Owners have filed 287 complaints
about the 2005 Mercedes Benz E320 with NHTSA between 2004 and 2025.
The largest single group is the fuel & propulsion.
Across this model's run it ranks 1 of 16 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 100
Against the median year of the Mercedes Benz E320. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 58
11.1% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 31
18% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2005 compares with every other Mercedes Benz E320
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
135.7%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
20.9%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
156.6%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
198.3%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
5021.9%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
3816.7%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
6829.8%
150,000+ miles
2310.1%
When owners complained
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.
Aug 2004peak 12Feb 2025
NHTSA investigations into the 2005 Mercedes Benz E320
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA13003Opened 15 Mar 2013Closed 19 Dec 2014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Fuel Leakage From The Fuel Tank
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation on January 23, 2012 as PE12-001 based on 20 consumer reports in model year (MY) 2003-2006 E55 AMG vehicles.Based on new reports in other E-Class vehicles, ODI upgraded the investigation to Engineering Analysis (EA) 13-003 on March 15, 2013, and expanded the scope to all E-Class vehicles through MY 2008.The complainants alleged a strong odor of gasoline fuel both inside and outside of their vehicle, particularly after refilling the fuel tank.Many of the complainants noted that the odor subsided or went away after driving some d...
PE10017Opened 14 May 2010Closed 24 Nov 2010AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Driver Air Bag Circuit High Resistance
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) has reported a high number of warranty claims for air bag warning lamp illumination due to a diagnostic fault code 9103 or 9123 indicating a high resistance in the driver's frontal air bag firing circuit.MBUSA's testing and evaluation have shown that this condition is the result of a faulty connector (specifically, improper wire crimp) but that it will not prevent proper deployment of the driver's frontal air bag.The faulty connector can cause the air bag circuit resistance levels to exceed the threshold that illuminates the air bag warning lamp, but they do not excee...
Recalls on the 2005 Mercedes Benz E320
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
United States — NHTSA
24V874000
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
22V954000
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
19V918000
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly resulting in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V918-4126.pdf
Risk: A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
San Josse, CACrash
SERVICE BRAKES
A warning in Red came up on the dashboard which said something like "catastrophic break failure" ..I was going slow about to stop at the Red light and the brakes did not work and I hit a mini van
NHTSA complaint #11555325 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dallas, TXCrashFire
AIR BAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, ANOTHER VEHICLE SWITCHED LANES INTO THE PATH OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A CURB TO AVOID THE OTHER VEHICLE. SOME OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. SMOKE APPEARED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A FACILITY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #11183455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 12,300 milesTemecula, CAFire
ENGINE
