Ford Taurus vs Mercedes-Benz S430
Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
Ford Taurus
- Total complaints
- 18,103
- Avg per model year
- 518
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 36
- Most complained year
- 1993 (1,557)
Top problems: Suspension, Power Train, Engine and Engine Cooling
Mercedes-Benz S430
- Total complaints
- 153
- Avg per model year
- 28
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 0
- Most complained year
- 2001 (73)
Top problems: Electrical System, Suspension, Exterior Lighting
Complaints by model year
| Year | Ford Taurus | Mercedes-Benz S430 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 318 | 12 | ||
| 2005 | 774 | 11 | ||
| 2004 | 375 | 18 | ||
| 2003 | 1,223 | 26 | ||
| 2002 | 1,426 | 31 | ||
| 2001 | 1,037 | 73 | ||
| 2000 | 1,195 | 23 |
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports per model year. A model that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — compare the shape across years, not just the raw totals, and read the year pages for what actually fails.