Mercedes BENZ R Class Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Mercedes BENZ R Class options? We analyzed 8 model years (2006–2013) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Mercedes BENZ R Class has 226 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls across model years 2006–2013. The most reported issue area is SUSPENSION. 2006 drew the most complaints; 2010 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Mercedes BENZ
- Model
- R Class
- Model years analyzed
- 2006–2013 (8 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 226
- Safety recall campaigns
- 0
- Crash-related complaints
- 6
- Fire-related complaints
- 21
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2006 (128 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2010 (13 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- SUSPENSION
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Mercedes BENZ R Class: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe MERCEDES BENZ R CLASS has 226 NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. 6 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 226 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 0 federal recall campaigns
- 6 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
0 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
No NHTSA recalls were found in our database for this model. Always verify open recalls using your specific VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2006–2013. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 226 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
226 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
I called the Dealership to schedule the appointment. They told me they have no appointment available for next 3 weeks and even I wait for that long they will not be able to provide me a loaner car. The total job time is 4-6hrs I am not willing to wait that long. This dealership was not helpful at all in-spite of this is a very serious safety concern. STOP DRIVE REMEDY. Worst Customer Service for the brand we have.
The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz R350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and became stiff. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with a faulty brake booster. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz R350. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle made a squishing an abnormal knocking sound. The contact stated that as the speed increased to 15-20 MPH, the issue ceased. The contact stated that upon driving for an extended period, the brake pedal became stiff. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the dealer declined to honor the recall repair because the original brake booster had been replaced by the previous owner. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the dealer needed to complete the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz R350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
"TAKATA RECALL" STILL AWAITING REPAIR OF DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG NHTSA RECALL # 16V081 MERCEDES BENZ KEEPS TELLING ME THEY DON'T HAVE THE PART TO MAKE THE REPAIR.
TAKATA RECALL. I CHECKED MY VIN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TAKATA RECALL IN 2016, AND FOUND THAT MY CAR IS IMPACTED BY THIS RECALL. I THEN CONTACTED THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER TO SCHEDULE THE AIRBAGS REPLACEMENT, BUT WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WILL CONTACT ME ONCE THEY RECEIVE THE REPLACEMENT AIR BAGS. I KEPT CHECKING WITH THEM EVERY 3 MONTHS, BUT RECEIVED THE SAME RESPONSE. I JUST RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT TAKATA FILED RECENTLY FOR CHAPTER 11 IN THE US. I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST MERCEDES BENZ USA FOR NEGLECTING TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG IN MY CAR, AND FORCE THE COMPANY TO REPLACE THE AIR BAG FREE OF CHARGE AS PART OF THIS RECALL,
Read 14 more owner reports
TAKATA RECALL I HAVE REPEATEDLY RECEIVED MAIL THAT MY R350 HAS HAD A SAFETY RECALL THAT URGENTLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. FOR OVER A YEAR I HAVE BEEN CONTACTING MY DEALER AND I AM TOLD THAT THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. ACCORDING TO TAKATA, IN THE EVENT OF AN INFLATORRUPTURE, METAL FRAGMENTS COULD PASS THROUGH THE AIR BAG CUSHION MATERIAL, WHICH MAY RESULTIN INJURY OR DEATH TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE REMEDY ONCE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE CUSTOMERS WILL BE SENT A LETTER ASKING THEM TO GO TO AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES BENZ DEALER WHO WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG OF THE POTENTIALLY AFFECTED VEHICLES. RECALL CAMPAIGN 2016020003 OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-877-496-3691
"TAKATA RECALL" TO DATE MERCEDES BENZ STILL HAS NO TIMELINE OR DATE TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG ON MY VEHICLE. THIS CRITICAL SAFETY RELATED RECALL IS OFFICIALLY ALMOST 2-YEARS OLD AND TO NOT HAVE PARTS YET AND OR A TIMELINE IS IRRESPONSIBLE. NOW WE ARE RECEIVING BANKRUPTCY "CHAPTER 11" NOTICES FOR "TAKATA" UNDER "CASE NO. 17-11375 (BLS)". THIS SAID NOTICE ADVISES US TO CALL OUR DEALER TO HAVE PARTS REPLACED; ONLY TO HAVE THE DEALER AND MERCEDES CORPORATE TO INFORM THAT THERE ARE NO PARTS! WHAT IS THIS? THIS IS HOW WE CONSUMERS AND OUR SAFETY ARE PROTECTED? DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR A CATASTROPHE BEFORE THIS IS ADDRESSED AND CORRECTED? PLEASE ADVISE AS TO HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET OUR VEHICLE REPAIRED AND SAFE. LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR REPLY AND GUIDANCE THAT TO THIS POINT IS COMPLETELY LACKING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ R350. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER TWO MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED NORMALLY, BUT THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