CAR SHUT OFF RANDOMLY BY GOING SAFE MODE WHILE DRIVING, CONSTANT BREAK WARNING IN BRIGHT RED " BREAK VISIT WORKSHOP" I WENT TO MULTIPLE SHOPS AND A CONSISTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT, PROBLEM TO BE DETERMINED, CAR HAS BEEN CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE I PURCHASED IT FROM THE USED CAR DEALER WITH THE SRS LIGHT ON, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS. THE CAR HAS HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES, BOTH BATTERIES TWICE, ONE SHORT WAS FOUND IN FAULTY WIRING HARNESS IN TRUCK BEING PINCHED. THE DEALER WOULD DENY SBC UNIT RECALL EVERY TIME I CALLED FLETCHER JONES, AND ONLY GAVE ME THE OPTION TO PAY THEM FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND THEN THEY WILL DETERMINE IF ITS FAULTY INSTEAD OF MY LIFE BEING RISKED AS WELL AS THOSE AROUND ME I FINALLY TRACKED DOWN THE NUMBER FOR CORPORATE AND I GOT CONFORMATION FROM MERCEDES CORPORATE SAY MY VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE LIST. THE CAR WOULD LEAVE ME WITHOUT BREAKS, POWER STEERING MULTIPLE TIMES AND ALWAYS WITHOUT NOTICE OCCURRING MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY. THE SBC UNIT WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED BY A SUPPOSED AUTHORIZED SHOP AND I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REIMBURSEMENT AND THEN THE SAME PROBLEMS OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR. THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE HAD DRAINED THE BATTERIES YET AGAIN SO THE CAR WAS GARAGED AT MY PARENTS WHERE IT EVENTUALLY CAUGHT FIRE IN THAT LOCATION WHICH MAKES THIS WHOLE ORDEAL EVEN MORE OUTRAGEOUS DUE TO MERCEDES MAJOR LACK OF CONCERN WITH THIS AND THEY STILL WANT ME TO PAY THEM TO FIX IT BEFORE THEY WILL EVEN DECIDE TO DO ANYTHING. I HAVE MANY DIFFERENT QUARTERLY REPORT PRINT OUTS AS WELL, OUT OF THE 100S OF 1000S DOCUMENTED TO POSSIBLE 2 MILLION TOTAL FAULTY CARS , MY CAR HAD ALMOST ALL OF DIFFERENT SAFETY ISSUES REPORTED. BOUGHT CAR @ 73K MI, CAUGHT FIRE, BLEW HOLE IN MANIFOLD @ 123K, JUST ISN'T RIGHT, SEEMS THEY ARE TRYING TO COVER UP TRUE AMOUNT OF FAULTY CARS IN US BY ASKING CONFIDENTIALITY BY NHTSA GRANTED BLACKED FILES ILLEGIBLE
NHTSA complaint #11143924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 12,300 milesTemecula, CAFire
SERVICE BRAKES
CAR SHUT OFF RANDOMLY BY GOING SAFE MODE WHILE DRIVING, CONSTANT BREAK WARNING IN BRIGHT RED " BREAK VISIT WORKSHOP" I WENT TO MULTIPLE SHOPS AND A CONSISTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT, PROBLEM TO BE DETERMINED, CAR HAS BEEN CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE I PURCHASED IT FROM THE USED CAR DEALER WITH THE SRS LIGHT ON, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS. THE CAR HAS HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES, BOTH BATTERIES TWICE, ONE SHORT WAS FOUND IN FAULTY WIRING HARNESS IN TRUCK BEING PINCHED. THE DEALER WOULD DENY SBC UNIT RECALL EVERY TIME I CALLED FLETCHER JONES, AND ONLY GAVE ME THE OPTION TO PAY THEM FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND THEN THEY WILL DETERMINE IF ITS FAULTY INSTEAD OF MY LIFE BEING RISKED AS WELL AS THOSE AROUND ME I FINALLY TRACKED DOWN THE NUMBER FOR CORPORATE AND I GOT CONFORMATION FROM MERCEDES CORPORATE SAY MY VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE LIST. THE CAR WOULD LEAVE ME WITHOUT BREAKS, POWER STEERING MULTIPLE TIMES AND ALWAYS WITHOUT NOTICE OCCURRING MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY. THE SBC UNIT WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED BY A SUPPOSED AUTHORIZED SHOP AND I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REIMBURSEMENT AND THEN THE SAME PROBLEMS OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR. THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE HAD DRAINED THE BATTERIES YET AGAIN SO THE CAR WAS GARAGED AT MY PARENTS WHERE IT EVENTUALLY CAUGHT FIRE IN THAT LOCATION WHICH MAKES THIS WHOLE ORDEAL EVEN MORE OUTRAGEOUS DUE TO MERCEDES MAJOR LACK OF CONCERN WITH THIS AND THEY STILL WANT ME TO PAY THEM TO FIX IT BEFORE THEY WILL EVEN DECIDE TO DO ANYTHING. I HAVE MANY DIFFERENT QUARTERLY REPORT PRINT OUTS AS WELL, OUT OF THE 100S OF 1000S DOCUMENTED TO POSSIBLE 2 MILLION TOTAL FAULTY CARS , MY CAR HAD ALMOST ALL OF DIFFERENT SAFETY ISSUES REPORTED. BOUGHT CAR @ 73K MI, CAUGHT FIRE, BLEW HOLE IN MANIFOLD @ 123K, JUST ISN'T RIGHT, SEEMS THEY ARE TRYING TO COVER UP TRUE AMOUNT OF FAULTY CARS IN US BY ASKING CONFIDENTIALITY BY NHTSA GRANTED BLACKED FILES ILLEGIBLE
NHTSA complaint #11143924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 12,300 milesTemecula, CAFire
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
