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CarsLore / Mercedes-Benz / S-Class / 1998

1998 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

2 owner complaints — #11 of 14 S-Class model years. 0 recalls, 6 service bulletins.

2complaints · 0 crashes, 0 fires
0recalls
6manufacturer bulletins
48,000 mimedian mileage at failure

Problems owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.

  • Tires1
  • Power train1

NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported

Compared with other years

’94’96’98’00’02’04’092’94’97’98’00’03’092
1995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520092012

NHTSA ODI complaints by model year

New York safety inspections

At its first New York inspection the 1998 Mercedes-Benz S-Class failed the safety check 0.51% of the time — 70% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 127,089 miles.

394first inspections
0.51%failed on safety
127,089 mimedian odometer
0.0%0.8%1.5%’94’96’98’00’02’04’06’08’10’12’14’16’18’20’22’24’26’270.5%0.0%0.8%1.5%’94’97’98’00’03’06’09’12’15’18’21’24’270.5%

NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count

In the Netherlands

46 first registered in 1998 are on Dutch roads; 37% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €98,524.

47.8%had an APK defect recorded since June 2022
80.8%logical odometer history
0.0%with a recall still open

Most common APK defects

Colours

Black 46%Blue 33%Grey 17%

RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording

In the United Kingdom

114 cars built in 1998 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 290 more were declared off the road (SORN).

114licensed, end of 2025
28%of those still registered are on the road

Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0

MOT test results in Great Britain

In 2023, 175 of these cars first registered in 1998 took their annual MOT test. 75% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1998 the figure was 64%.

75%passed first time
64%all cars from 1998
115,000 miaverage mileage at the test (all cars 106,100 mi)
Failed onThese carsAll cars from 1998
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment10.3%16.0%
Brakes9.1%11.8%
Visibility6.3%6.7%
Suspension5.7%12.4%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.1%7.2%
Body, chassis, structure2.3%9.3%

DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail

In Finland

19 of these cars first registered in 1998 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 310,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.

Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0

In New Zealand

4 1998 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0

Recalls

No recall campaigns cover the 1998 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words

Service bulletins

What Mercedes-Benz told its dealers about the 1998 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: known faults, fixes and updates.

BulletinSummary
603012PROCEDURES ON CENTER CONSOLE CUP HOLDER REPLACEMENT (MODEL 140). *YC
601449UPDATED INFORMATION TO REFLECT ADDITON OF APPROVED TIRES. *YC
10136035Complaints about poor wiping effect of winshield wiper
10030939MERCEDES: PARKTRONIC INTERMITTENTLY NOT FUNCTIONING. THE FUNCTION WORKS AGAIN AFTER A SHORT TIME OR DISTANCE. WHEN THE FOOT OPERATED PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE PARKTRONIC SYSTEM IS DEACTIVATED. IF THE FOOT OPERATED PARKING BRAKE IS ON AT THE FIRST NOTCH, THE CONTACT SWITCH MAY REACT WITH A CONSIDERATION DELAY WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE
10030929MERCEDES: CORROSION PROTECTION COATINGS FOR BRAKE COMPONENTS AND HARDWARE MAY BE DAMAGED AND OR STRIPPED AWAY IF HIGHLY CONCENTRATED ACID BASED CLEANERS ARE USED. ONCE THE CORROSION PROTECTION IS DAMAGED OR REMOVED THE BRAKE COMPONENTS AND OR HARDWARE CAN BEGIN TO CORRODE. INCLUDE ALL MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. *PE
10014583SEAL BETWEEN EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR HOUSING AND DOOR. *TT

NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)