2016 Mercedes-Benz S550 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other S550 years
- About as many complaints as other years 7th of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz S550. That ranks 7th out of 10 S550 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is unknown or other (6 complaints, 40%), typically at around 51,178 miles. Complaints mention 1 injury. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 15owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Mercedes-Benz S550 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 40% | 51,178 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 20% | 51,178 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 7% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 7% | 139,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Mercedes-Benz S550 recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure:body:roof and pillars
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014-2020 C-Class, CLA, GLA, S-Class, GLC, and GLE vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair, allowing the front panel to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 2, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on, March 22,2024, and August 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-197.
Structure:body:roof and pillars
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45 AMG, 2018 GLC63 AMG, 2014-2017 S550, 2018-2020 S450, 2016-2019 GLE63 Coupe AMG, 2016 GLE450 Coupe, 2014-2020 S63 AMG, 2018-2019 S560, and 2019 GLC350e vehicles equipped with a panoramic sunroof. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair.
Risk: The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021 and October 26, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Communication
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf
Risk: An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019120008.
Seat belts
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 S63 AMG Coupe, S65 AMG Coupe, S550 Coupe 4Matic, S63 AMG 4Matic Convertible, and S550 Convertible vehicles manufactured June 29, 2015, to March 15, 2016. The seat belt extenders on the affected vehicles may not retract as intended and may potentially break the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat belt extender does not retract and/or the extender breaks, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the control unit software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in mid-December 2016. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 S550 Coupe 4MATIC, S63 AMG Coupe 4MATIC, S65 AMG Coupe and S63 AMG Convertible 4Matic vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to February 4, 2016. The low beam headlights on the affected vehicles may not be properly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the low-beam headlights are out of adjustment, the driver's visibility may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the headlight adjustment, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in November 2016. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
- Front Roof Panel Detachment (PE21001) — opened Jan 8, 2021, closed Oct 14, 2021, led to recall 21V197000.
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 2016 Mercedes-Benz S550. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering failure warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that he was lucky to have been driving the vehicle in front of the…
2016 S550 front roof panel issues. Adhesive issues.
Started car in parking lot and warming light read zero air in right front tire. No prior warning. Checking tire for any road hazard - nails or other potential punctures but none were present but the tire had a hole just below the wheel that had blown out. The tire is a Pirelli P Zero 245/40R20 Run…
Rear left seat belt is stuck and wonât retract. Seat has not been used much. Vehicle is a 2016 with 65,000 miles.
The car's front passenger passenger seat buckle fails to properly secure the seat belt. After inserting the seat belt it fails to latch into the buckle. The Mercedes dealer has examined the seat buckle and determined that it failed. They are recommending a replacement.
Other Mercedes-Benz S550 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 S550 | 16 | 10 |
| 2016 | 15 | 5 |
| 2015 S550 | 41 | 5 |
| 2014 S550 | 24 | 5 |
| 2013 S550 | 7 | 0 |
| 2012 S550 | 5 | 2 |
| 2011 S550 | 9 | 2 |
| 2010 S550 | 16 | 0 |
| 2008 S550 | 19 | 0 |
| 2007 S550 | 54 | 0 |
See all Mercedes-Benz S550 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 2016 Mercedes-Benz S550?
Owners most often report unknown or other, structure, seat belts problems. The top one, unknown or other, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Mercedes-Benz S550?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Mercedes-Benz S550 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other S550 model years, the 2016 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.