Third generation · W140 · 1992–1999

1997Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The imposing, over-engineered 1990s flagship — double-pane glass, a V12 (600 SEL / S 600), and the debut of Electronic Stability Program (ESP) in its C140 coupe. US model years 1992–1999.

Third generation · W140

Photo: “1997 Mercedes S 320 Auto (18693442744).jpg” by Kieran White from Manchester, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.

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What do you need to know?

This page covers the whole 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class model year. Choose your task first; exact trims and engines are separated where the factory offered different versions.

Complete, source-verified lineup

Find your exact 1997 S-Class

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

4factory 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 — 1992–1999 W140 buyer's guide and technical tables, Mercedes-Benz Public Archive — 140-series S-Class model history, Mercedes-Benz W140 School archive — factory North American owner's-manual model indexes by year.

Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz S 320 Automatic

Body: Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine: 3.2-liter M104 DOHC inline-six
Gearbox: 5-speed automatic
Built: Regular production

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Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz S 420 Automatic

Body: Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine: 4.2-liter M119 DOHC V8
Gearbox: 5-speed automatic
Built: Regular production

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Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz S 500 Automatic

Body: Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine: 5.0-liter M119 DOHC V8
Gearbox: 5-speed automatic
Built: Regular production

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Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz S 600 Automatic

Body: Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine: 6.0-liter M120 DOHC V12
Gearbox: 5-speed automatic
Built: Regular production

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The 1997 model year

Overview

The 1997 North American W140 sedan roster carried over the gasoline S 320, S 420, S 500, and S 600 with five-speed automatics. Mercedes-Benz's December 1996 Brake Assist rollout now falls before this model year's calendar sales period, while the club guide separately dates TELEAID, xenon headlamps, and rain-sensing wipers to 1997.

Specifications

Engines: 3.2-liter M104 DOHC inline-six
4.2-liter M119 DOHC V8
5.0-liter M119 DOHC V8
6.0-liter M120 DOHC V12
Transmissions: 5-speed automatic
Body styles: Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Year over year

What changed

The four-model gasoline roster carried over from 1996 and the manual index again lists no North American diesel.
No coupe is folded into this sedan roster; the two-door C140 remains a distinct body and fitment application.

Worth knowing

Notable

Feature availability can depend on market, option, and build date; the technology chronology is not presented as a universal standard-equipment list.

Living with it

Reliability & ownership notes

Service records matter on every W140; inspect the pneumatic convenience system, all electronic equipment, rear window regulators, power-steering leaks, and engine mounts before purchase.
The club guide identifies pre-1996 evaporator leakage and 1993–1995 biodegradable wiring harnesses as specific inspection points; verify repairs on the individual car rather than assuming every example is affected.
Match service parts to the exact engine, transmission, market, and build date shown on the data plate; a shared W140 body does not make six-cylinder, V8, V12, and diesel fitment interchangeable.

Maintenance & service parts

Keep your 1997 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 topics: 3
Factory intervals: 3
Fitment-scoped: 3
Exact references: 1

Before orderingIdentify 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.

Lubrication service
Sourced interval available
Applies to: 1997 · United States · Mercedes-Benz explicitly applies this revision to model 140 beginning with model year 1994; pre-1994 W140 requirements are not claimed.
Published interval: 7,500 mi / 12,000 km / 12 months · Under normal operating conditions; at least once a year.
Source: Mercedes-Benz — W140 maintenance intervals (MY1994 revision, preserved by Operation CHARM) · normal operating-condition intervals — lubrication service · checked 2026-08-05
Maintenance service
Applies to: 1997 · United States · Mercedes-Benz explicitly applies this revision to model 140 beginning with model year 1994; pre-1994 W140 requirements are not claimed.
Published interval: 15,000 mi / 24,000 km / 24 months · Under normal operating conditions.
Source: Mercedes-Benz — W140 maintenance intervals (MY1994 revision, preserved by Operation CHARM) · normal operating-condition intervals — maintenance service · checked 2026-08-05
Fuel filter
Sourced interval available
Applies to: 1997 · United States · Mercedes-Benz explicitly applies this revision to model 140 beginning with model year 1994; pre-1994 W140 requirements are not claimed.
Published interval: 60,000 mi / 96,000 km / 48 months · Additional maintenance work at a maintenance service; whichever comes first.
Source: Mercedes-Benz — W140 maintenance intervals (MY1994 revision, preserved by Operation CHARM) · additional maintenance jobs at maintenance service — replace fuel filter · checked 2026-08-05
Diesel fuel prefilter
Applies to: 1997 · Diesel engines · United States · Mercedes-Benz explicitly applies this revision to model 140 beginning with model year 1994; pre-1994 W140 requirements are not claimed.
Published interval: 60,000 mi / 96,000 km / 48 months · Diesel models; additional maintenance work at a maintenance service; whichever comes first.
Source: Mercedes-Benz — W140 maintenance intervals (MY1994 revision, preserved by Operation CHARM) · additional maintenance jobs at maintenance service — replace fuel prefilter (diesel) · checked 2026-08-05
Engine air filter
Exact reference available
Applies to: 1997 · United States · Mercedes-Benz explicitly applies this revision to model 140 beginning with model year 1994; pre-1994 W140 requirements are not claimed.
Published interval: 60,000 mi / 96,000 km / 48 months · Additional maintenance work at a maintenance service; whichever comes first.
Source: Mercedes-Benz — W140 maintenance intervals (MY1994 revision, preserved by Operation CHARM) · additional maintenance jobs at maintenance service — replace air-filter element · checked 2026-08-05
S 320 — 3.2-liter M104 DOHC inline-six
K&N 33-2130
Applies to: 1997 · 3.2-liter M104 DOHC inline-six · S 320 · Exact 1997 S 320 engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W140 S-Class table — S 320, 1997 — 33-2130 · checked 2026-09-01
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2130
  Qty. 1 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
  K&N lists one element for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
  Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W140 S-Class table — S 320, 1997 — 33-2130 · checked 2026-09-01
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S 420 — 4.2-liter M119 DOHC V8
K&N 33-2678
Applies to: 1997 · 4.2-liter M119 DOHC V8 · S 420 · Exact 1997 S 420 engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W140 S-Class table — S 420, 1997 — 33-2678 (two required) · checked 2026-09-01
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2678
  Qty. 2 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
  K&N lists two elements for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
  Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W140 S-Class table — S 420, 1997 — 33-2678 (two required) · checked 2026-09-01
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S 500 — 5.0-liter M119 DOHC V8
K&N 33-2678
Applies to: 1997 · 5.0-liter M119 DOHC V8 · S 500 · Exact 1997 S 500 engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W140 S-Class table — S 500, 1997 — 33-2678 (two required) · checked 2026-09-01
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2678
  Qty. 2 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
  K&N lists two elements for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
  Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W140 S-Class table — S 500, 1997 — 33-2678 (two required) · checked 2026-09-01
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S 600 — 6.0-liter M120 DOHC V12
K&N 33-2677
Applies to: 1997 · 6.0-liter M120 DOHC V12 · S 600 · Exact 1997 S 600 engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W140 S-Class table — S 600, 1997 — 33-2677 (two required) · checked 2026-09-01
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2677
  Qty. 2 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
  K&N lists two elements for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
  Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W140 S-Class table — S 600, 1997 — 33-2677 (two required) · checked 2026-09-01
  Search this part on Amazon

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