2001 Mercedes-Benz S600 problems & reliability
38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 17 | 45% |
| Suspension → | 10 | 26% |
| Engine | 6 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 5 | 13% |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 8% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 32 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 67,000 miles (middle 50% between 54,000 and 78,500 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercedes-benz s600. The contact stated that there was a progressing oil leak. Upon further inspection, it was determined that there was a presence of a leak. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who diagnosed that the oil cooler needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the…”
Engine · filed Jul 13, 2016
“Takata inflators my car seems to be leaking oil. I took it to a shop they told me it was my oil cooler, I was told this is a common problem with the mercedes benz s 600 in that it should be a recall on this matter...when I purchased the car I noticed oil leaks in my garage so as I drove the vehicle I noticed smoke…”
Engine · filed Jul 13, 2016
“Engine oil cooler leaks. This looks to be a common problem with this model with v12 engine.this vehicle should be recalled because of this very expensive problem.”
Engine · filed Feb 4, 2016
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE05062 · opened Nov 10, 2005 · closed Feb 8, 2006 · led to recall 06V028000
Technical service bulletins
42 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600. The 10 most recent:
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Note: Sound file in…
LI33.30-P-056665 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 15, 2025
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Note: Sound file in…
LI33.30-P-056665 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2025
Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging does not result in a…
LI82.10-P-078896 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
Complaint Vehicle with atypical reduced heat output. Cause Silicate granulate may have escaped from a damaged bag in the expansion reservoir (not visible), reducing the coolant flow in the heater heat exchanger (see…
LI83.20-P-051802 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2025
Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly…
LI82.70-P-077433 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 5, 2025
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Cause If the complaint…
LI33.30-P-056665 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2025
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in…
LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 15, 2025
Complaint Washer fluid system leaks Cause Various possible causes: 1. Washer fluid reservoir itself. 2. Seal on washer fluid pump/washer fluid reservoir. 3. Washer fluid pump. 3.1. Distributor housing leaks. 3.2. Pump…
LI82.35-P-078467 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 23, 2024
Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly…
LI82.70-P-077433 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 28, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 67,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.