Car Model History

Second generation · W126 · 1981–1991

1990Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The best-selling classic S-Class and a design icon. It reached US showrooms for 1981 (late-1980 launch). The first production car offered with a driver's airbag; later added a passenger airbag (1988). Also spawned the C126 coupe (SEC).

Second generation · W126

1990 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W126) — sedan, front three-quarter view

Photo: “1990 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL AMG LC25” by MrWalkr / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.

The 1990 model year

Overview

For 1990, the U.S. W126 range expanded to five sedans when the long-wheelbase 350 SDL turbodiesel joined the 300 SE, 300 SEL, 420 SEL, and 560 SEL. The diesel's 3.5-liter OM603 powertrain is a distinct service application and is not covered by the gasoline-V8 maintenance record used elsewhere on the page.

Specifications

Engines
  • 3.0-liter M103 fuel-injected inline-six
  • 3.5-liter OM603 turbocharged diesel inline-six
  • 4.2-liter M116 fuel-injected V8
  • 5.6-liter M117 fuel-injected V8
Transmissions
4-speed automatic
Body styles
Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan, Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Year over year

What changed

  • The 350 SDL restored a diesel sedan to the U.S. model-year roster.
  • The four gasoline models from 1989 continued alongside it.

Worth knowing

Notable

  • The 350 SDL must remain separate from both the earlier 300 SDL and the gasoline 300 SEL despite the shared long-wheelbase body.

Living with it

Reliability & ownership notes

  • Confirm the chassis, engine number, market specification, and build date before ordering parts; U.S. model-year rosters do not describe gray-market or other-market W126 sedans.
  • Use the maintenance record scoped to the exact engine shown on this page; it must not be projected onto the diesel, coupe, or other W126 powertrains that the source does not cover.

Maintenance & service parts

Keep your 1990 S-Class on the road

Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.

Service desk

What this car needs & when

Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1990 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.

Service topics
9
Scheduled topics
8
Applicability stated
9
Exact references
2

Before ordering Identify your engine, options and build date. Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.

  • Engine oil and filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil and filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1990 · M117.968 5.6L V8 · 560 SEL sedan (126.039) · United States · Exact 1990 560 SEL factory record; other gasoline engines, diesel, SEC, and other W126 configurations are not claimed.

    Published interval: 7,500 mi / 12,000 km / 12 months · Normal service; at least annually with year-round multigrade oil.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz — 1990 560 SEL (W126) mileage schedule, preserved by Operation CHARM · Normal Service — 7,500-mile row and repeating 7,500-mile rows · checked

  • Spark plugsView intervals, applicability and sources

    Spark plugs

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1990 · M117.968 5.6L V8 · 560 SEL sedan (126.039) · United States · Exact 1990 560 SEL factory record; other gasoline engines, diesel, SEC, and other W126 configurations are not claimed.

    Published interval: 30,000 mi / 48,000 km · Normal-service replacement interval.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz — 1990 560 SEL (W126) mileage schedule, preserved by Operation CHARM · Normal Service — repeating 30,000-mile replacement rows · checked

  • Automatic-transmission fluid and filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Automatic-transmission fluid and filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1990 · M117.968 5.6L V8 · 560 SEL sedan (126.039) · United States · Exact 1990 560 SEL factory record; other gasoline engines, diesel, SEC, and other W126 configurations are not claimed.

    Published interval: 30,000 mi / 48,000 km · Normal-service replacement interval.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz — 1990 560 SEL (W126) mileage schedule, preserved by Operation CHARM · Normal Service — repeating 30,000-mile fluid/filter replacement rows · checked

  • Brake fluidView intervals, applicability and sources

    Brake fluid

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1990 · M117.968 5.6L V8 · 560 SEL sedan (126.039) · United States · Exact 1990 560 SEL factory record; other gasoline engines, diesel, SEC, and other W126 configurations are not claimed.

    Published interval: 30,000 mi / 48,000 km · Normal-service replacement interval in the archived mileage schedule.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz — 1990 560 SEL (W126) mileage schedule, preserved by Operation CHARM · Normal Service — repeating 30,000-mile replacement rows · checked

  • Engine air-filter elementView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine air-filter element

    Exact reference available

    Applies to: 1990 · M117.968 5.6L V8 · 560 SEL sedan (126.039) · United States · Exact 1990 560 SEL factory record; other gasoline engines, diesel, SEC, and other W126 configurations are not claimed.

