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Mercedes-Benz S500Model year report

2002 Mercedes-Benz S500 Problems

Complaints
25filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
73,963miles, 22 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 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 25 consumer complaints for the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500. The part named most often is electrical system, with 14 complaints (56% of the total), followed by suspension (6) and interior lighting (4). 22 of the complaints include a mileage, and 14% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 73,963 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 51 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 9 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Suspension complaints overlap with 3 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.

Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “The instrument cluster in the company car I am driving which is a 2002 mercedes benz model S500 just recently went out completely. I have taken the car in to be repaired and a new fuse was put in and it blew within an hour. I have called mercedes benz directly and they said that the recall 06v028000 does not apply to me. I also called the fletcher jones motorcar dealership and they said the same thing. Both the dealership and mercedes benz refuse to replace the instrument cluster modules based on the safety recall 06v028000. …”

NHTSA complaint #10241600, filed 2008-09, 81,640 miles

Suspension: “My airmatic suspension madey my car go down real low, I pay a lot of money to get the two air matic suspension fix. My rear end is still going down and now the rear is lower than the front. I am just lije the rest of the people that has complaint about this . Nhtsa action number ped7042. I feel they need to make the manufacturer fix this problem before some one get hurt bad or dead.”

NHTSA complaint #10761140, filed 2015-09, 131,000 miles

Interior lighting: “The contact owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500. The contact stated that the instrument cluster had started to flicker and had eventually gone completely blank without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where he was informed that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V028000 (Interior Lighting). The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and provided the contact with the same information as the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000. …”

NHTSA complaint #11441273, filed 2021-11, 135,000 miles

Engine cooling: “Right side catalyst broke apart and failed. It caused the car to run really horrible and stall out many times. Manufacturer doesn't want to be responsible for the repair, even if the vehicle only has 65000 miles. It won't pass the california emission testing. Updated 12/17/14.”

NHTSA complaint #10555977, filed 2013-12, 56,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

14% of the 22 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 56,000 and 127,000 miles.

5%0–100%10–259%25–5036%50–759%75–10027%100–15014%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (22 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 73,963 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.

’063’08’10’13’153’17’20’25
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 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 2002 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.

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. 51 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 51 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 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500 have?

NHTSA recorded 25 consumer complaints for the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 14 complaints (56% of the total), followed by suspension with 6.

Has the 2002 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 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500 get?

The EPA rates the 2002 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 2002 Mercedes-Benz S500 reported?

Among the 22 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 73,963 miles and the middle half falls between 56,000 and 127,000 miles; 14% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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.