FaultScore report
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG E53 with NHTSA between 2020 and 2023. The largest single group is the driver assist & collision avoidance.
10
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 90 miles
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
POWER TRAIN
Was driving the car when it gave me a -48v malfunction. This was quickly followed by an overheat warning to turn the car off. It appears to be an issue with the -48v battery. Still waiting to hear what root cause is as MBUSA has had the car for 24 days and counting without many answers.
NHTSA complaint #11534064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Was driving the car when it gave me a -48v malfunction. This was quickly followed by an overheat warning to turn the car off. It appears to be an issue with the -48v battery. Still waiting to hear what root cause is as MBUSA has had the car for 24 days and counting without many answers.
NHTSA complaint #11534064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Was driving the car when it gave me a -48v malfunction. This was quickly followed by an overheat warning to turn the car off. It appears to be an issue with the -48v battery. Still waiting to hear what root cause is as MBUSA has had the car for 24 days and counting without many answers.
NHTSA complaint #11534064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Automatic Emergency Braking / Selt Belt Pretensioner. Car can be inspected at dealer during a scheduled service if needed. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I was driving on a local road (paved, no painted road markings, some small cracks/pot holes but all minor) that I frequently drive without issue. This time as I was coming out of a minor left-hand curve and about 30 meters from a slightly sharper right hand turn the Automatic Emergency Braking warning light activated, as well as the warning alarm, and the Seal Belt Pretensioner engaged and yanked me (driving) back (as it would if the vehicle was preparing for a collision. However, the vehicle never activated the brakes to slow the vehicle and the warning light and alarm deactivated and the seat belt released the tension. There were no vehicles coming from the other direction, no animals or pedestrians in sight. There is a utility pole located about 2-3ft off the right side of the road near this area. I've now had this occur two more times (three total) in the same location driving in the same direction. Twice I was the only occupant, and once there were two occupants, one in the driver's seat and one in the passenger seat (the Seat Belt Pretensioner activated for both occupants). Safety Issue: Automatic Emergency Braking System activating unexpectedly and unnecessarily. When Automatic Emergency Braking System is activated the Seat Belt Pretensioner activates and forcefully restrains the occupant (as I assume it should the vehicle expects a collision or harsh braking). This is very surprising and distracting for the driver (and in one instance also a passenger, who afterwards said they remarked they felt like it almost gave them a heart attack). This can lead to an accident given the unexpectedness. Additionally, the brakes never engaged or slowed the vehicle in any of the three instances.
NHTSA complaint #11497646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Automatic Emergency Braking / Selt Belt Pretensioner. Car can be inspected at dealer during a scheduled service if needed. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I was driving on a local road (paved, no painted road markings, some small cracks/pot holes but all minor) that I frequently drive without issue. This time as I was coming out of a minor left-hand curve and about 30 meters from a slightly sharper right hand turn the Automatic Emergency Braking warning light activated, as well as the warning alarm, and the Seal Belt Pretensioner engaged and yanked me (driving) back (as it would if the vehicle was preparing for a collision. However, the vehicle never activated the brakes to slow the vehicle and the warning light and alarm deactivated and the seat belt released the tension. There were no vehicles coming from the other direction, no animals or pedestrians in sight. There is a utility pole located about 2-3ft off the right side of the road near this area. I've now had this occur two more times (three total) in the same location driving in the same direction. Twice I was the only occupant, and once there were two occupants, one in the driver's seat and one in the passenger seat (the Seat Belt Pretensioner activated for both occupants). Safety Issue: Automatic Emergency Braking System activating unexpectedly and unnecessarily. When Automatic Emergency Braking System is activated the Seat Belt Pretensioner activates and forcefully restrains the occupant (as I assume it should the vehicle expects a collision or harsh braking). This is very surprising and distracting for the driver (and in one instance also a passenger, who afterwards said they remarked they felt like it almost gave them a heart attack). This can lead to an accident given the unexpectedness. Additionally, the brakes never engaged or slowed the vehicle in any of the three instances.
NHTSA complaint #11497646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Automatic Emergency Braking / Selt Belt Pretensioner. Car can be inspected at dealer during a scheduled service if needed. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I was driving on a local road (paved, no painted road markings, some small cracks/pot holes but all minor) that I frequently drive without issue. This time as I was coming out of a minor left-hand curve and about 30 meters from a slightly sharper right hand turn the Automatic Emergency Braking warning light activated, as well as the warning alarm, and the Seal Belt Pretensioner engaged and yanked me (driving) back (as it would if the vehicle was preparing for a collision. However, the vehicle never activated the brakes to slow the vehicle and the warning light and alarm deactivated and the seat belt released the tension. There were no vehicles coming from the other direction, no animals or pedestrians in sight. There is a utility pole located about 2-3ft off the right side of the road near this area. I've now had this occur two more times (three total) in the same location driving in the same direction. Twice I was the only occupant, and once there were two occupants, one in the driver's seat and one in the passenger seat (the Seat Belt Pretensioner activated for both occupants). Safety Issue: Automatic Emergency Braking System activating unexpectedly and unnecessarily. When Automatic Emergency Braking System is activated the Seat Belt Pretensioner activates and forcefully restrains the occupant (as I assume it should the vehicle expects a collision or harsh braking). This is very surprising and distracting for the driver (and in one instance also a passenger, who afterwards said they remarked they felt like it almost gave them a heart attack). This can lead to an accident given the unexpectedness. Additionally, the brakes never engaged or slowed the vehicle in any of the three instances.
NHTSA complaint #11497646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The doors are very Heavy and it is difficult to get it to stay open. Additionally if the car is on a slight uphill and the door is fully open, the door tends to start closing and is not held in place-it becomes very dangerous if you are stating to get out of the car.The door is so heavy that a leg can get caught and broken I have advise Mercedes of this problem but they tell me that the tension is not adjustable It is very dangerous getting both in and out even wee on a flat surface and much more dangerous on the slighted of inclines
NHTSA complaint #11462896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car displays blank screen when transmission is placed in reverse with the words in RED: "System Inoperative".
NHTSA complaint #11431562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Car displays blank screen when transmission is placed in reverse with the words in RED: "System Inoperative".
NHTSA complaint #11431562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
WHILE GOING 45 MPH ON A CLEAR FOUR LANE SMOOTH BLACKTOP CITY STREET THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE EMERGENCY STOP. A RED TRIANGLE APPEARED ON THE DASH BUT BECAUSE OF THE STARTLING NATURE I COULD NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE. THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THIS EMERGENCY STOP, THIS STREET WAS FAMILIAR AND HAD BEEN DRIVEN DAILY FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER.
NHTSA complaint #11373428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.