FaultScore report
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 2003 Mercedes Benz E350 with NHTSA between 2014 and 2021. The largest single group is the electrical system. Across this model's run it ranks 14 of 15 worst.
FaultScore 14/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Mercedes Benz E350.
How this is worked out10
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
84,336 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
38%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
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.
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 188,000 miles
Median failure at 150,102 miles
Median failure at 300,000 miles
Median failure at 92,673 miles
Median failure at 9,559 miles
Median failure at 9,559 miles
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
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.
SUSPENSION
ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT AS THE AIRMATIC SUSPENSION FAILED. CAR SUDDENLY LOWERED WHILE DRIVING. CHANGED AIR SHOCKED, FAILED AGAIN AFTER 2 YEARS. THIS CAR HAS ONLY LESS 93000 MILES. ALL MECHANICS ACROSS THE BOARD KNOW THIS IS THE PROBLEM MERCEDES HAS REFUSED TO TAKE CARE.
NHTSA complaint #11395323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHEN GAS TANK IS FULL, I CAN SMELL GAS FROM THE DRIVERS PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN THE GAS TANK IS 3/4TH TANK, THE SMELL DISAPPEARED. AFTER RESEARCH ONLINE THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM IN THE RUBBER SEAL IN THE TANK. IT IS A FIRE ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11322779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT AND REAR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING OR A CRASH. AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. MERCEDES BENZ OF WALNUT CREEK (1301 PARKSIDE DR, WALNUT CREEK, CA 94596, (844) 896-1941) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO ENCOURAGED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #11320399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE VECHILE HAS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF FUEL TBAT I MAY BELIEVE IS BUILDING UP AS IT LEAKS IN THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR
NHTSA complaint #11311029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE VECHILE HAS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF FUEL TBAT I MAY BELIEVE IS BUILDING UP AS IT LEAKS IN THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR
NHTSA complaint #11311029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THE VECHILE HAS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF FUEL TBAT I MAY BELIEVE IS BUILDING UP AS IT LEAKS IN THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR
NHTSA complaint #11311029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E 320. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE SUN ROOF DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. UPON INVESTIGATION THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY). MERCEDES-BENZ OF MARIETTA LOCATED AT 810 COBB PKWY SE, MARIETTA, GA 30060, WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #11309878 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2003 E320 SEDAN BATTERIES IS CONSTANTLY DRAINING AFTER THE VEHICLE SITS FOR 6 OR MORE HOURS. I HAVE INCURRED COSTLY EXPENSES IN REPLACING BOTH THE REAR LOAD & FRONT SMALL AUXILIARY BATTERIES TO INCLUDE LABOR COST AT AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES REPAIR SHOP. OCTOBER 2019 I TRIED TO ACCESS THE CAR USING THE KEY KNOB, HOWEVER NO POWER TO ACCESS THE VEHICLE NOR ACCESS THE TRUNK. NOVEMBER 2019 THE VEHICLE FOG, INTERIOR & REAR TAIL LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH ON & OFF AND THE SECURITY ALARM BEGIN TO SOUND WITH A WEAK LIKE BATTERY SOUND WITHOUT THE USE OF THE SMART KEY, DECEMBER 2019 THE SAME OCCURRENCES BATTERIES WERE DRAIN, NO POWER & RECENTLY FEBRUARY 2019 SAME OCCURRENCES NO POWER TO VEHICLE. I HAVE PURCHASED NEW BATTERIES & A NEW ALTERNATOR & STILL THE SAME ISSUES OF BATTERY DRAINING. THE AUTHORIZED MERCEDES REPAIR SHOP HAS CONDUCTED A INSUFFICIENT VOLTAGE TEST & ELECTRICAL TEST TO FIND NO ISSUES? THESE OCCURRENCES HAS COST ME EXCESSIVELY & I WANT MERCEDES BENZ MANUFACTURER TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN A RECALL TO ALL CONSUMERS WITH THIS MODEL EXPERIENCING THE SAME OR SIMILAR ELECTRICAL ISSUES OUT OF THE CONSUMER CONTROL. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE & EXPECTS MERCEDES TO OWN UP TO THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE SLOGAN. I REQUEST A RESPONSE FROM MERCEDES HEADQUARTERS TO THOROUGHLY INSPECT MY VEHICLE THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT I PURCHASE & MAKE GOOD ON THIS REOCCURRING BATTERY DRAIN ELECTRICAL ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11308122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT RESUMED DRIVING EVEN THOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN WITHOUT FORCE BEING APPLIED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED IN 2006 UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED BECAUSE HER RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SERVICED UNDER THE RECALL WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,559. UPDATED 03/11/14*LJ THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THE TRANSMISSION ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND POWER STEERING HOSE BE REPLACED. UPDATED 03/18/14
NHTSA complaint #10560805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT RESUMED DRIVING EVEN THOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN WITHOUT FORCE BEING APPLIED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED IN 2006 UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED BECAUSE HER RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SERVICED UNDER THE RECALL WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,559. UPDATED 03/11/14*LJ THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THE TRANSMISSION ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND POWER STEERING HOSE BE REPLACED. UPDATED 03/18/14
NHTSA complaint #10560805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.