    Published interval: 30,000 mi / 48,000 km · Normal-service replacement interval.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz — 1990 560 SEL (W126) mileage schedule, preserved by Operation CHARM · Normal Service — repeating 30,000-mile replacement rows · checked

    300 SE — 3.0-liter M103 fuel-injected inline-six

    K&N E-2867

    Applies to: 1990 · 3.0-liter M103 fuel-injected inline-six · 300 SE · Exact 1990 300 SE engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W126 S-Class table — 300 SE, 1990 — E-2867 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    300 SEL — 3.0-liter M103 fuel-injected inline-six

    K&N E-2867

    Applies to: 1990 · 3.0-liter M103 fuel-injected inline-six · 300 SEL · Exact 1990 300 SEL engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W126 S-Class table — 300 SEL, 1990 — E-2867 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    420 SEL — 4.2-liter M116 fuel-injected V8

    K&N E-2872

    Applies to: 1990 · 4.2-liter M116 fuel-injected V8 · 420 SEL · Exact 1990 420 SEL engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W126 S-Class table — 420 SEL, 1990 — E-2872 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    560 SEL — 5.6-liter M117 fuel-injected V8

    K&N E-2872

    Applies to: 1990 · 5.6-liter M117 fuel-injected V8 · 560 SEL · Exact 1990 560 SEL engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W126 S-Class table — 560 SEL, 1990 — E-2872 · checked

    Verified ordering references

  • Fuel filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Fuel filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1990 · M117.968 5.6L V8 · 560 SEL sedan (126.039) · United States · Exact 1990 560 SEL factory record; other gasoline engines, diesel, SEC, and other W126 configurations are not claimed.

    Published interval: 60,000 mi / 96,000 km · Normal-service replacement interval.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz — 1990 560 SEL (W126) mileage schedule, preserved by Operation CHARM · Normal Service — 60,000- and 120,000-mile replacement rows · checked

  • Oxygen sensorView intervals, applicability and sources

    Oxygen sensor

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1990 · M117.968 5.6L V8 · 560 SEL sedan (126.039) · United States · Exact 1990 560 SEL factory record; other gasoline engines, diesel, SEC, and other W126 configurations are not claimed.

    Published interval: 60,000 mi / 96,000 km · Normal-service replacement interval.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz — 1990 560 SEL (W126) mileage schedule, preserved by Operation CHARM · Normal Service — 60,000- and 120,000-mile replacement rows · checked

  • Engine coolantView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine coolant

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1990 · M117.968 5.6L V8 · 560 SEL sedan (126.039) · United States · Exact 1990 560 SEL factory record; other gasoline engines, diesel, SEC, and other W126 configurations are not claimed.

    Published interval: 90,000 mi / 144,000 km · Replacement row; earlier 30,000- and 60,000-mile rows call only for inspection.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz — 1990 560 SEL (W126) mileage schedule, preserved by Operation CHARM · Normal Service — 90,000-mile coolant replacement row; 30,000/60,000 rows distinguished as inspect only · checked

  • Engine oil filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil filter

    Exact reference available

    Use the exact engine, VIN, and build date to confirm the catalogued service part before ordering.

    Applies to: 1990

    350 SDL — 3.5-liter OM603 turbocharged diesel inline-six

    MAHLE OX 38D

    Applies to: 1990 · 3.5-liter OM603 turbocharged diesel inline-six · 350 SDL · Exact 1990 350 SDL engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: MAHLE Aftermarket — Mercedes-Benz passenger-car filter application catalog · 1990 Mercedes-Benz 350SDL 3.4L L6 — OX 38D · checked

    Verified ordering references

Collect

Bring this model year home

Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.

Sources

  1. Mercedes-Benz Media — factory S-Class history and W126 design/safety chronology
  2. Mercedes-Benz Club of America — 1981–1991 W126 U.S.-market buyer's guide

Other Second generation years

Explore the W126 generation →All Second generation · W126 years →

Complete, source-verified lineup

Find your exact 1990 S-Class

Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.

5factory configurations
Verified complete for the U.S.-marketHow this lineup was verified

We checked this U.S.-market lineup against period sources for factory sedan, coupe, cabriolet, drivetrain, and powertrain roster represented by the cited exact-year or factory-archive evidence. Every version shown below has its own detail page.

Verified 2026-09-01 from Mercedes-Benz Club of America — 1981–1991 W126 U.S.-market buyer's guide.

5versions shown
Browse 5 documented records — use the filters above to narrow the list
Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz 300 SE Automatic

Body
Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
3.0-liter M103 fuel-injected inline-six
Gearbox
4-speed automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL Automatic

Body
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
3.0-liter M103 fuel-injected inline-six
Gearbox
4-speed automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz 350 SDL Automatic

Body
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
3.5-liter OM603 turbocharged diesel inline-six
Gearbox
4-speed automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL Automatic

Body
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
4.2-liter M116 fuel-injected V8
Gearbox
4-speed automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL Automatic

Body
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
5.6-liter M117 fuel-injected V8
Gearbox
4-speed automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version

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