CAR SHUT OFF RANDOMLY BY GOING SAFE MODE WHILE DRIVING, CONSTANT BREAK WARNING IN BRIGHT RED " BREAK VISIT WORKSHOP" I WENT TO MULTIPLE SHOPS AND A CONSISTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT, PROBLEM TO BE DETERMINED, CAR HAS BEEN CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE I PURCHASED IT FROM THE USED CAR DEALER WITH THE SRS LIGHT ON, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS. THE CAR HAS HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES, BOTH BATTERIES TWICE, ONE SHORT WAS FOUND IN FAULTY WIRING HARNESS IN TRUCK BEING PINCHED. THE DEALER WOULD DENY SBC UNIT RECALL EVERY TIME I CALLED FLETCHER JONES, AND ONLY GAVE ME THE OPTION TO PAY THEM FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND THEN THEY WILL DETERMINE IF ITS FAULTY INSTEAD OF MY LIFE BEING RISKED AS WELL AS THOSE AROUND ME I FINALLY TRACKED DOWN THE NUMBER FOR CORPORATE AND I GOT CONFORMATION FROM MERCEDES CORPORATE SAY MY VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE LIST. THE CAR WOULD LEAVE ME WITHOUT BREAKS, POWER STEERING MULTIPLE TIMES AND ALWAYS WITHOUT NOTICE OCCURRING MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY. THE SBC UNIT WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED BY A SUPPOSED AUTHORIZED SHOP AND I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REIMBURSEMENT AND THEN THE SAME PROBLEMS OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR. THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE HAD DRAINED THE BATTERIES YET AGAIN SO THE CAR WAS GARAGED AT MY PARENTS WHERE IT EVENTUALLY CAUGHT FIRE IN THAT LOCATION WHICH MAKES THIS WHOLE ORDEAL EVEN MORE OUTRAGEOUS DUE TO MERCEDES MAJOR LACK OF CONCERN WITH THIS AND THEY STILL WANT ME TO PAY THEM TO FIX IT BEFORE THEY WILL EVEN DECIDE TO DO ANYTHING. I HAVE MANY DIFFERENT QUARTERLY REPORT PRINT OUTS AS WELL, OUT OF THE 100S OF 1000S DOCUMENTED TO POSSIBLE 2 MILLION TOTAL FAULTY CARS , MY CAR HAD ALMOST ALL OF DIFFERENT SAFETY ISSUES REPORTED. BOUGHT CAR @ 73K MI, CAUGHT FIRE, BLEW HOLE IN MANIFOLD @ 123K, JUST ISN'T RIGHT, SEEMS THEY ARE TRYING TO COVER UP TRUE AMOUNT OF FAULTY CARS IN US BY ASKING CONFIDENTIALITY BY NHTSA GRANTED BLACKED FILES ILLEGIBLE
NHTSA complaint #11143924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 123,000 milesTemecula CA, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON SO IT WAS CHARGED THEN RECONNECTED, EVERYTHING GOOD, TURN KEY TO ON POSITION EVERYTHING GOOD, TURN KEY TO START AND BANG! LOUD BANG AND WHITE SMOKE EVERYWHERE, ENGINE CONTINUED TO SMOKE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER EXPLOSION, HOLE IN FRONT OF ENGINE
NHTSA complaint #11128362 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Beach City, TX
SERVICE BRAKES
There has not been an incident report, however, my brakes failed while driving and I pulled over. This is the fault the SBC System which has an Extended 25 year warranty. I brought it into Mercedes prior to complete failure, but they only replace the Pressure Reservoir. It must be returned to Mercedes for the SBC UNIT replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11643797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Detroit, MI
VISIBILITY
The contact owns a 2005 Mercedes-Benz E320. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V954000 (Visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated she had trapped her finger in the sunroof. The contact stated that the sunroof was loose. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA complaint #11568069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Josse, CACrash
SERVICE BRAKES
A warning in Red came up on the dashboard which said something like "catastrophic break failure" ..I was going slow about to stop at the Red light and the brakes did not work and I hit a mini van
NHTSA complaint #11555325 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Linden, NJ
SERVICE BRAKES
car break looses 70% of its pressure and only left with 30% break. It happened 3-4 times already. break booster malfunction sign comes up. When i restart the car, malfunction sign goes away and it run ok for few days till it happen again. I am not driving it right now. it can cause serious accident at high speed
NHTSA complaint #11541370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Linden, NJ
SERVICE BRAKES
Break booster malfunction sign popped up 3-4 time while driving and I lost 70% of the break. Luckily it happened on local road at speed under 30mph. It is very dangerous and can result in an accident
