204 of the
2,686 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz E350
are about the braking system —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2006.
The failure was when I hit the brakes hard in an emergency braking situation and the car very eratically and violently veered to the left. There was no warning and thank God there was no car coming in the left lane otherwise it would have been a broad side hit. I was doing 55 mph. We had the car inspected at a local shop and the left rear tie rod link was completely severed from the suspension sub-frame because of rust. The brake lines above the sub frame were also severely rusted and leaking. I called my closest dealer and they said the rusted frame replacement is covered under extended warrenty but not the brake lines which had the same issue, severe corrosion and a potential catostrophic failure! Mercedes Road Side Assistance was called to tow the car 70 miles to the closest shop.
NHTSA complaint #11752742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle subframe corrosion (manufacturer extended warranty offered). Rear brake lines corroded/leaking. Vehicle leaks fuel; steel fuel line corroded. Vehicle has about 105k miles. Minor fire started when yard maintenance came in contact with fuel saturated ground where vehicle had been parked/moved out of the way just prior. With rear suspension subframe springs corroded, vehicle bottom can contact road surface while driving, scraping steel exhaust with fuel present. EXTREMELY dangerous. Local Sunbury Ohio Mercedes dealership inspected then offered subframe replacement. Stated it was leaking fuel and not hydraulic fluid we originally thought. Brake, suspension and fuel line corrosion repairs were quoted in excess of $4,000, which was a "great deal" according to them "because the subframe would already be removed and would make it much easier."
NHTSA complaint #11749054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brake failure due to leaking brake fluid after dealership conducted rear sub frame extended warranty coverage replacement and recent brake fluid services and after two (2) multi point inspections including video and reported “no items failed” and “no items cautioned.” Vehicle was released to me both times Vehicle was inspected and is available for further inspections. My safety was jeopardized due to brake system failure while traveling at high speed on public highway. The problem was confirmed by two (2) dealerships. “ Please see below for recommended repairs on your 2012 E350, VIN - [XXX] Inspection by a different Mercedes Benz dealership reported the following: [XXX] Concern – vehicle is leaking brake fluid from behind the drivers front wheel / tire Cause – Confirmed concern, installed vehicle on lift and found brake fluid dripping from plastic side panel under the drivers door. Brake fluid flush recently completed on vehicle by Portsmouth MB, verified bleeding valves on calipers are tight and not leakingRemoved paneling and found fluid is dripping from wheel well area. Removed left front wheel well cover, and found rear brake lines are leaking due to heavy corrosion and bubbling (see attached photo). Correction – Rear brake lines need to be replaced to repair. Due to corrosion, will require brake hoses due to rotted connections. Lines are formed, fitted and secured by technician during repair (they do not come pre-formed to vehicle). Repair Estimate – Labor ($199.88 / hr) 9 hours (includes diagnostic time), $1798.92 Parts, estimate $690 if no further connections are needed (tax included) Shop supplies, $26.95 Estimate $2520 total repair **Tech notes there is a fuel line running in an area of the brake lines that is showing bubbling in the metal, not yet leaking. Additional $375 parts and labor to replace if we replace with the brake lines. MB parts states there are only 2 of these lines remaining globally.” INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)
NHTSA complaint #11741227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brake line failure. Front section of the line that feeds the rear wheels leaked while traveling. Warning light came on. Purchased brake fluid and drove to local service provider. The rear section left to right above subframe was found to be rotted, but not leaking yet. Local service provider replaced front and rear brake lines.
NHTSA complaint #11731615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am writing to formally submit a complaint regarding my 2010 E350 (VIN # [XXX] ). I have taken great pride in owning and maintaining this vehicle, and I want to share my concerns based on my recent experience. I have consistently kept this car well-maintained, following all recommended service schedules and ensuring that any necessary repairs were handled promptly. Up until now, I have not experienced any significant issues with the vehicle. It has been reliable, well cared for, and in excellent condition. Recently, when the brake line indicator came on, I immediately took the vehicle to a mechanic to have it inspected. I was informed that the brake fluid reservoir was empty and that there was a leak present. Upon further inspection, the mechanic identified that the leak was coming from the rear of the vehicle. It was then determined that the issue involved the rear brake line located near the gas tank. This is extremely concerning, not only because it directly impacts the safety of the vehicle, but also because, based on the research I have conducted, this appears to be a common issue with this particular model. Given that this is a critical safety component, it is troubling that such a failure would occur despite the vehicle being properly maintained. Based on what I have researched, I feel that I have a valid complaint. This does not seem to be the result of neglect or lack of care, but rather a potential defect or known issue associated with this vehicle. As an owner who has taken every step to properly maintain and care for this car, it is both frustrating and disappointing to now be dealing with such a serious problem. I am requesting that this matter be reviewed thoroughly and that an appropriate resolution be provided. I believe it is reasonable to expect accountability for an issue that appears to be both common and safety-related. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to your response and a fair resolution. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
NHTSA complaint #11730465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The brake lines on my car rusted out from the brake booster all of way to the rear calipers. This is the third time it’s happened to me as I’ve owned multiple E classes. If Mercedes-Benz covers the subframe, why is the brake lines which are located right above said subframe not covered?
