AutoUtility currently tracks 29 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 7 complaints (24.1% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 2 filings cite a crash, 2 cite a fire, 1 reports one or more injuries. The 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class belongs to the 6th Generation (W222) platform.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
7 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
5 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
5 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
3 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"Excessive engine oil lead from the back seal. Also, slow coolant leak. The car has a low mileage of 46k."
"Vehicle had a low tire, vehicle indicated it needed to be driven for recalibration of the sensor(s). Took vehicle for short drive up two lane road. Turned around and headed back to where was staying and upon acceleration the vehicle seemed to have pulled off the road but come to find out it didn't..."
"The Squib For PRE-SAFE(R) Pulse '' Front Passenger'' Has A S560 w222 model airbag sensors problem an defective parts needs be investigated"
"My 2018 S560 Mercedes occasionally misfires upon acceleration. This has happened at six times over the past three years. When this happens, the engine loses power, starts to shake, and the check engine light comes on. This happened when I was trying to pass a car on US 301 a week ago nearly causing..."
"The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz S450. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the gear shifter independently shifted into neutral. The contact had to hold down the gear shifter for about 30 seconds before the system was reset. Additionally, the check engine warning light was..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 51 | 6 | 5 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 29 | 0 | 6 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 22 | 0 | 10 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Current Page | 29 | 2 | 12 | Current |
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 16 | 1 | 11 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 7 | 0 | 0 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 34 | 2 | 16 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 46 | 0 | 9 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 12 | 1 | 5 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 6 | 0 | 2 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 0 | 0 | 0 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 0 | 0 | 0 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 16 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,COMMUNICATION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 7 records (24.1% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Brakes & Traction Control (5) and Steering System (5).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 29 consumer defect complaints and 12 safety recall campaigns for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, 2 filings cite a crash, 2 cite smoke or fire, and 1 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.