--INSIDE MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF…
ODI #10445690 · Filed January 28, 2012
DIESEL ENGINE PREGLOW WIRE HARNESS ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TRACTION CONTROL. *TR

Read all 27 complaints

FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS

NHTSA #09E012000 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA notice

Reported April 7, 2009 · SABERSPORT

Potentially affected: 16,270 vehicles

Owners notified May 11, 2009

Defect description

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Safety consequence

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF YOUR AFTERMARKET LAMP ASSEMBLY IS AFFECTED BY THIS NONCOMPLIANCE, PLEASE REVIEW THE LIST OF MODEL NUMBERS PROVIDED TO US BY SABERSPORT.THE LIST CAN BE FOUND UNDER "DOCUMENT SEARCH" LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1995 Mercedes Benz S Class. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

27 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1995 Mercedes Benz S Class.

Electrical System; Engine

ODI #10541734

Fire

Incident: August 4, 2013 · Filed: September 3, 2013

WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT DUE TO NAKED WIRES WITH NO INSULATION CAUSING THE HARNESS TO CATCH FIRE BURNING HARNESS AND FRYING THE ALTERNATOR. THE CAUSE WAS SAID TO BE WIRE HARNESS DETERIORATED. IMPROPER INSULATION ON THE HARNESS. *JB

Electrical System

ODI #10451706

Incident: August 20, 2011 · Filed: March 14, 2012

THE ENGINE CONTROL/FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 (61,000 MILES), HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT AND IS BEGINNING TO SHORT-CIRCUIT WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION--AND EVEN FIRE--INSIDE MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ CARS OF THE SAME AGE RANGE HAVING THE EXACT SAME DEFECT. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT TO MERCEDES AS FAR BACK AS 1997 THAT THEY CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO RECALL. THE NHTSA APPEARS TO BE LOOKING AT THIS DEFECT AS A SEPARATE ISSUE BY YEAR AND MODEL...IT IS DEFINITELY NOT! IT WAS A SUPPLIER ISSUE FOR ALL MERCEDES MODELS OF THE YEARS 1991-1997 AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS SUCH. YOU HAVE OVER 700 REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM. DO SOMETHING...NOW!!! *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Electrical System; Traction Control System

ODI #10445690

Incident: January 27, 2012 · Filed: January 28, 2012

DIESEL ENGINE PREGLOW WIRE HARNESS ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TRACTION CONTROL. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10381579

Incident: November 16, 2010 · Filed: February 11, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES S-CLASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ENGAGE IN LIMP MODE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION OVER 25 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMING FROM THE WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS CONNECTED FROM THE COMPUTER TO THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THE WIRING WAS DETERIORATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

Electrical System

ODI #10344717

Incident: June 14, 2010 · Filed: July 22, 2010

ENGINE WIRE HARNESS CAUSING MY CAR TO STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10323643

Incident: January 24, 2008 · Filed: April 4, 2010

MY ASR LIGHT IS ON IN MY CAR WHICH IS A MERCEDES BENZ S600 DO TO A BAD WIRING HARNESS ON THE CAR,AND IT PUTS OUT A BIG BIG CLOUD OF SMOKE WHILE DRIVING,I TOOK THE ASR FUSE OUT AND IT STOPS BUT I HAVE TO PUT IT BACK IN BECAUSE THE ABS/AND THE SRS LIGHT COME ON ALSO. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10289906

Incident: January 1, 2009 · Filed: October 26, 2009

1995 MERCEDES S420 ASR COME ON WHILE DRIVING CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO STIFFEN AND DRIVING DIFFICULT IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT WHILE DRIVING. WHILE ASR LIGHT IS ON WHILE DRIVING EASING UP OFF GAS PEDAL CAUSES CAR TO JERK FORWARD WHILE BRAKING. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10267293

Incident: April 27, 2009 · Filed: April 29, 2009

MERCEDES BENZ 1995 S420 WIRING HARNESS CRACKING OF INSULATION LET TO STUCK STARTER WOULD NOT TURN OFF DRAINED ALL BATTERY POWER BECAME VERY HOT. 'ARCING PRESENT IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FROM BARE WIRES DUE TO FLAKING INSULATION ON WIRING. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10248018

Incident: November 2, 2008 · Filed: November 8, 2008

I HAVE A 1995 MERCEDES S320. THE 'CHECK ENGINE' IS ON, INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I TOOK IT TO MERCEDES DEALER SHOP, AND THEY TOLD ME IT HAVE 8 FAULT CODES. THE FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS IS HARD AND BRITTLE. IT TOOK THEM 4 HOURS TO FIND THE FIX THE SHORT. THE REPAIR COST IS $400. THE FIX DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AS THE 'CHECK ENGINE' WILL COME ON AFTER 50 MILES! THE MB SHOP ALSO RECOMMEND THE WIRING HARNESS TO BE REPLACED, COST ~$1,200 FOR THE PART (NOT INCLUDING LABOR). I THINK THIS IS A DEFECT FROM MERCEDES AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALL/CORRECT BY MERCEDES. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10239512

Incident: July 26, 2008 · Filed: August 24, 2008

ENGINE STARTED TO RUN POORLY WHILE UNDERWAY AND THEN QUIT ENTIRELY. TRACED TO SHORTS IN ENGINE WIRING CAUSED BY A DISINTEGRATION OF INSULATION IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE SEEMED TO BE A BURNING AT THE SITE OF THE FAILURE BY THE DISCOLORING OF THE COPPER STANDS. *TR

Other Mercedes Benz S Class model years

Check your 1995 Mercedes Benz S Class VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mercedes Benz S Class at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Mercedes Benz VIN