2006 Mercedes Benz R500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other R500 years
- Not enough data 1st of 3 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Mercedes Benz R500. That is the most of any R500 model year in the database (3 years). The most reported problem area is power train (6 complaints, 23%), typically at around 93,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 4 fires, 3 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 26owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 Mercedes Benz R500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 6 | 23% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 19% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 19% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 15% | 93,250 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 15% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 8% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 8% | 80,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 4% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% | 179,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 4% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 4% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 Mercedes Benz R500 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuumDo not drive
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuumDo not drive
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz R500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the power steering was not functioning, after which the vehicle lost all power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to…
My 2006 R-500 is leaning from the (front and back) passenger side, causing the vehicle to be unsecure to drive... It feels like both side tires are TOTALLY FLAT. I'm not a mechanic, but it looks like the AIR SUSPENSION IS MALFUNTION
The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz R500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The dealer was made aware of the…
I was purchasing a 2006 Mercedes Benz R500 Black on November 3,2021, VIN: [XXX]. in the process of driving the vehicle less than ten miles, part of the part of transmission case broke off. The steering was hard to turn and this is a Salvage vehicle. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF…
The vehicle's rear drivers side brake or reverse light would not go off for a week (to my knowledge) and while sitting in the passenger side i turned on the heat warming device and there was no problem. It was after we had been shopping and returned to the vehicle did we notice a smell of something…
Other Mercedes Benz R500 years
See all Mercedes Benz R500 problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.
Similar Mercedes Benz models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mercedes Benz R500?
Owners most often report power train, electrical system, steering problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 Mercedes Benz R500?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 Mercedes Benz R500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other R500 model years, the 2006 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.