2007 Mercedes-Benz S550 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe transmission problems, including jolting or stuck gears, valve body or conductor plate failures, and sudden loss of power. Air suspension, strut, and ball joint failures, engine stalls, and electrical faults with warning lights also come up often. Mileage varies widely, with many reports between about 40,000 and 100,000 miles and some above 150,000 miles, and several describe stalls or power loss without warning.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission jolts, stuck gears, and lost power

   • 17 complaints (31%)
   • median 64,122 mi at 7.2 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • filed 2007–2019

   Owners describe the transmission jolting during shifts, sticking in a gear, or thumping at low speed, and some say it will not move into gear or surges when shifting. Several complaints say a conductor plate or valve body in the transmission failed, and some describe the car losing power or stalling without warning. Dealers and independent shops reportedly replaced valve bodies or conductor plates, and some owners say the failure came back after the repair or that the vehicle was never repaired. A few describe losing power on an interstate or while merging, and owners say those episodes created a safety concern. Mileage is recorded for most of these, ranging from about 6,000 to 160,000 miles, with many between about 40,000 and 100,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the transmission has had a valve body or conductor plate repair and whether a shift-quality service bulletin applies, and check the service records for stuck-gear or jolting complaints. During a test drive, test shifts from park to drive and reverse, and watch for jolts, slipping, or delayed engagement, especially after the car has been parked on an incline.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Without any warning the transmission went out on 2007 mercedes S550 with only 40,000 miles on it. I purchased the vehicle brand new and had maintained service with mercedes and had all the records. The car was a few months out of the manufactures warranty yet I been very well maintained and had low mileage considering I bought it when they first came out in 2006. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10383065, filed 2011-02, 42,000 miles

   “My 2007 mb S550 base model stalled as I was merging on to the expressway in heavy traffic. After sitting on side of the road for 20mins, I started the car and it was making a whining noise and when I accelerate the noise gets louder. I drove the car to the nearest Mercedes-Benz dealership. I was told that the transmission needs to be replaced. The car has been serviced with mercedes and only has 100k miles. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11204093, filed 2019-04, 100,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Engine stalls or shuts down while driving

   • 13 complaints (24%)
   • median 67,000 mi at 8.5 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2009–2019

   Owners describe the engine stalling or shutting down while driving, sometimes with no warning lights and sometimes at low speeds, and some say the car restarted after a wait or after a system reset. Dealers in some complaints linked stalls to a camshaft sensor, a timing component, an alternator, or a transmission part. Some owners say the dealer could not diagnose the failure, and others had the vehicle towed after it stalled. Mileage is recorded for most of these, ranging from about 14,000 to 170,000 miles, and several describe stalls at low speeds or at traffic lights.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask the dealer to read stored codes for stall events, including camshaft sensor or alternator codes, and whether a transmission valve body repair or the balance shaft sprocket warranty program applies. Before buying, check the charging system and watch for warning lights during a test drive, since several stalls were reported without any warning.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Without any apparent reason the engine stalled, transmission appear not to be functioning properly. Car return to function normally after being parked for 2 or 3 hours. Today 4/20/2009 car appear to be experiencing the same problem, please notice that dashboard indicator is alerting of any malfunctioning.”

   NHTSA complaint #10266259, filed 2009-04, 14,000 miles

   “Balance shaft/idle gear material wore out causing timing chain to become loose and engine to jump timing while driving. Engine locked up and died while going down the highway! Expensive repair that mercedes benz knows about!! They have an internal memo with a list of VIN numbers that have the faulty idler gear that wears out prematurely but won't recall the product because it usually wears out just after warrantee period! Something must be done!”

   NHTSA complaint #11118429, filed 2018-08, 55,000 miles
3. 3
   Suspension

   Air suspension, strut, and ball joint failures

   • 12 complaints (22%)
   • median 120,000 mi at 10.6 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2013–2024

   Owners describe air suspension failures, with the car leaning, bouncing, or pulling side to side, and a suspension warning appearing. Other complaints describe ball joints and control arms that wear out or dry out, producing noise and shaking in turns, and a strut that fractured so the body collapsed onto a front tire. Some describe steering pull or a near collision at highway speed, and several say the vehicle was not repaired after diagnosis. Mileage is recorded for most of these, ranging from about 41,000 to 205,000 miles, and several describe the problem at highway speeds or during turns.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask the dealer whether the air suspension compressor, valve block, struts, and ball joints have been inspected, and whether the front strut creaking bulletin applies to the vehicle. During a test drive, check for leaning after the car sits, bouncing over bumps, and any noise or pull when turning.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had a 2007 S550 as I am going 70 miles per hour on a busy 405 freeway. And suddenly my vehicle front suspension full hard to the right almost collided with the vehicle on my right lane. But thank to the quick action of the driver on my right lane (he quickly change to the next lane when he saw my vehicle too close to his vehicle). If he not quickly changed to the next lane I am sure there is a multiple vehicle accident because it happen so quickly by the time I am reacted to control the vehicle, my vehicle already in his lane. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10743495, filed 2015-07, 169,500 miles

