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Mercedes-Benz S430Model year report

2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 Problems

Complaints
31filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
111,000miles, 27 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 4.3L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 22 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430. The part named most often is electrical system, with 20 complaints (65% of the total), followed by suspension (8) and exterior lighting (7). 27 of the complaints include a mileage, and 7% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 111,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 38 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 5 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Electrical system: “While driving on my way home my instrument cluster went completely dark this is the first time this happen, park it for 2 days. Tried to open my door battery was dead replace battery found 5 amp fuse blown in the left sam, cluster flicker and went dark. Check my VIN number on the mb website no real LED on my instrument cluster”

NHTSA complaint #10758512, filed 2015-08, 100,200 miles

Suspension: “Air suspension problems. Driving down the road and front end of my car drops and wheels start to touch car body, cant turn the wheels either (only slightly) the fender gets on the way, car is too low. I pulled over in a little bit car raised up to normal position. Happened more that few times. Sometimes it doesn't rises all the way up to normal. Air strut, air pump, valve box or relay failure.”

NHTSA complaint #10565723, filed 2014-02, 94,000 miles

Exterior lighting: “While driving during daylight hours on friday, 6/17/2016, I noticed the instrument cluster panel was very dark. The car was not driven again until dusk, on saturday, 6/18/2016 and I realized all of the instrument panel lights were out, the gauges were not working nor did the turn signals inside the vehicle or the automatic locks, work or the volume control on the steering wheel. The vehicle was in motion at the time of this discovery”

NHTSA complaint #10875334, filed 2016-06, 92,500 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “The gear shifter had locked initially out of the blue, I couldn't get the car out of drive. I turned it off to stop it and then it wouldn't go into park. After the mercedes tech came out it wouldn't start at all. The tech said it was most likely a safety feature which had kicked in. Then the whole right side went down. I am told the airmatic suspension went out. Why? The car said stop airmatic to low. I have never had any problems which may have lead up to these issues. Unfortunately I can not afford the $2,000 to repair this issue with the airmatic. …”

NHTSA complaint #10458206, filed 2012-05, 80,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

7% of the 27 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 94,000 and 143,008 miles.

0%0–104%10–254%25–507%50–7511%75–10052%100–15022%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (27 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 111,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

201272013201420152016201720182020
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
S430 RWD4.3L 8-cyl5-speed automatic152218$4,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 38 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 38 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz S430

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
200612101,8000—19—Not enough data
200511100,0000—19—Not enough data
20041878,0000—19—Falling
20032693,8350—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200231111,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20017390,5000—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200023133,0000—18—Falling

All Mercedes-Benz S430 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 have?

NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 20 complaints (65% of the total), followed by suspension with 8.

Has the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 get?

The EPA rates the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 (S430, 4.3L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 15 city and 22 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 reported?

Among the 27 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 111,000 miles and the middle half falls between 94,000 and 143,008 miles; 7% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.