There are 5 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Classin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ S500. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE JERKED BEFORE COMING TO A HALT. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
MY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR. I TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON AND IT DID NOT CLEAR. I GOT A "PRE-SAFE UNAVAILABLE" MESSAGE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND LEARNED THIS IS A "TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE" FAILURE. IT IS VERY UNSAFE IN THAT THE CAR CANNOT KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC AND IS A DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. A SUDDEN INCREASE IN ACCELERATION OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE DEFECT COULD POSSIBLY BE TRANSMISSION GEAR FAILURE. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE MANUFACTURERS ENGINEERS. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. UPDATED 04/16/10. *LJ UPDATED 4/23/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED HIS WIFE HAD AN ACCIDENT IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THERE WAS AN ACCELERATION AND HARSH SHIFTING PROBLEM. UPDATED 05/12/10.*JB UPDATED 06/24/10.*JB UPDATED 09/07/10*JB
AFTER 2000 MILES THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND THEN ANOTHER LOUD BANG AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. THEN WE WERE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED ONLY THE BANGS WERE LOUDER AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. THE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET AT 25 MPH AND A CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS MAKING A TURN, THE BANGS STARTED AND THERE WAS THE SAME LOUD BANGING NOISES AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND HAD TO SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY OF THE CAR AND ALMOST ENDED UP OFF OF ROAD AND IN THE DIRT. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK 3 TIMES WITH NO RESULTS. MERCEDES WAS CALLED, AND THEY COULD CARE LESS. WE ARE STUCK WITH A VERY EXPENSIVE DANGEROUS CAR THAT THERE IS NO WAY OF PREDICTING WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN AND IT IS NOT SHOWING UP ON THE COMPUTER, SO MERCEDES HAS NO WAY OF FIXING THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER WANTS TO DRIVE THE AROUND WITH MY HUSBAND BUT WE EXPLAINED THAT TO DRIVE THIS CAR FOR 5-10 MILE OR EVEN 100 MILES IT IS NOT GOING TO GUARANTEE THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AND WILL WE WILL NOT TAKE THE CHANCE OF GETTING INTO THIS CAR AND GETTING INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK
DT: THE CALLER SAID VEHICLE SEEMED TO SHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH. WHEN THIS HAPPENED VEHICLE BUCKED FORWARD. THE CALLER PULLED OVER AS SOON AS SHE COULD BECAUSE SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED 5 TIMES, TWO TIME IN JUNE, ONCE IN JULY AND TWICE IN AUGUST. THE DEALER SAID NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK *NM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026