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NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2006–2008

Mercedes-Benz R500 recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 29 owner complaints for the Mercedes-Benz R500, covering model years 2006 to 2008. The 2006 model year drew the most complaints (26), and Power Train is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Mercedes-Benz R500 VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 2 recall campaigns on file
  • 29 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 3 model years with data (2006–2008)
  • most complaints: 2006 (26 for that model year)
  • top component: Power Train (6 complaints)
  • latest recall 24V298000 (reported Apr 26, 2024)
  • 2 complaints reporting a crash (6.9%)
  • 4 complaints reporting a fire (13.8%)
  • 2 complaints reporting an injury (6.9%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Mercedes-Benz R500 complaints by model year

3 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2006 model year has the most complaints: 26 of 29, or 89.7%. Next come 2007 (2) and 2008 (1).

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years
Mercedes-Benz R500 owner complaints to NHTSA by model year, 2006–2008Column chart of 29 complaints across 3 model years. The highest is 2006 with 26. The full figures are in the table below the chart.2006: 26 complaints2620062007: 2 complaints220072008: 1 complaint12008
Mercedes-Benz R500 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Mercedes-Benz R500 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
2006262420
200720000
200810000
All model years292420

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Mercedes-Benz R500 components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Power Train is the component named most often, in 6 complaints (20.7% of all 29), followed by Steering (6) and Suspension (6).

Components named most often in Mercedes-Benz R500 complaints (top 15)
Components named most often in Mercedes-Benz R500 complaints (top 15)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Power Train620.7%
Steering620.7%
Suspension620.7%
Electrical System517.2%
Seats413.8%
Air Bags26.9%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic26.9%
Unknown or Other26.9%
Vehicle Speed Control26.9%
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)13.4%
Exterior Lighting13.4%
Fuel System, Gasoline13.4%
Fuel/Propulsion System13.4%
Service Brakes13.4%
Visibility/Wiper13.4%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

  • They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
  • Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
  • Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
  • One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
  • Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Mercedes-Benz R500 recalls

2 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name R500, newest first. The 2 campaigns cover model years 2006 to 2007. The 2006 and 2007 model years appear in the most campaigns (2 each).

  • 2 recall campaigns
  • 2 “Do Not Drive” advisories
Mercedes-Benz R500 recall campaigns covering each model year
2006: 2 campaigns2007: 2 campaigns

  1. NHTSA campaign 24V298000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum

    Model years 2006–2007

    NHTSA “Do Not Drive” advisory: affected vehicles should not be driven until the recall repair is done.

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

    Consequence:
    Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.

    Filed by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC

  2. NHTSA campaign 22V315000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum

    Model years 2006–2007

    NHTSA “Do Not Drive” advisory: affected vehicles should not be driven until the recall repair is done.

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

    Consequence:
    Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.

    Filed by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Mercedes-Benz R500 questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz R500 have?

NHTSA lists 2 vehicle recall campaigns for the Mercedes-Benz R500, covering model years 2006 to 2008. The most recent, 24V298000, was reported on April 26, 2024 and is filed under “Service brakes, hydraulic”. The 2006 and 2007 model years are covered by the most campaigns (2 each).

Which Mercedes-Benz R500 model year has the most complaints?

The 2006 model year, with 26 of the 29 complaints in NHTSA’s file (89.7%). The next are 2007 (2) and 2008 (1). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Mercedes-Benz R500 complaint?

Power Train is the component named most often: 6 complaints, or 20.7% of all 29. Steering (6) and Suspension (6) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Mercedes-Benz R500?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Mercedes-Benz dealer.

How many Mercedes-Benz R500 complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 29 complaints, 2 report a crash, 4 a fire, 2 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other Mercedes-Benz models

8 models · most complaints first

The Mercedes-Benz models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder with every Mercedes-Benz model page, WMI code and VIN note.

All Mercedes-Benz models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.