   “Vehicle's body movement or damping motion while traveling on highway responds awkwardly. The vehicle has a waddle or a side to side motion instead of an up/down motion while traveling over the highway at 60 mph. My initial thoughts were to replace the vehicle's (air ride) struts. I chose to have Mercedes-Benz of Tyler analyze the vehicle ride problems which at that time involved the self -leveling adjustment (up/down) of the vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11591987, filed 2024-06
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Surges, lurches, or no response when accelerating

   • 12 complaints (22%)
   • median 67,700 mi at 6.1 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2007–2020

   Owners describe the vehicle surging or lunging forward while idling in traffic, when releasing the brake, or when shifting into first gear. Others describe a delayed or missing response to the accelerator pedal at a light, with engine speed rising while the car barely moves, and in some cases the car lost power on an interstate or stopped without warning. According to complaints, a dealer could not duplicate the surge, and the manufacturer advised driving in second gear instead of first. Mileage is recorded for most of these, ranging from about 6,000 to 136,000 miles, and several describe the event at low speeds or while stopped.

   What to check: During a test drive in traffic, check for surging when the brake is released and try a shift into first, watching for any unexpected forward movement. Ask the dealer whether any transmission or throttle-related service bulletin has been checked, since some of these failures were not reproduced during inspection.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving my S550 and came to a red light. I stopped at the light and when it turned green, I took my foot off the brakes and pressed the accelerator, but there was to response to pressing the accelerator. The car rpms were increasing but the vehicle was crawling at less than 5mph. This LED to me pulling over and parking the vehicle and turning it off. I waited 5 minutes and then restarted it and it began to work normally. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10585032, filed 2014-04, 136,000 miles

   “I was driving my S550 and came to a red light. I stopped at the light and when it turned green, I took my foot off the brakes and pressed the accelerator, but there was to response to pressing the accelerator. The car rpms were increasing but the vehicle was crawling at less than 5mph. This LED to me pulling over and parking the vehicle and turning it off. I waited 5 minutes and then restarted it and it began to work normally. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10618927, filed 2014-08
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults, warning lights, and smoke or flames

   • 11 complaints (20%)
   • median 62,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2024

   Owners report brief electrical failures that switch off headlights and interior lights, trigger stability warning lights, and force the command display to reboot. Some describe a control unit that turns on and off after a wiring harness leak, and others describe uninsulated headlight wiring that arced, smoked, and switched off the high beams. A complaint describes flames in the grille and headlight area, and the fire department reportedly linked the fire to an electrical failure in the headlight unit. Dealers replaced a steering control module and a control unit in some cases, and an unknown warning light was reported to come and go while driving. Mileage is recorded for only some of these, ranging from about 51,000 to 90,000 miles, and the complaints describe the failures as brief or intermittent.

   What to check: Ask the dealer to check the wiring harness, control unit, and alternator for leaks, heat damage, or stored fault codes, and whether any headlight wiring repair has been completed. During a walk-around, look at headlight wiring and connectors for damage or heat marks, and watch the warning lights during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle shuts off for a second the esp and ABS lights would come on, the steering wheel of the vehicle would get stiff, the brakes get stiff the headlights and interior lights would go off, and the command center would reboot. It seems like the vehicle is experiencing a brief electrical failure. I have been complaining of this problem since I purchased the vehicle as a certified preowned vehicle. The first time I took the vehicle to the dealership the replaced the steering control module and the problem persisted. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10388348, filed 2011-03, 61,000 miles

   “I went to replace my low beam and high beam bulbs on the passenger side and found that the wiring for the low beam had 0 insulation on it and I installed the new high beam bulb and the wires starting arcing causing the car to turn off the high beams and start smoking from the headlight assembly.”

   NHTSA complaint #11616129, filed 2024-09

Buying note. For someone considering this model year, the complaints point to having the transmission shifting, suspension components, and any stall history checked by a qualified technician before purchase, and to asking whether any transmission repair or service bulletin has been completed. Mileage and dealer records help show whether a symptom returned after a repair.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 52 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.