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

The rear seatbelts do not retract to restrain the passenger. They also don't retract after the passenger has exited the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11646218

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550. The contact stated that the rear driver's side seat belt was inoperable. The contact stated that the seat belt failed to retract as designed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed seat belt retractor. The contact was informed that the seat belt retractor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 11591722

Rear passenger seat belt will not retract. Has done twice before and took weeks before retracting by itself.

NHTSA ODI 11583619

Driver rear seatbelt is fully extended and won’t retract. A quick google search shows that this is a common problem with this model.

NHTSA ODI 11549103

MY WIFE INSTALLED A BABY CAR SEAT IN REAR PASSENGER SEAT. WHEN I UNBUCKLE TO CLEAN UP THE SEAT, SEAT BELTS WERE JAMMED AND LOCKED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY QUOTED OVER 1200$ JUST FOR SEAT BELT REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11343760

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

BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 10 MONTHS THAT THE SEAT BELTS WILL BE REPLACED BY MB IN THIS CAR. MB DEALERS STATES THAT IT IS A PROBLEM THAT IS KNOWN AND MB IS WORKING ON A FIX. IN THE MEANTIME THEY ARE REPLACING THE SEAT BELTS WITH A NEW PART, BUT THEY SAID IT MAY GO BAD AGAIN AND MB IS WORKING ON A PERMENANT FIX AND WE WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN A NEW SEAT BELT IS DEVELOPED. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RECALL ON THIS, BUT THE DEALER HAS STATED THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY BELTS MULTIPLE TIMES ON OTHER CARS.

NHTSA ODI 10898358