Most common 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 problems
Share of the 17 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz S560 complaints by model year
Best S560 years: 2020. Compare all years →
2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 recalls (11)
Power train › Driveline › Universal joint
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 E 400 4MATIC Sedan, E 400 4MATIC Wagon, E 400 4MATIC Cabriolet, E 400 4MATIC Coupe, 2018-2020 Maybach S 560 4MATIC, S 560 4MATIC Coupe, S 450 4MATIC, 2019-2020 E 450 4MATIC Sedan, E 450 4MATIC Wagon, E 450 4MATIC Coupe, and E 450 4MATIC Cabriolet vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the drive shaft as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed May 22, 2026.
Structure › Body › Roof and pillars
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45…
Remedy: Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge.
Communication › Auto crash notification
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 C300, E300, 2018-2020 CLA250, 2020 CLS450, AMG E53, AMG GT53, GLE450, 2018 AMG E63, AMG GTA, 2017-2020 GLA250, GLC300, 2019 GLC350, AMG GLC43, 2017-2018 GLE350, 2019 AMG GLC 43, GLC350, GLE400, 2017 GLS450, S550, C300 Cabrio, and 2018-2019 S560 vehicles.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the communication module and activate it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021.
Communication › Auto crash notification
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021.
Electrical system › Software
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019 C300, C300 Coupe, CLS450, E450 Coupe and S450, 2017-2019 E300, 2018 E400 Coupe, E400 Stationwagon, and 2018-2019 S560 vehicles that have previously had the instrument cluster replaced.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began September 8, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Engine
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 S560 and Maybach S560 vehicles equipped with 4.0L 8-cylinder gasoline-engines. Two engine oil plugs may not withstand high engine loads while driving, possibly resulting in an engine oil leak.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will reinforce the engine oil plugs by adding a retaining plate, free of charge. The recall began August 11, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Show 5 more recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Pads
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 S560 and S450 vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with front brake components (brake discs, calipers, and pads) with different dimensions than specified for the vehicle.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake system, free of charge. The recall began May 8, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 S560, S560 Cabriolet, and S560 4MATIC vehicles equipped with 8-cylinder gasoline engines. The threaded connection between the camshaft idler gear and the crankcase may be improperly tightened, possibly causing the idler gear to detach from the crankcase.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. The recall began February 21, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Lane departure › Lane keep › Steering assist
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 AMG S63 4MATIC coupe, AMG S63 4MATIC sedan, AMG S63 4MATIC Cabriolet, S450 4MATIC sedan, S560 4MATIC coupe, S560 4MATIC sedan, and Maybach S560 4MATIC vehicles.
Remedy: MBUSA has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and correct the steering boot installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2019.
Lane departure › Lane keep › Automatic steering
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (Mercedes) is recalling certain 2018 S450 4MATIC, S560 4MATIC Coupe, S63 AMG 4MATIC Coupe, Maybach S560 4MATIC, S560 4MATIC, S63 AMG and S63 AMG 4MATIC Cabrio vehicles.
Remedy: Mercedes has notified owners, and dealers will update the software of the steering control unit, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2019. Owners may contact Mercedes customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Electrical system
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 Mercedes-Maybach S560 and S560 4Matic and Mercedes S450 4Matic, S450, S560, S560 4Matic, and S560 Coupe 4Matic vehicles. The electrical power bars inside the pre-fuse box in the trunk may not have been secured properly.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the pre-fuse box, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560:
Front Roof Panel Detachment
On January 8, 2021, after ongoing review with Mercedes Benz, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-001 to assess allegations of front roof panel detachments while driving at highway speeds in certain 2015 Mercedes-Benz (Mercedes) C-Class vehicles.The subject front roof panel is a stationary panel composed of polycarbonate and is attached to the…
What 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 owners say
Engine & cooling
Walk Home Condition -I purchased a 2018 CPO Mercedes-Benz S560 on 8/20/21 from Knauz Continental Autos in Lake Bluff, IL. On 9/25/2, at approx noon, I was driving the vehicle and the engine light came on, the throttle/engine felt sluggish and not responsive. The engine felt very out of balance shaking the entire care when the gas pedal was pressed. 5 mins later in heavy traffic, I stopped at a light, the engine started violently shaking and stalled. I shut the car off and tried to start it over a 5 min period. I was able to limp the vehicle to a local Mercedes dealership (Bloomfield, MI). Could only operate the vehicle below 25 MPH without violently shaking. The dealership was only 1 mile away. That dealership was able to quickly check codes. When I arrived the engine light went out and no codes where set. …
Tl* the consumer owned a 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560. After driving the vehicle for approximately three minutes, the contact parked the vehicle. The consumer was alerted by someone that there was smoke under the hood of the vehicle. Within thirty seconds to a minute, the vehicle became engulfed in flames. The fire department was notified and extinguished the fire. The engine compartment and vehicle were destroyed. Police and fire reports were filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to Mercedes-Benz of caldwell (1220 bloomfield ave, west caldwell, nj 07006, [phone]) to be inspected. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 39,000.
2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 8-cyl turbo | 9-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the S560 to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560?
The engine & cooling — 3 complaints, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the steering (2) and brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 have?
There are 11 recalls for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560, the most recent from April 3, 2026 (universal joint). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz S560?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020. See the full Mercedes-Benz S560 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 21,000 miles; 88% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.