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2016 Mercedes-benz S-class Phev
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
29 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 20, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#15 of 464Among the 2016 models with a matured record, the 2016 Mercedes-benz S-class Phev ranks #15, scoring higher than 93% of them. See the 2016 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 Mercedes-benz S-class Phev, plotted where owners report it happening.
Visibility & wipers
14%4 complaints
“PANORAMIC SUNROOF CRACKED WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE. *TR”
Body & structure
10%3 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“TAKATA RECALL. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON MY WAY TO PHOENIX AZ TO DROP OFF MY MOM AND GRANDMA WHEN SUDDENLY THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT. THER…”
Speed control
10%3 complaints
“WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILURE REOCCURRING CONSTANTLY ON VEHICLE, OTHERS SEEM TO HAVE SAME ISSUE. REOCCURS DUE TO PART FAILURE I WOULD SUGGEST. CAUSES DANGEROUS CONDITIONS…”
Steering
7%2 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz S550. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering failure warning light illuminated. The co…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 29 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 1 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking any seller before you hand over money:
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Mercedes-benz S-CLASS PHEV beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every S-class Phev model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Mercedes-benz S-class Phev against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.