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Mercedes-Benz S600Model year report

2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 Problems

Complaints
6filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
63,988miles, 5 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
14 mpgcombined, 5.5L 12-cyl RWD · 12 city / 17 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 6 consumer complaints for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600. The part named most often is suspension, with 4 complaints (67% of the total), followed by engine cooling (2) and electrical system (1). 5 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 63,988 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 50 technical service bulletins for this model year. Suspension complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign and 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 2 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.

Example complaints

Suspension: “While my daughter driving my car abc light came on and suddenly lost control and had accident. Car went over the center line, climbed over barricade and destroyed the car. Insurance company totlaled the car because it was too expensive to repair. While driving a high pressure hose blew up and car went all the way down to bottom of the suspension, mercedes does not take any responsibilty for this problem and when I searched the internet I found there are hundreds of complains for the incidents like this.”

NHTSA complaint #10780704, filed 2015-10, 100,000 miles

Engine cooling: “The contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz S600. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the distribution hose failed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact inquired about NHTSA campaign id number: 07v263000 (engine and engine cooling) but his advised that his VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was then contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall and offered no further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 63,988.”

NHTSA complaint #10380101, filed 2011-02, 63,988 miles

Electrical system: “The contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz s-600. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the instrument panel went blank and the contact was not able to see neither the fuel gauge nor the speedometer. The contact mentioned that due to the failure he ran out of fuel. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10604565, filed 2014-06, 115,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 5 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 56,923 and 100,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–5060%50–750%75–10040%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (5 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 63,988 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

20093201120142015
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 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 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
S600 RWD5.5L 12-cyl5-speed automatic121714$5,850

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

Recall details for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 → · 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. 50 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 50 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz S600

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2007535,0000—13—Not enough data
2003663,9881—14—Not enough data
20021180,5111—16—Not enough data
20013867,0001—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Mercedes-Benz S600 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 have?

NHTSA recorded 6 consumer complaints for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 is reported most often?

Suspension is named most often, in 4 complaints (67% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 2.

Has the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 get?

The EPA rates the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 (S600, 5.5L 12-cyl) at 14 mpg combined, 12 city and 17 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,850 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S600 reported?

Among the 5 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 63,988 miles and the middle half falls between 56,923 and 100,000 miles; 0% 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.