Reliability & cost of ownership
Mercedes Benz S420 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Mercedes Benz S420? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Mercedes Benz S420 problems by model year
0 recall entries and 11 owner complaints on file across 4 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 S420 | 0 | 4 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 1998 S420 | 0 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 1996 S420 | 0 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 1995 S420 | 0 | 5 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Mercedes Benz S420, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- electrical system8 complaints
- electronic stability control (esc)2 complaints
- equipment2 complaints
- wheels2 complaints
- power train1 complaint
- engine1 complaint
- fuel/propulsion system1 complaint
- steering1 complaint