TAKATA RECALL WE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED IN FEBRUARY OF 2016 AND IT IS NOW NOVEMBER OF 2016 AND STILL NO PARTS. WE CAN'T SELL THE CAR BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PASS THE PROBLEM ONTO ANOTHER PERSON AND MERCEDES WON'T GIVE US A LOANER SO WE HAVE A POTENTIAL RISK. TELLING US THAT IT IS A MINIMAL RISK DOESN'T HELP. THIS IS BEYOND IRRESPONSIBLE! CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE
CAR WAS HIT BY A POT HOLE AROUND 2 INCHES DEEP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND ALL THE SIDE AIRBAGS ON THE DRIVER SIDE DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE TO THE TIRES AND NOT EVEN A SCRATCH TO THE BODY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ R350. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A VALVE IN THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
I HAD JUST ARRIVED AT CHURCH AND NOTICED THE CAR LEANING TO THE RIGHT SIDE. I IGNORED IT AT FIRST THINKING MAYBE THE DRIVEWAY WAS UNEVEN. WHEN I GOT READY TO LEAVE MY BOYFRIEND POINTED IT OUT TO ME THAT THE TRUCK WAS LEANING TO THE RIGHT. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP TO BE CHECKED OUT AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT. THERE WAS NO MESSAGE REGARDING ANYTHING ON THE MESSAGE BOARD EXCEPT SERVICE C WAS SO MANY MILES OVERDUE. CALLED MERCEDES AND THEY TOLD ME REAR AIR BAG. COST WOULD BE AROUND $1600. CANT UNDERSTAND WHY THE DEALER WOULD NOT PUT A RECALL FIR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz R320. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle needed a diagnostic test prior to the recall repair. The contact declined to pay for the diagnostic test and advised the dealer to complete the recall repair. The dealer declined to honor the recall repair. The contact later discovered that the dealer had marked the recall repair as completed even though the recall repair had not been performed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Error codes P0016 and P0017 camshaft out of alignment and vehicle will not pass smog test, also loss of power of the engine.
Pressed down on braked and nothing happened. Pressed down on emergency break to aid in stopping. No warning lights or sounds
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz R320. The contact stated the vehicle failed to start in very cold weather. The contact stated that after changing the battery several times, the failure continued to occur. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the front and rear exterior lights failed to illuminate as needed. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 75,000.
UNKNOWN
The contact owned a 2007 Mercedes-Benz R350. The contact stated while driving at 65 MPH and approaching traffic, another vehicle crashed into the rear of his vehicle. The contact slammed on the brakes but the brake pedal failed to respond, causing the front of the vehicle to crash into a second vehicle. The air bags deployed. The passengers of the second vehicle did not sustain any injuries. The contact sustained a chest burn but did not seek medical assistance. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an autobody repair shop but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The contact later received recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which he associated with the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP. CAR CANNOT ACCELERATE BEYOND ~30 MPH EVEN WITH HIGH REV.
Showing 20 of 226 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Mercedes BENZ R Class
These pages show model-year patterns across 8 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Mercedes BENZ R Class, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Mercedes BENZ R Class has 226 complaints on record across 8 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Mercedes BENZ R Class has 0 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 6 of the Mercedes BENZ R Class's 226 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Mercedes BENZ R Class vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Mercedes BENZ R Class vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Mercedes BENZ R Class has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
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Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Mercedes BENZ R Class.
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Mercedes BENZ R Class reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Mercedes BENZ R Class reliable?
Poor. The Mercedes BENZ R Class has 226 NHTSA owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is SUSPENSION. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Mercedes BENZ R Class years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2006 (128 complaints), 2007 (67 complaints), 2011 (18 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Mercedes BENZ R Class problems?
Top reported issues: SUSPENSION (51 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (31 complaints); ENGINE (29 complaints).
Does the Mercedes BENZ R Class have recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are currently on record for the Mercedes BENZ R Class. Always verify with a VIN check as recalls can be added at any time.