2016 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine333.3%
- Electrical111.1%
- Airbags111.1%
- Powertrain (other)111.1%
- Steering111.1%
- Tires & wheels111.1%
- Other / unspecified111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Drive unit failed. Manufacturer's Faulty coolant seal. Coolant leaked into engine, Dashboard displayed "Workshop" warning about 2-3 times before breakdown.
On 4/19/22 while driving my Mercedes B250e, I received a 'check coolant level' warning message, followed closely by 'without starting engine again, consult workshop' and then 'stop, switch engine off'. All messages appeared in less than 30 minutes time, and then my engine completely shut off while I was pulling into a parking lot. Prior to this date, there were no warning signs of the issue. The issue was diagnosed by the Mercedes Atlanta South dealership as a catastrophic electric drive unit failure caused by a coolant leak due to a faulty rotor seal. I was quoted a price of $12K-$20K to replace the EDU. I declined the service while trying to get assistance from Mercedes customer care, so the vehicle is still in an inoperable condition and available for inspection. This issue has happened to countless B250e drivers, and it is completely unsafe to allow these cars to continue driving without recall since the engine can shut down while driving, and become completely inoperable, with little to no warning. This is a known issue to Mercedes - see attached invoice which references 'SEVERAL PTSS CASES'.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
2021-11-29, 10a PST. The "check coolant level" warning appeared while I was driving westbound on the 210 freeway in Glendale, California. As I took the exit to La Crescenta Ave, another alert appeared that there was a sudden "malfunction: visit workshop" warning. As I was trying to turn off on a side street to pull over (with my 4 year old in the back seat), the car stopped in the middle of the road and would not start back up again. Some good citizens helped me push my car up the hill to the side street where I could safely park the vehicle. There are other accounts of this issue occurring with this vehicle, apparently the coolant leaks into the engine and the electric drive motor needs to be replaced. The repair cost is prohibitive ($17,000) and my car is 4,000 miles out of warranty.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
2016 MERCEDES-BENZ B CLASS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL GROUNDING SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL REPAIR EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. *JS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
On 4/19/22 while driving my Mercedes B250e, I received a 'check coolant level' warning message, followed closely by 'without starting engine again, consult workshop' and then 'stop, switch engine off'. All messages appeared in less than 30 minutes time, and then my engine completely shut off while I was pulling into a parking lot. Prior to this date, there were no warning signs of the issue. The issue was diagnosed by the Mercedes Atlanta South dealership as a catastrophic electric drive unit failure caused by a coolant leak due to a faulty rotor seal. I was quoted a price of $12K-$20K to replace the EDU. I declined the service while trying to get assistance from Mercedes customer care, so the vehicle is still in an inoperable condition and available for inspection. This issue has happened to countless B250e drivers, and it is completely unsafe to allow these cars to continue driving without recall since the engine can shut down while driving, and become completely inoperable, with little to no warning. This is a known issue to Mercedes - see attached invoice which references 'SEVERAL PTSS CASES'.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
2016 MERCEDES-BENZ B CLASS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL GROUNDING SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL REPAIR EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. *JS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES BENZ B-CLASS ELECTRIC EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK TIRES, TIRE LINE: EVENT EMT, TIRE SIZE: 225/55/CR1797W, AND DOT NUMBER: BCKC1AH2116. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES ABNORMALLY PREMATURELY WORE OUT. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE AND TIRES WERE 40,306.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES BENZ B-CLASS ELECTRIC EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK TIRES, TIRE LINE: EVENT EMT, TIRE SIZE: 225/55/CR1797W, AND DOT NUMBER: BCKC1AH2116. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES ABNORMALLY PREMATURELY WORE OUT. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE AND TIRES WERE 40,306.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .