2019 MERCEDES-BENZ S63 AMG

Typical onset: 40,000-80,000 mi

Symptoms: Metallic knocking or ticking from engine bay, especially on cold start, Metal shavings in oil during change, Sudden catastrophic failure with loss of power and severe engine noise, Low oil pressure warning even with correct oil level

Fix: Complete engine teardown and bearing replacement at minimum, often requires full short block or engine replacement due to crank and cylinder wall damage. 25-35 labor hours for in-chassis rebuild, 18-22 hours for R&R and short block swap. Many shops won't touch these and recommend factory reman long block.

Estimated cost: $18,000-35,000

Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi

Symptoms: White smoke from exhaust on startup, Coolant loss with no visible leaks, Overheating or erratic temperature readings, Rough idle and misfires, Oil contamination in coolant or vice versa

Fix: Both heads must come off on these V8s due to the hot-V turbo configuration making access difficult. Includes head resurfacing, new bolts, timing components inspection. 22-28 labor hours. Often find additional problems once heads are off.

Estimated cost: $8,500-14,000

Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi

Symptoms: Transmission fluid spots on driveway, Low transmission fluid warnings on dash, Burnt smell from undercarriage, Harsh or delayed shifts when fluid is low

Fix: Lines corrode where they connect to cooler and transmission. Requires dropping belly pans, sometimes exhaust components. Replace both lines and often the cooler itself while you're in there. 4-6 labor hours.

Estimated cost: $1,200-2,200

Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi

Symptoms: Clunking when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Vibration at idle in gear, Excessive driveline movement during hard acceleration, Visible sagging or tearing of rubber mount

Fix: The torque from this engine destroys mounts faster than lesser S-Class models. Transmission must be partially lowered for access. 3-5 labor hours. Replace all mounts at once if one fails.

Estimated cost: $800-1,500

Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi

Symptoms: Rattling noise from engine bay at idle or light throttle, Reduced boost pressure and power loss, Check engine light with underboost codes (P0234, P0299), Turbo whistle or abnormal spool sounds

Fix: Hot-V turbos are buried under the intake manifold. Full top-end disassembly required for access. Often the wastegate actuators fail or the wastegate flapper arms break. 14-18 hours labor per side, most do both. Sometimes can replace just actuators, sometimes need whole turbo.

Estimated cost: $6,000-12,000

Typical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi

Symptoms: Vehicle sits low on one or more corners after sitting overnight, Suspension warning on dash, Compressor runs excessively, Visible oil residue on strut body

Fix: Air struts leak at seals. Front struts 3-4 hours each, rears 2-3 hours each. Replace in pairs per axle. Should also inspect compressor and lines. AMG-spec struts are more expensive than standard S-Class.

Estimated cost: $2,500-4,000