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Verdict

2013 Mercedes S-Class: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues

What the public record actually says about the 2013 Mercedes S-Class — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.

The read

Fewer reported complaints than most sedan.

Owners filed 9 NHTSA complaints — fewer complaints than 91% of 2013 sedans. Engine leads the reports (22%). No safety recalls on record.

Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2013 sedans, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.

Complaints filed

9

Reports to NHTSA, 2013

Safety recalls

0

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Not rated

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

No data

EPA estimate

Complaint volume vs. segment peers

Fewer complaints than 91% of 2013 sedans

The bar is this car's percentile among 2013 sedans by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.

Known issues

Engine issues lead owner complaints (22% of 9 reports), followed by exterior lighting (22%).

Engine22% · 2 reports
Exterior Lighting22% · 2 reports
Electrical System11% · 1 report
Power Train11% · 1 report
Steering11% · 1 report
Structure11% · 1 report
Tires11% · 1 report

Share of all 9 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 10734524, ODI 11123895.

Recalls

0 recalls — none issued for this model year as of Jul 2026. Recall records can change as NHTSA publishes new campaigns.

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

0 NHTSA investigations on record

No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.

Crash-test ratings

2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 4 DR RWD NHTSA source

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 4 DR 4WD NHTSA source

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Fuel economy by trim

No EPA fuel-economy record is available for this model year. Some trims and older vehicles were not tested or are not in the current EPA feed.

Before you buy

Useful next checks

Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.

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Compare model years

"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.

2013 Mercedes S-Class: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2013 Mercedes S-Class?

Owners filed 9 NHTSA complaints about the 2013 Mercedes S-Class — fewer complaints than 91% of comparable 2013 sedans, so it sits toward the stronger end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.

What are the most common problems on the 2013 Mercedes S-Class?

The most-reported problem areas are Engine (22% of complaints) and exterior lighting (22%).

How many recalls does the 2013 Mercedes S-Class have?

No safety recalls are on record for the 2013 Mercedes S-Class as of Jul 2026.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Mercedes S-Class get?

EPA fuel-economy figures for the 2013 Mercedes S-Class aren't available yet.