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Mercedes-Benz S550Model year report

2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 Problems

Complaints
5filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
86,000miles, 3 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 4.7L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550. The part named most often is engine, with 3 complaints (60% of the total), followed by fuel system (3) and electrical system (1). 3 of the complaints include a mileage, and 33% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 86,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 80 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine complaints overlap with 5 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Fuel system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign and 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

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

Engine: “Vehicle cut on fire while sitting lucky outside, the corner of engine passenger side bellow the headlight stores the suspension air pump and electric hydraulic steering pump.. Base on my inspection the ehps heated and set on fire.someone saw the car on fire and called fire dept.. Car was lock and store after hours”

NHTSA complaint #11413503, filed 2021-04, 22,300 miles

Fuel system: “There is a strong smell of fuel in the cabin. When I lifted up the rear seats, where the odor is coming from, I see a film of fuel around the fuel sending unit on the driver's side. I lift up the sound insulation and I see fuel that has leaked on total the top of the sending unit.”

NHTSA complaint #11469134, filed 2022-06

Electrical system: “I purchased this vehicle in July 2020. I did a through check for recalls, warranty problems and could not identify any with this vehicle. From the get go the check engine light would come on. I checked the codes and they indicated an electrical fault on bank 1, oxygen sensor 1. I replaced the wiring harness on that sensor as well as the sensor. From then until now the car would code weekly about the same issue. Eventually I started using a catalytic converter cleaner (it cleans off sulfur deposits) in an attempt to solve the issue. …”

NHTSA complaint #11610863, filed 2024-08

Mileage when problems were reported

33% of the 3 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 22,300 and 92,565 miles.

0%0–1033%10–250%25–500%50–7567%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (3 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 86,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

20192202120222024
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 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 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
S550 RWD4.7L 8-cyl7-speed automatic152519$4,350
S550 4matic 4WD4.7L 8-cyl7-speed automatic152418$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

Recall details for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 → · Check a 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. 80 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 80 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz S550

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20171623,00010—21—Rising
20161557,2285—20—Rising
20154122,3005—20Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Rising
20142430,7505—20—Stable
2013732,4200—19—Not enough data
2012586,0002—19—Not enough data
2011967,4402—18—Not enough data
20101682,0000—18—Falling
20081970,0000—16—Rising
20075470,0000—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Mercedes-Benz S550 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 have?

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 3 complaints (60% of the total), followed by fuel system with 3.

Has the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 (S550, 4.7L 8-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 15 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S550 reported?

Among the 3 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 86,000 miles and the middle half falls between 22,300 and 92,565 miles; 33% 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.