NHTSA complaint #11725790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1: The accelerator was sticking and i could not get the car to stop even when i was pressing on the brakes . Unfortunately, due to this scary event i hit the car in front of me injuring the the gentleman. the vehicle has not been inspected by the insurance as it was a total loss withn damages more than 14k
NHTSA complaint #11718391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Car was found to have the rear subframe corrosion for issue. But also the brake lines were corroded very badly. They should be covered under the rear subframe extended warranty replacement. The rear brake lines are an frequent issue and almost always shows up when the subframe begins to rot. Also the pattern of the corrosion seems to be consistent across multiple incidents. Look at photos I uploaded and the Reddit post; identical. Look at this post from Reddit, almost identical corrosion on the rear brake lines as mine. Furthermore, it always is the rear brake lines, almost never the front. This is a manufacturer issue that needs to be looking into. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11711970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dealer notes: Replace rear brake lines, found to be rusty recommend replacement with rear subframe replacement. This is a very well known issue and is not covered under recall from manufacturer. It will cost $3200 for brake line repair alone, not including the subframe. This is an extreme safety hazard and a common problem that has been acknowledged by the manufacturer.
NHTSA complaint #11707695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear subframe got separated from chassis. I was driving to work and had to hard brake to void a collision with another vehicle all of a sudden vehicle shifted to the left and I ended up on a curb. Further inspection vehicle`s rear subframe rotted out due to rust. Also, both rear brake lines from abs module to calipers are damaged due to corrosion. I ended up replacing both brake lines and did not think too much of it and now I see a lot of people complaining about both brake line corrosion and subframe separation or excessive rust, casing rear subframe to fail. It is a very serios safety issue and Mercedes should hold accountable for these failures. My vehicle is 2012 Mercedes E350 and only has 118k miles on odometer. I have attached pictures for the rear subframe for your review, but I did not take any pictures of the brake lines due to limited space to get my camera between the body and the rear subframe.
NHTSA complaint #11702962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mercedes Benz issued a recall and extended a warranty on its 2003-2005 E Class SBC braking systems (recall # 2005110001) and extended the warranty to 25 years; the 2006 E Class models have the exact same SBC braking system but is not included in the recall. Mercedes needs to add the 2006 E Class models to recall # 2005110001. My 2006 is experiencing the same SBC issues the 2003-2005 models are known to have but because my vehicle is 2006 it is not covered by the extended warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11702819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
It seems like brake lines corroded and need to be replaced. Same issue in this car with subframe and that was taken care of by the extended warranty but brake lines were not part of extended warranty? That should be investigated further. Rear subframe rust out and brake line corrosion are obviously related but Mercedes is only addressing subframe. Why? A lot of people have this issue and it's a huge safety concern.
NHTSA complaint #11701296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while his mother was driving at an undisclosed speed and approaching a traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brakes failed to function as intended. The brake pedal was depressed down to the floorboard. The contact's mother used the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) system failure. The contact was informed that the Sensotronic Brake Control system needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained with the mechanic unrepaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
NHTSA complaint #11695309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2014 Mercedes e350 these models as well as those from2009-2015. Have recall on subframe but the brake lines rust out and deteriorate as mine has now done. If you go on line you tube etc. you will see the issue and all complaints. I had my subframe replaced under warranty at Mercedes of flemington. About 1 1/2 years ago. While it was being serviced they asked me if I wanted to replace brake lines for $1200 since they had this part out job would be easy. So this means Mercedes is well aware of the deterioration of these line the man at mb said the metal was inferior and this is result. On YouTube it was stated that individuals took mb to court or accountability for this but results were negative. Yet problem exists. If you breaks fail while driving it is very dangerous. Also I believe there is a recall for gas lines for my model 2014 manufactured from June and July. The brake lines on my vehicle are rusting as is gas tank. This also is dangerous condition should accidents occur the lines because compromised with rust can much easily rupture causing fuels to spew out causing possible explosive condition. I have pictures and can forward
NHTSA complaint #11693371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Subject: Safety Concern – Mercedes-Benz E350 4MATIC (2011) Subframe and Brake Line Rust Dear [Mercedes-Benz Customer Care / NHTSA], I am writing to report a serious safety concern regarding my 2011 Mercedes-Benz E350 4MATIC. Recently, I brought my vehicle in for recall service, and during the inspection, it was discovered that: The rear subframe is broken due to rust. The brake lines are extremely rusted, and I was advised that I could lose braking control if they are not replaced immediately. The estimated repair cost exceeds $4,000. I have been a long-time owner of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and part of the Mercedes-Benz family. However, I am now deeply concerned about the safety of myself, my family, and others on the road due to this severe corrosion issue, which I believe may be a widespread defect. I respectfully request that Mercedes-Benz investigate this issue and provide assistance, as the failure of these critical components poses a serious safety hazard. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. Sincerely, [XXX] [Phone: [XXX] ] [Email: [XXX] ] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11689944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I took car to dealer to have subframe repaired due to rust and the brake lines are rusted as well due to this issue and i am being charged for the brake lines.
NHTSA complaint #11689488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.