Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Air bags1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 2009 S-Class vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class failed the safety check 0.40% of the time — 84% less often than the average 2009 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 102,253 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class cars on Dutch roads are the 3.5 hybrid (205 kW, 275 hp), 3.5 petrol (200 kW, 268 hp) and 5.5 petrol (285 kW, 382 hp), out of 5 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5 hybrid | 205 kW 275 hp | 40 |
| 3.5 petrol | 200 kW 268 hp | 37 |
| 5.5 petrol | 285 kW 382 hp | 34 |
| 3.0 diesel | 173 kW 232 hp | 29 |
| 6.2 petrol | 386 kW 518 hp | 22 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
196 first registered in 2009 are on Dutch roads; 79% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €142,880.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde87
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm50
- Band onvoldoende profiel46
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen32
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld31
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm24
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling20
- Stofhoes fuseekogel beschadigd en dicht niet af14
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
645 cars built in 2009 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 275 more were declared off the road (SORN).
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, 953 of these cars first registered in 2009 took their annual MOT test. 74% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2009 the figure was 59%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 10.2% | 10.1% |
| Suspension | 7.8% | 16.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.2% | 5.4% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.8% | 18.7% |
| Tyres | 6.8% | 7.5% |
| Visibility | 2.7% | 6.5% |
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
113 of these cars first registered in 2009 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 273,000 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
25 2009 cars are on the New Zealand register; 96% arrived as used imports, 4% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
| 2009139 13 May 2009 | Other Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of CMVSS 206 - Door Locks and Door Retention Components. The front and rear passenger-side door latches m… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
MERCEDES BENZ IS RECALLING 54 MY 2009 S-CLASS, W221 VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCKS MAY HAVE BEEN MISTAKENLY INTERCHANGED DURING PRODUCTION. THE EXCHANGE OF A FRONT AND A REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK WOULD RESULT IN A PASSENGER SIDE DOOR THAT CANNOT BE OPENED BY MERELY PULLING ON THE INTERIOR HANDLE AND A REAR DOOR LOCK THAT CAN BE OPENED WITH A SIMPLE PULL OF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE EVEN IF LOCKED.
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 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10136035 | Complaints about poor wiping effect of winshield wiper |
| 10039256 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON WITH MULTIPLE POSSIBLE TROUBLE CODES STORED. THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAMSHAFT AND/OR SCORING OF A PISTON. *RM |
| 10039254 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THERE IS A TRANSMISSION TROUBLE CODE STORED. IT IS A DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEM WITH THE WET START-UP CLUTCH. *RM |
| 10039253 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THERE IS CRACKING NOISE AT THE FRONT SEATS WHEN OPERATING THE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT. *RM |
| 10038977 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THE AUTO-TRANSMISSION SWITCHES TO LIMP HOME MODE OR HAS NO POWER. THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSSIBLE FAULT CODES. A PISTON MAY BE DAMAGED. *RM |
| 10037408 | MERCEDES-BENZ: SHOCK ABSORBER PROCEDURE. *RM |
| 10034504 | MERCEDES (XENTRY): ENGINE DIAGNOSIS WARNING LAMP ACTIVATED. MAGNETIC SHORT BETWEEN ARMATURE AND POLE CORE DUE TO CALIBRATION ERROR AT VALVE AND TOLERANCE DEVIATION BY SUPPLYING MANUFACTURER. THIS CAUSES THE PURGE VALVE TO JAM IN THE OPEN STATE. *PE |
| 10034306 | MERCEDES: AIRBAG DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY. AIR BAG SRS CONTROL MODULE (N2/2) DOES NOT HAVE A SET SHELF LIFE AND WILL NORMALLY BE RELIABLE FOR THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. WITH 164, 216 221, 251 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET FIVE TIMES. WITH MODES 202, 210 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET THREE TIMES. EARLIER MODELS WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEIR AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT AND TRIGGERED RESTRAIN COMPONENTS CHANGED ONLY AFTER AN ACCIDENT. NO MODELS OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10030939 | MERCEDES: 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 |
| 10030938 | MERCEDES: THE SOFTWARE FOR THE PANORAMIC SLIDING SUNROOF MAY NOT MEET CURRENT PRODUCTION SPECIFICATIONS. AS A RESULT THE PANORAMIC SLIDING SUNROOF MAY NOT CLOSE SMOOTHLY. THE SOFTWARE FOR THE PANORAMIC SLIDING SUNROOF WILL BE UPDATED. *PE |
| 10030929 | MERCEDES: 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 |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)