NHTSA complaint #11539618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
san Diego, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving in highway, SBC brake failure warning and failure. Fortunate to be able to come to a stop without crashing into a car ahead since had plenty of time and distance to slowly come to a stop even with reduced braking power. If traveling in rush hour would likely have rear ended a stopped car in front and potentially causing serious injury and damage! This is a known issue with Mercedes, and there is an extended 25 year warranty on the vehicle but for some reason, my vehicle was not included in the recall: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 04V296000 2005 Mercedes e320 automatic sedan. I had the dealer replace parts of the the SBA brake unit once, but it has since reappeared on an intermittent basis usually during cold start and then it goes away in a few seconds while pulling out of a driveway, but this time it occurred after having driven for awhile on a freeway Please investigate to include additionally affected vehicles!!!
NHTSA complaint #11521089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Diamond Bar, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake warning lights flashed and brakes failed
NHTSA complaint #11507993 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Francisco, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
Please see this discussion... 2005 Mercedes E320 SBC brake system should be recalled. Thanks for considering!
NHTSA complaint #11497658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newport NC 28570, NC
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INSTRUMENT PANEL NOT WORKING FOR LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS OR LONGER DID NOT DRIVE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE
NHTSA complaint #11455595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Surprise, AZ
VISIBILITY
The contact owns a 2005 Mercedes-Benz E320. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V918000 (Visibility) however, the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA complaint #11432490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wahiawa, HI
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The passenger compartment smells like gasoline. This is due to an issue that was already investigated by nhtsa however the warranty that was extended is expired by two years. I just purchased this vehicle used and it is unsafe to drive. It did not smell like gas a few weeks ago when it was purchased. The odor is very strong in the passenger compartment.
NHTSA complaint #11429673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wichita Falls, TX
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FILLED UP GAS TANK AND HAD FUEL ODOR INSIDE CAR AND FUEL LEAKING OUTSIDE THE CAR UNTIL FUEL LEVEL WAS AROUND 3/4 OF A TANK. I BELIEVE THAT MINE FALLS UNDER ALL THE OTHER PROBLEMS LISTED FOR FUEL LEAKS FOR OTHER W211 MERCEDES. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS WAS ONLY ALLOWED FOR ORIGINAL OWNERS AND NOT FOR ANYONE THAT PURCHASED USED.
NHTSA complaint #11390601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hixon, TN
VISIBILITY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
NHTSA complaint #11351849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 126,240 milesForestburg, TX
SEATS
SRS WARNING LIGHT ON. REPLACED SEAT CONTROL A 211 870 05 26. NO HELP. SERVICE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. SERVICE DECIDED TO REPLACE ENTIRE SEAT FRAME AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $2,800 INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR. SRS CODE WAS IDENTIFIED WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND JUST STARTED IN ENCLOSED PARKING SPACE WITH DOOR OPEN.
NHTSA complaint #11339398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 126,240 milesForestburg, TX
AIR BAGS
SRS WARNING LIGHT ON. REPLACED SEAT CONTROL A 211 870 05 26. NO HELP. SERVICE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. SERVICE DECIDED TO REPLACE ENTIRE SEAT FRAME AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $2,800 INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR. SRS CODE WAS IDENTIFIED WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND JUST STARTED IN ENCLOSED PARKING SPACE WITH DOOR OPEN.
