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Mercedes-Benz S500Model year report

2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 Problems

Complaints
34filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
112,000miles, 25 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
17 mpgcombined, 5.0L 8-cyl RWD · 14 city / 21 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 34 consumer complaints for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500. The part named most often is electrical system, with 21 complaints (62% of the total), followed by exterior lighting (9) and interior lighting (6). 25 of the complaints include a mileage, and 4% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 112,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 30 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 5 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Exterior lighting 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 a 400 mile trip home in the dark, the entire cluster lighting turned off and speedometer began to fluctuate. The situation was extremely hazardous and I was forced to pull over on a major highway to find out what is wrong. As no fuses or relays were blown out, I had to use a small flashlight to illuminate the cluster to get home.”

NHTSA complaint #10621393, filed 2014-08, 106,340 miles

Exterior lighting: “I have had the car since 2010 in june and I have already had to replace the front driver side ball bearing and joints and they have stopped working once again I was driving last week in traffic at around 5 pm when my entire dashboard went out none of the gauges are working I couldnt see anything.”

NHTSA complaint #10939271, filed 2017-01, 138,000 miles

Interior lighting: “My instrument panel lights (dash board) went out on my 2001 S500 mercedes benz car. The lights would flicker on occasionally and go back out. I was able to recover the signal lights by changing the fuses. While on a road trip my kids noticed a smell and smoke coming out of the dash board. We exited the car and flagged down a police officer. We were told to get as much as we could out of the car because it was going to catch fire. Within in seconds my dash board was in flames. I could not believe it. The instrument cluster had an electrical malfunction and ignited into flames. …”

NHTSA complaint #10421253, filed 2011-08, 106,000 miles

Suspension: “Right front end continuously lowering for months. Tried filtering abc fluid and changing filters several times, finally pump failed and required replacing at $4,000. Oem pump only available. After repair, advised that the valve block may still need replacing for an additional $4,000. Also noticed that the front right spring control arm rubber mount was cracked and grinding against the front subframe. Service department recommended both arms and subframe replaced at a cost of around $3,000. …”

NHTSA complaint #10667704, filed 2014-12, 120,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

4% of the 25 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 98,000 and 138,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–254%25–508%50–7524%75–10048%100–15016%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (25 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 112,000 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.

’035’08’11’14’17’20
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 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 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
S500 RWD5.0L 8-cyl5-speed automatic142117$4,850

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 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 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.

NHTSA investigations

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. 30 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 30 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz S500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20061368,0420—17—Not enough data
20051198,3070—17—Not enough data
20041298,0000—17—Not enough data
20031059,1250—16—Not enough data
20022573,9630—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200134112,0000—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20005587,8780—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Mercedes-Benz S500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 have?

NHTSA recorded 34 consumer complaints for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 21 complaints (62% of the total), followed by exterior lighting with 9.

Has the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 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 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 get?

The EPA rates the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 (S500, 5.0L 8-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 14 city and 21 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,850 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S500 reported?

Among the 25 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 112,000 miles and the middle half falls between 98,000 and 138,000 miles; 4% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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.