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Mercedes-Benz S550Model year report

2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 Problems

Complaints
16filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
23,000miles, 7 complaints with mileage
Recalls
10campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
21 mpgcombined, 4.7L 8-cyl RWD · 18 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550. The part named most often is visibility, with 4 complaints (25% of the total), followed by other or unknown (3) and steering (3). 7 of the complaints include a mileage, and 71% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 23,000 miles. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns and 153 technical service bulletins for this model year. Visibility complaints overlap with 10 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Other or unknown complaints overlap with 3 technical service bulletins 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.

Also reported: Transmission and drivetrain (1).

Example complaints

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “Rear windshield, driver side window, front windshield, rear right passenger side window have large areas (over 1 square foot) of glass distortion made in the fabrication of the glass. Static non moving car situation: when the car is not moving it looks like the shimmering effect of hot air rising up from a very hot asphalt road. All images through the areas of distortion become noticeably distorted like a circus mirror or an alternating convex concave mirror. …”

NHTSA complaint #11002511, filed 2017-06, 50 miles

Other or unknown: “In 2018 I had a cracked windshield, they told me a small rock hit my windshield, had it repaired at the m benz dealership, then in 2019, august I had the same thing happen to my windshield, they said the same thing, had them repair it again, september 2019 & october 2019,had a cracked windshield with an explosive sound, had it repaired, that's 3 in a row at the same dealership, they brushed me off after I complained to them, saying it was pure bad luck 3 in a row in aug,sept, & oct 2019.the vehicle was in motion on surface roads & a highway too at the time of occurrence, it was a small sound…”

NHTSA complaint #11297444, filed 2020-01, 23,000 miles

Steering: “Steering wheel will move in and out, but has stopped moving up and down. The steering wheel is stuck in the UP position. This has caused me to readjust all my seat settings and has made it more difficult to see the dash.”

NHTSA complaint #11673103, filed 2025-07

Air bags: “The leather is coming out of the dashboard as a result of that the air bag on the passenger front window is coming out. you can literally see the white part of the air bag. its a matter of time before the leather comes out all the way and the air bag will pop out. the dealer refuses to fix it and the car is still under warranty.”

NHTSA complaint #11483911, filed 2022-09

Mileage when problems were reported

71% of the 7 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 1,200 and 38,000 miles.

43%0–1014%10–2514%25–500%50–7514%75–10014%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (7 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 23,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

2017201820192020202242023202442025
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 2017 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-cyl9-speed automatic182621$3,900
S550 Convertible RWD4.7L 8-cyl9-speed automatic172520$4,100

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

See all 10 recalls for the 2017 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. 153 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 153 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 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 have?

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 is reported most often?

Visibility is named most often, in 4 complaints (25% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 3.

Has the 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 get?

The EPA rates the 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 (S550, 4.7L 8-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 18 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 reported?

Among the 7 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 23,000 miles and the middle half falls between 1,200 and 38,000 miles; 71% 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.