The 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class has 33 owner complaints with NHTSA across 3 component categories. Use this checklist before you put money down — every item below is grounded in the actual failure pattern on this vehicle, not generic advice.
1
Inspect the electrical
What to look for: Dim or flickering dash lights at idle, slow window operation, intermittent infotainment glitches, parasitic battery drain (dead battery after a few days parked). (10 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $850 · failures cluster ~76,554 mi)
On the test drive: Cycle through every electronic accessory during the drive — heated seats, defrosters, climate fan on max, cruise control. Glitches show up under load.
What to look for: Wandering on the highway, clunks when turning, slop in the wheel before the tires respond, power steering whine. (6 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $700 · failures cluster ~48,850 mi)
On the test drive: On a smooth highway, take hands off briefly (when safe) — vehicle should track straight. Pulling left or right means alignment or worn front-end parts.
What to look for: Bouncing after bumps, knocking over potholes, sagging on one corner, harsh ride with all the dampening gone. (4 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $900 · failures cluster ~103,667 mi)
On the test drive: Drive over a series of bumps or a railroad crossing — clunks point to worn end links, ball joints, or strut mounts.
The seller's transparency on these tells you what kind of seller you're dealing with.
Inspection items derived from 33 owner complaints and 0 active recall campaigns filed
with NHTSA on the 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Category-specific guidance is written by ProblemsByVin contributors with ASE-certified mechanic
review. This checklist is meant to surface known patterns — it doesn't replace a paid pre-purchase inspection by a
qualified shop, which we recommend for any used vehicle priced over a few thousand dollars.