NHTSA complaint #11339398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 126,240 milesForestburg, TX
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SRS WARNING LIGHT ON. REPLACED SEAT CONTROL A 211 870 05 26. NO HELP. SERVICE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. SERVICE DECIDED TO REPLACE ENTIRE SEAT FRAME AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $2,800 INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR. SRS CODE WAS IDENTIFIED WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND JUST STARTED IN ENCLOSED PARKING SPACE WITH DOOR OPEN.
NHTSA complaint #11339398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 190,000 milesCedar Knolls, NJ
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RUBBER SEAL AROUND THE SUNROOF SHIFTED OUT OF PLACE AND ALLOWED RAIN WATER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WATER ALSO ENTERED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CAUSED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES. THE CARPET WAS ALSO SOAKED FROM THE WATER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO START THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE CONTACT PLACED TAPE AROUND THE SUNROOF TO PREVENT FURTHER WATER INTRUSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.
NHTSA complaint #11325300 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 153,000 milesEagle Mountain, UT
SERVICE BRAKES
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND RED WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND NO BRAKES
NHTSA complaint #11316477 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 125,000 milesBenton, AR
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MERCEDES OF LITTLE ROCK AND REFERENCED MFG RECALL # 2019120012 AND NHTSA RECALL # 19V918. WHEN I SHOWED UP THIS MORNING AT THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER, I WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. I ATTEMPTED TO SHOW THEM THE WEBPAGE INFORMATION WITH MY PHONE AND THEY SAID IF IT DOESN'T SHOW UNDER THEIR VIN LOOKUP, THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. IS THERE A WAY TO APPEAL OR OTHER RECOURSE? THANK YOU
NHTSA complaint #11298084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 89,000 milesWilmington, NC
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT (LUCKILY) AND MY CAR STARTED ROLLING FORWARD. I PRESSED THE BRAKES HARDER AND THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR CONTINUED ROLLING FORWARD. I THREW THE CAR INTO PARK AND TURNED ON MY HAZARDS. THE POLICE SHOWED UP. HE TRIED PUTTING THE CAR IN DRIVE TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD BUT IT WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR. MY HUSBAND SHOWED UP, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN ON AND THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE MOVED TO A CLOSE PARKING LOT. WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES DEALERSHIP, THEY FOUND CODES (C233D, C22BC, C23BD, C223C, C26DE, C25D5) FOR PRESSURE SYSTEM FAILURE AND PRESSURE FAILURE TO ALL FOUR TIRES AT THE SAME TIME. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED BEFORE ANY SENSOTRONIC WARRANTY WORK WOULD BE REIMBURSED. SO WE PAID $465.99 TO HAVE THEM FLUSHED AND WERE TOLD THAT THE SYSTEM WAS RETESTED AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. I WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, BRAKE EARLY AND PRESS THE BRAKES REALLY HARD. IF WE GET A DIFFERENT CODE NEXT TIME, THEY WILL BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MERCEDES AND THEY HAVE REFERRED US BACK TO THE EXPERTISE OF THE DEALERSHIP.
NHTSA complaint #11292586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kissimmee, FL
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL: THE SRS LIGHT IN MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN ON FOR A WHILE. IT JUST HAPPENED OVERNIGHT WITHOUT ANY REASON. MY CONCERN IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT, WOULD THE AIR BAGS STILL WORK. I'M WONDERING IF THIS ISSUE COMES FROM THE MANUFACTURE BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD OF SOME OF THE BENZ FROM THIS YEAR WITH THE SAME ISSUE
NHTSA complaint #11206150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 309,015 milesGainesville, VA
AIR BAGS
CAR WAS ELEVATED ON A 2 POST CAR LIFT AND WE WERE WORKING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY. 2 SHARP BLOWS WERE STRUCK ON A BOLT HEAD ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR WITH A HAMMER IN AN EFFORT TO LOOSEN THE BOLT. AFTER THE SECOND BLOW, THE DRIVERS SIDE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL AND THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ACCESSORY POSITION.
