FaultScore

Worst years for a Mercedes Benz E320

Owners have filed 1,516 complaints about the Mercedes Benz E320 with NHTSA across model years 1994 to 2009. More of them are about the fuel & propulsion than anything else.

Avoid

2005 Mercedes Benz E320

287 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly fuel & propulsion.

Cleanest on record

2008 Mercedes Benz E320

13 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Mercedes Benz E320 year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2009 A 11 0 0 62,209 Fuel & Propulsion
2008 A 13 0 0 120,000 Engine & Cooling
2007 B 20 1 0 79,102 Engine & Cooling
2006 B 49 3 0 89,234 Brakes
2005 D 287 10 8 80,000 Fuel & Propulsion
2004 D 243 8 1 99,896 Fuel & Propulsion
2003 D 281 12 1 97,000 Fuel & Propulsion
2002 B 27 1 1 85,992 Engine & Cooling
2001 C 54 8 6 95,000 Electrical System
2000 C 81 2 5 130,000 Airbags
1999 D 109 12 13 80,000 Engine & Cooling
1998 C 51 3 0 94,450 Engine & Cooling
1997 C 80 5 4 113,200 Suspension
1996 C 62 7 3 107,700 Suspension
1995 C 129 0 5 103,250 Electrical System
1994 B 19 3 1 162,000 Electrical System

What breaks on a Mercedes Benz E320

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Fuel & Propulsion 383 25.3%

Worst in 2005

Brakes 223 14.7%

Worst in 2003

Electrical System 207 13.7%

Worst in 1995

Engine & Cooling 116 7.7%

Worst in 1999

Airbags 111 7.3%

Worst in 2005

Suspension 111 7.3%

Worst in 1997

Worst in 1999

Worst in 2004

Worst in 2000

Lights 35 2.3%

Worst in 2000

Steering 29 1.9%

Worst in 2005

Worst in 2005

Seat Belts 24 1.6%

Worst in 1997

Equipment & Accessories 23 1.5%

Worst in 2003

Exactly what failed on a Mercedes Benz E320

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Front Underhood 38 18.9%
Wiring 24 11.9%
Front 24 11.9%
Automatic Transmission 22 10.9%
Coil Springs 20 10.0%
Frontal 17 8.5%
Body 16 8.0%
Engine 15 7.5%
Gasoline 13 6.5%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 12 6.0%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Mercedes Benz E320, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jul 1999 peak 30 May 2026

Mercedes Benz E320 problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Mercedes Benz E320

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.