What 51 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Mercedes-benz S-class Phev

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the air bag warning light remained illuminated, with the message "Front Drivers Air Bag Malfunction - Service Required" displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V177000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 10,000.

NHTSA ODI 11665098

ON JULY 15, 2020, I WAS INVOLVED IN A ONE CAR ACCIDENT. THE CAR LEFT THE ROADWAY ON A CURVE WHEN I LOST CONSCIOUSNESS DUE TO A MEDICAL ISSUE, AND SLID DOWN AN EMBANKMENT INTO A TREE. THE TREE PREVENTED A TOTAL ROLLOVER AND THE CAR WAS AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. I WAS THROWN AGAINST THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, NEITHER DID THE FRONT AIRBAGS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. THE SIDE AIRBAGS ARE SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY IN A SIDE IMPACT OR ROLLOVER SITUATION, BOTH OF WHICH OCCURRED. BECAUSE THEY DID NOT DEPLOY, I SUFFERED A HEAD INJURY, BROKEN RIBS FROM THE IMPACT, AND LACERATIONS FROM THE BROKEN WINDOW AND TREE. I HAVE ENCLOSED THE POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES. THE REPORT ERRONEOUSLY STATED THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED, BUT THE PICTURES CLEARLY SHOW THEY DID NOT. I HAVE MORE PICTURES, IF NEEDED.

NHTSA ODI 11349200

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY 2015 MERCEDES BENZ S-550 ON THE 14TH OF AUGUST, 2019. SHE HAD STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN CROSSED A 6 LANE INTERSECTION. SHE WAS MOVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION WHEN SHE WAS HIT BY A VW PASSET WHO RAN THE RED LIGHT AT AN ESTIMATED 40 TO 50 MPH. THE PASSET HIT DEAD CENTER ON THE B PILLAR BETWEEN THE DOORS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE MERCEDES. ALL AIR CURTAINS AND A REAR SEAT AIR BAG DEPLOYED ON THE UNOCCUPIED PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR, NONE DEPLOYED TO PROTECT DRIVER'S HEAD ABEAM THE B PILLAR.. MY WIFE'S HEAD WHIPPED VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT TOWARDS THE CRASH, THEN WHIPPED BACK VIOLENTLY TO THE LEFT HITTING THE LARGE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR PROTRUSION BUILT INTO THE B-PILLAR. SHE WAS BRIEFLY UNCONSCIOUS AND SUFFERED A SEVERE CONCUSSION AND MAYBE MORE AS MEDICAL TESTS ARE STILL ON GOING. IN ADDITION, SHE SUFFERED 4 HERNIATED DISCS IN HER NECK, 2 SEVERE. SHE ALSO SUFFERED AN ACUTE HERNIATED DISC IN HER LOWER BACK AS WELL AS NOW HAS SOME TMJ ISSUES WITH HER JAW AND HAS TO WEAR A MOUTHPIECE TO SLEEP. NO AIR BAGS OR SIDE AIR CURTAINS DEPLOYED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR, THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED PROTECT HER HEAD AND LIKELY LESSENED THE SIDE TO SIDE WHIPLASH CAUSING THE HERNIATED DISC ISSUES. WHEN I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ TO INQUIRE WHY NO DRIVERS SIDE AIR CURTAINS OR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, I RECEIVED A LETTER BACK SAYING THEY WERE NOT DESIGNED TO DEPLOY IN THIS CASE THE CAR, WAS A TOTAL LOSS WITH A $65,000 SETTLEMENT CHECK. MB IS SAYING ONLY THE SIDE CURTAINS ON THE SIDE THE CRASH OCCURRED DEPLOY IN THIS CASE PROTECTING NO ONE. AT THIS HIGH RATE OF SPEED, WITH MB STATING IN A LETTER THAT THE CAR'S AIR BAG PREFORMED AS PROGRAMMED, I THINK THERE IS A MAJOR SAFETY FLAW THAT LIKELY HAS CAUSED OTHER SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH.

NHTSA ODI 11298177

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ S550. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS PARTIALLY DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT TIGHTEN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BULGING DISC AND SEVERE NERVE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT HAND AND LEGS. THE CONTACT WAS RECOMMENDED TO HAVE SURGERY FOR THE NERVE DAMAGE. THE CONTACT'S MOTHER SUFFERED BRUISING AND A CONCUSSION. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP AND WAS DEEMED REPAIRABLE. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF A DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS PERFORMED AS INTENDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

NHTSA ODI 11075716

NEW VEHICLE (FROM MERCEDES OF ENCINO) WAS BEING DRIVEN IN A TEST DRIVE. EB ON BURBANK BL-SPEED LIMIT 50MPH--IN CENTER LANE OF 3 EB- MBZ SALESMAN REACHED ACROSS DRIVER AND SET CRUISE AT 40MPH AND ENCOURAGED DRIVER TO TEST THE COLLISION PREVENTION SYSTEM---TRAFFIC AHEAD WAS STOPPED AT LIGHT---SALESMAN CONTINUED TO TELL DRIVER TO NOT APPLY BRAKES--DRIVER DID NOT APPLY BRAKES---COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM FAILED--SEAT BELT TENSIONERS FAILED---AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN S550 COLLIDED WITH REAR OF STOPPED VEHICLE (ECLASS MBZ) AT APPROX 40MPH. BACK SEAT PASSENGER (DRIVER'S WIFE) WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR CRACKED STERNUM---DRIVER WAS SEEN BY CHIROPRACTOR FOR AGGRAVATION OF LOWER BACK MUSCLES--------MBZ ENCINO STILL HAS THE VEHICLE, PRESUMABLY IN POST CRASH CONDITION. MEETING IS SET AT MBZ ENCINO FOR MARCH 20, 2015 TO INSPECT VEHICLE. MY ATTORNEY WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10693683