Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600. The contact stated that there was a progressing oil leak. Upon further inspection, it was determined that there was a presence of a leak. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who diagnosed that the oil cooler needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000. Updated 11/01/16 the consumer stated oil leaked out on to the manifold causing heavy smoke. Also, there was an issue with the suspension causing the vehicle to sag or lean in the front end and rear.
Takata inflators my car seems to be leaking oil. I took it to a shop they told me it was my oil cooler, I was told this is a common problem with the Mercedes Benz s 600 in that it should be a recall on this matter...when I purchased the car I noticed oil leaks in my garage so as I drove the vehicle I noticed smoke coming from underneath the car I pulled the car over shut it off and called the tow truck...
These S600 with v12 engines from 2000-2005 have severe engine oil cooler leaks. Some with as little as 30,000 miles. These vehicles should have been recalled years ago now Mercedes wants to charge from 5,ooo to 6,000 to repair this problem and dont want to warrant after fix because its a recurring problem because of poor engineering. Their should be a recall on this problem.
Oil cooler seals fail approximately every 50 to 60,000 miles & in order to change them you have to remove the heads off the engine.this job cost anywhere from $3,400 to $6,000 depending on where you go. First & foremost the oil leak becomes bad very quickly & spills down the manifold, while driving could cause a fire & even worst death.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600. The contact stated that the vehicle leaked oil into the exhaust manifold. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 54,000.
2001 Mercedes Benz S600 oil cooler leaking 1 quart of oil every 500 miles. The car is driven normally to work and vacation trips. Nothing special leading up to the occurrence. The car has not been in any accident. I am afraid that with the amount of oil that leaks and how it runs down the bell housing and hits the exhaust, that a fire is possible. With the windage tray that is mounted under the transmission, it causes it to pool the oil and leaks on the exhaust when it is driven. The oil cooler is mounted under the intake manifold and requires the heads to be removed in order to repair this issue. This issue occurs approx every 40K-60K miles. A simple replacement does not resolve this issue. There is an engineering defect here that mbusa is not willing to resolve with the customer or a change in design for resolution. …
2001 Mercedes Benz S600 oil cooler, leaking suddenly, 1 quart of oil every 2 days (25 to 50 miles.) very strong smell of burned oil upon exiting car. Normal driving. No reason for leakage, no accidents, serviced regularly and on time. Concerned about oil hitting the exhaust, resulting in a fire. A friend had his Mercedes catch on fire, on the freeway, because of the same problem, total loss of car, but driver was able to escape. Mercedes estimates repairs to be between $8,000 & $10,000.....to fix an oil leak !!!!! Took it to an independent Mercedes repair shop, was told this is a very common problem with the S600's, an engineering defect that should be more than sufficient to generate a recall. (said, unfortunately, repair shops love it, $10,000 jobs are few & far between.) upon checking on various web sites and 'googling" the problem, I see that this is a very common complaint. …
There is a leak in the oil cooler (engine cooling) of my 2001 Mercedes Benz S600. The car has 79K miles on it. It started dripping oil late last year at about 69K miles and is now pouring out oil profusely. I took it to the dealer and was told that this problem is very common with this car but no recall has been issued for it. To repair the problem will cost at least 6K. The car is totally a lemon and I cannot drive it as I am told the oil leak can damage the engine completely or cause a fire. I am concerned for the safety of my wife and children. I have researched this issue online and was shocked to see the number of complaints about this oil leak problem. Below is a link to just one of the websites where I found several complaints about the same problem. Can someone help? Mercedes Benz needs to be held accountable for this issue. This car needs to be recalled for this problem. …
The Mercedes Benz dealer informed me that I had an oil cooler and abc hose leak on my 2001 S600. The cost to repair is unbelievable. About $7,500. In reading the mbz forum this appears to be a common occurrence without any help from mbz. The failure for the oil cooler leak can lead to a fire, and the abc hose leak can lead to malfunction of the active body control system causing the car to drastically lower at the effected wheel. The frequency of this problem should be covered by a manufacturer recall. This is a death hazard to me and my family. I am not driving the car at this time due to the cost to repair and the problem of injury or death.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Mercedes Benz s-600. While driving 40 MPH, the check engine light illuminated. On the way to the dealer the contact stated that the vehicle began to violently shake. The dealer stated that the faulty seal was allowing oil to enter the wiring of the vehicle, causing a short circuit. The dealer also found an oil leak on top of the engine caused by the oil cooler. This failure caused oil to leak into the intake manifold. The current and failure mileages were 57,000.
Engine complaints in other S600 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600, 61% of the model year's 38 complaints. The component named most often is engine (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 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.