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2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 5 recurring issue clusters, led by “Fuel filter and tank leaks with gasoline odor.” Mercedes-Benz alternates two service events: Service A (oil, filter, inspection) at roughly 10,000 miles or 1 year, then Service B (Service A plus brake fluid, cabin filter, and deeper checks) at roughly 20,000 miles or 2 years — the ASSYST Plus counter in the cluster tells you which is due. Oil must carry the MB-Approval number your engine specifies (commonly 229.5, or 229.71 for newer 0W-20 engines); 'meets or exceeds' marketing language is not an approval. Electric EQB and EQS models keep the A/B rhythm for inspections, brake fluid, and cabin filters — just without oil.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Reported to NHTSA

Fuel filter and tank leaks with gasoline odor

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

4 NHTSA complaints · 2011-06 → 2024-08

“About 2 to 3 weeks ago I suddenly started smelling faint gas outside the vehicle on the driver side. Over 2 weeks it got stronger and finally I was able to smell it inside and immediately investigated”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11608765
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ S550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10956010
“MY VEHICLE HAS A STRONG GAS ODOR WHILE DRIVING BUT PARTICULARLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIC OR PARKED. THIS SMELL IS SO STRONG THAT I CANNOT SIT IN THE CAR AND MY CLOTHES REAK OF THE SMELL. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY EXTERNAL GAS LEAKAGE OR PERFORMANCE ISSUES WITH THE CAR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11164448

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Balance shaft sprocket and camshaft solenoid wear

ENGINE

4 NHTSA complaints · 2017-05 → 2025-05

“I’m reporting a serious safety issue with the balance shaft sprocket in my Mercedes-Benz S550 (M273 engine, 273.968). This is a known defect that causes the sprocket to wear out far too early due to poor material design”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11659570
“The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz S550. The contact stated while driving 40-50 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering intermittently. The contact stated that the failure recurred while at a complete stop. The check engine warning light was illuminated”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11577423
“I BOUGT MY CAR 5 MONTHS AGO I HAVE 52,667 MILES ON IT LAST WEEK MY CAR JUST BROKE DOWN IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND I HAD TO REPLACE THERMOSTAT AND BELT TENSIONER I PAID $1572.58 FOR IT WHEN I RECEIVED MY CAR IT WAS STARTED BUT AFTER ARRIVING HOME I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND LEFT IT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10986281

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Tire sidewall separation and blowout

TIRES

4 NHTSA complaints · 2009-07 → 2023-09

“We were traveling home and our TPMS indicated a tire failure. The PSI starting dropping rapidly. We took the tire off and found that only 4 " of rubber holding the back sidewall together on the tire”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11547224
“I PURCHASED 4 NEW 255/45/ZR18 EXTREMECONTACT DWS ABOUT 13 MONTHS AGO AND NOW ALL 4 TIRES HAVE A BULGING BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALLS. OF COURSE I BROUGHT IT BACK FROM WHERE I PURCHASED IT FROM AND THEY BLAME IT ON POT HOLES, ROAD HAZARDS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10705489
“I GOT A BLOW OUT IN THE REAR LEFT SIDE TIRE. I WAS DOING ABOUT 40 MPH AND DID NOT GO OVER ANYTHING THAT I WAS AWARE OF. I WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE USING THE SUPPLIED TIRE AND JACK”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10275658

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tread chunking

TIRES

2 NHTSA complaints · 2013-08 → 2014-03

“MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS 255/45ZR18 99Y AS+ INSTALLED ON 2008 MERCEDES S550. TIRES TREAD IS "CHUNKING" WITH 18,000 MILES OF USE. PURCHASED FROM COSTCO. I HAVE CONTACTED COSTCO. WAS TOLD IT WAS "NORMAL", COMPLAINED IT CANNOT BE, WE NEGOTIATED BACK AND FORTH ON AN ADJUSTMENT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10574210
“THE TIRE TREAD ON THE MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS SHREDS OR CRUMBLES. MICHELIN CALLS IT "CHUNKING" AND SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE COMPOUND USED TO MAKE THE TIRE. THE COMPOUND HAS SINCE BEEN MODIFIED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10537491

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Front air suspension strut leak and failure

SUSPENSION

2 NHTSA complaints · 2015-06 → 2018-09

“I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT AIR SHOCKS AROUND 90,000 MILES. NO OFF ROAD DRIVING. BOTH AIR STRUTS LEAKED WITHIN 4 MONTHS . SUSPENSION WARNING LIGHT CANE ON FIRST. THEN A MESSAGE TO STOP THE CAR AND NOT OPERATE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11124439
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ S550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE LOWERED, INDICATING THAT THERE WAS SUSPENSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10730608

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Service A — Oil & Filter + Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Every 10,000 miles or 12 months: oil and filter with MB-Approved oil, fluid top-offs, tire check, and inspection. AMG models driven hard: many owners service at 5,000-7,500 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Service B — Major Inspection

Every 20,000 mi

Every 20,000 miles or 2 years, alternating with Service A: everything in A plus brake-fluid replacement, cabin filter, and a deeper multi-point inspection of brakes, suspension, and driveline.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free with any paid service. A flashlight and 10 minutes covers the basics yourself.

Tire Rotation

Every 10,000 mi

Rotate at every Service A where the tire sizes allow. Many AMG and 4MATIC+ models run staggered widths that can't rotate front-to-rear — check your spec before paying for a rotation.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Checked at every A/B service via electronic pad-wear sensors. Replace sensors with pads. Heavy EQS models wear pads slowly (regen braking) but rotors can corrode from disuse — an inspection catches that.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 20,000 mi

Replaced every 2 years as part of Service B — Mercedes schedules it on time, not miles, because DOT 4 fluid absorbs moisture regardless of driving.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Automatic Transmission Fluid (7G / 9G-Tronic)

Every 70,000 mi

Mercedes specifies fluid and filter service around 70,000 miles on most 7G- and 9G-Tronic gearboxes — check your year's sheet. Use only the MB-spec fluid for your transmission code; independent specialists often service at 60,000 on hard-driven cars.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Spark Plugs

Every 60,000 mi

Most modern MB gas engines: plugs around 60,000 miles — AMG engines often sooner. Check your engine's sheet; twin-turbo V8 plug jobs are labor-heavy, so pair with other scheduled work.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Engine Air Filter

Every 40,000 mi

Replace around every 40,000 miles (twin-filter setups on V6/V8 engines double the parts bill). Inspected at every Service B.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Combination / Dust Filter

Every 20,000 mi

Replaced with every Service B. Models with the ENERGIZING air package use a higher-grade filter — priced accordingly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Engine Coolant

On condition / lifetime

MB-spec coolant is long-life (typically ~10 years / 150,000 miles on the sheet). Refresh only with MB 325/326-spec coolant — the wrong chemistry attacks aluminum and head gaskets.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

12V & Auxiliary Battery

Every 25,000 mi

Test annually after year 3. Most modern Mercedes carry a second auxiliary battery; a weak one triggers cascading warning messages long before a no-start. EQ models also depend on the 12V system to boot.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$225–$390

Shop

~$160–$280

DIY

~$130–$250

Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

9 crashes 1990–2024

How the 9 occupant deaths break down

9

driver deaths

0

passenger deaths

9

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2008 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

1

complaints mentioning a crash

0

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class reflects Mercedes-Benz's published service intervals and the ASSYST Plus (Service A / Service B) system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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