1996 Mercedes-Benz S320 Service and Repair Manual

This factory service and repair manual for the 1996 Mercedes-Benz S320 is for a car defined by its inline-six. That 3.2L engine uses dual overhead cams, breathes without a turbo or supercharger and runs on gasoline, and it is the only one listed. The body is a four-door sedan, available in two trims, LWB and SWB. Engine mechanical, accessory drive, cooling and charging work are covered for the six alongside the chassis and body systems.

Engines covered

• 3.2L inline-six — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 4-door sedan

Trims covered

• LWB
• SWB

Known issues on the 1996 S320. A recall filed against certain 1996 S-Class line vehicles equipped with six-cylinder engines concerned the crankshaft pulley, which could crack from metal fatigue and break, cutting the drive to cooling, charging and power steering and risking overheating and a loss of control. Dealers fitted a new damper-pulley. Three complaints cite the 1996 S320 itself, all involving the electrical system and two the engine; one of those complaints reported a fire and one reported an injury. NHTSA logged six complaints against the 1996 S-Class line. The manual pairs belt-drive, cooling and charging procedures with torque values, wiring diagrams and diagnostics.