NHTSA complaint #11204302 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dallas, TXCrashFire
AIR BAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, ANOTHER VEHICLE SWITCHED LANES INTO THE PATH OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A CURB TO AVOID THE OTHER VEHICLE. SOME OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. SMOKE APPEARED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A FACILITY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #11183455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 135,000 milesST. Louis, MO
SERVICE BRAKES
COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT (BRAKE WORKING AT THIS TIME) ON TO A CITY STREET. THIS WAS A DIVIDED MULTIPLE LANE ROAD, WITH THE CAR TRAVELING IN THE CENTER LANE. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE CAR COULD NOT BE SLOWED OR STOPPED. AN INTERSECTION WITH TRAFFIC LIGHT WAS AHEAD, WITH MULTIPLE CARS IN FRONT. SWITCHED OFF THE IGNITIOM OF THE CAR TO SLOW IT DOWN. TOOK A TURN OFF AT THE INTERSECTION. THE CAR RAN OVER THE CURB AND CAME TO REST NEXT TO A GAS STATION.
NHTSA complaint #11144893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 12,300 milesTemecula, CAFire
ENGINE
CAR SHUT OFF RANDOMLY BY GOING SAFE MODE WHILE DRIVING, CONSTANT BREAK WARNING IN BRIGHT RED " BREAK VISIT WORKSHOP" I WENT TO MULTIPLE SHOPS AND A CONSISTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT, PROBLEM TO BE DETERMINED, CAR HAS BEEN CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE I PURCHASED IT FROM THE USED CAR DEALER WITH THE SRS LIGHT ON, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS. THE CAR HAS HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES, BOTH BATTERIES TWICE, ONE SHORT WAS FOUND IN FAULTY WIRING HARNESS IN TRUCK BEING PINCHED. THE DEALER WOULD DENY SBC UNIT RECALL EVERY TIME I CALLED FLETCHER JONES, AND ONLY GAVE ME THE OPTION TO PAY THEM FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND THEN THEY WILL DETERMINE IF ITS FAULTY INSTEAD OF MY LIFE BEING RISKED AS WELL AS THOSE AROUND ME I FINALLY TRACKED DOWN THE NUMBER FOR CORPORATE AND I GOT CONFORMATION FROM MERCEDES CORPORATE SAY MY VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE LIST. THE CAR WOULD LEAVE ME WITHOUT BREAKS, POWER STEERING MULTIPLE TIMES AND ALWAYS WITHOUT NOTICE OCCURRING MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY. THE SBC UNIT WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED BY A SUPPOSED AUTHORIZED SHOP AND I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REIMBURSEMENT AND THEN THE SAME PROBLEMS OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR. THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE HAD DRAINED THE BATTERIES YET AGAIN SO THE CAR WAS GARAGED AT MY PARENTS WHERE IT EVENTUALLY CAUGHT FIRE IN THAT LOCATION WHICH MAKES THIS WHOLE ORDEAL EVEN MORE OUTRAGEOUS DUE TO MERCEDES MAJOR LACK OF CONCERN WITH THIS AND THEY STILL WANT ME TO PAY THEM TO FIX IT BEFORE THEY WILL EVEN DECIDE TO DO ANYTHING. I HAVE MANY DIFFERENT QUARTERLY REPORT PRINT OUTS AS WELL, OUT OF THE 100S OF 1000S DOCUMENTED TO POSSIBLE 2 MILLION TOTAL FAULTY CARS , MY CAR HAD ALMOST ALL OF DIFFERENT SAFETY ISSUES REPORTED. BOUGHT CAR @ 73K MI, CAUGHT FIRE, BLEW HOLE IN MANIFOLD @ 123K, JUST ISN'T RIGHT, SEEMS THEY ARE TRYING TO COVER UP TRUE AMOUNT OF FAULTY CARS IN US BY ASKING CONFIDENTIALITY BY NHTSA GRANTED BLACKED FILES ILLEGIBLE
NHTSA complaint #11143924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.