2017 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Engine Problems

My vehicle has about 68k miles, while driving on freeway all of sudden the car engine started to shake and check engine light came on dashboard. This engine shaking would stop when vehicle was being driven at high speed. Upon returning home I checked the DTC codes and had P300, P301 engine misfire codes. My mechanic suggested to have spark plugs and Ignition coil#1 to be changed. I bought new plugs from dealer for the replacement. When my mechanic completed this repair bit noticed vehicle still had misfire. He conducted compression test and found only 20PSI pressure is cylinder 1 and suggested a tear-down or engine replacement. I talked to another shop and described the issue and was informed that this is a common issue in Mercedes E300 to develop misfire in either cylinder 1 or 2. I found similar issues described by many owners on various forums online as well. Currently Mercedes has no recall for this issue.

NHTSA ID

11754872

Incident

Jul 28, 2026

Code P052E after oil changed. seems to happen often judging my forums.

NHTSA ID

11734140

Incident

Apr 24, 2026

My car is not accelerating when I shift into drive or reverse. It says “reversing not possile-service required” error. Out the blue. There is a known recall on these model cars but Mercedes benz is saying its vin specific and mine is not covered even though I am experiencing the exact same issue. Recall date- 2017-02-07 Recall no. 17V078000

NHTSA ID

11732941

Incident

Apr 21, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11685111

Incident

Jul 16, 2025

Mercedes-Benz E300 is affected by a Transmission Control Module (TCM) recall, you might notice these symptoms: - Delayed or rough shifting: The transmission may hesitate or struggle to change gears. - Slipping gears: The car might unexpectedly shift out of gear or fail to stay in the correct gear. - Unresponsive transmission: You may experience difficulty accelerating or feel like the car is stuck in a lower gear. - Warning lights: The check engine or transmission warning light may illuminate on the dashboard. - Limp mode activation: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe mode, restricting speed and performance to prevent further damage.

NHTSA ID

11660892

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

P052E code. my car is only have 18455 mileage.

NHTSA ID

11644428

Incident

Jan 23, 2025

The vehicle is getting stuck in parking and can not shift out of park. The issue first happened at the dealership when looking into an auxillary battery issue which has since been resolved. After over 30 minutes of trying to resolved the dealer was able to get the vehicle off the lift and switch the gear back into drive. Since then two days later the batteries were replaced and the same issue happen again (stuck in park) and now I see a transmission light on as well. I am not sure if the dealership noticed this when they had the issue in the shop. There was a previous transmission recall on the vehicle, which Mercedes said was previously addressed. My concern is that this can happen while driving which would be an extreme safety risks to myself and others. I don't believe I had any gear shift repairs since I owned the vehicle and the recall for my specific VIN may have been missed or not fully addressed. As of now I am unable to operate the vehicle and would like a recall reissued to resolve the problem. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

NHTSA ID

11632282

Incident

Dec 20, 2024

PCV regulator valve failure at69,000 miles on my 2017 Mercedes E300.. I understand this is common before 100,000 miles with the four cylinder turbo, I feel there should be a recall and be replace at Mercedes dealers cost. (to replace cost is around $2,000 about 7 hours labor I was told)

NHTSA ID

11628826

Incident

Feb 1, 2024

malfunctioning positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve: Issue: The partial-load ventilation valve in the intake line assembly does not work as intended, causing the check engine light to come on. Recommended action: the intake line assembly may need to be replaced. A malfunctioning positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve can cause a number of engine issues, including: Increased oil consumption, Leaks, Reduced fuel efficiency, and The engine releasing more pollutants.

NHTSA ID

11619347

Incident

Oct 11, 2024

Fault code p052E71, the crankcase ventilation valve is faulty. The actuator is blocked. Second time having this issue.

NHTSA ID

11612173

Incident

Apr 25, 2024

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that when the gear shifter was shifted into reverse, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the transmission. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle had self-corrected the issue. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with solenoid failure in the valve body. The contact was informed that the solenoid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ID

11603992

Incident

Jun 23, 2024

Mileage

85,000 mi

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. Additionally, the vehicle stalled, and the engine misfired. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with failed fuel injectors and failed fuel rail. The contact was informed that the fuel injectors and the fuel rail needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ID

11598591

Incident

Sep 28, 2023

Mileage

72,000 mi

The car is running poorly. Smell of fumes inside the car. Not drive able due to risk of engine damage including fires and exposure to dangerous fumes. Part is on back order and that is not a guarantee that the part will not fail again after fixed. Many people report continual replacement of the part. Positive Crankcase Ventilation Regulator Valve Performance: The valve for crankcase ventilation has a malfunction. Crankcase ventilation actuator is blocked .

NHTSA ID

11590732

Incident

May 1, 2024

I am writing in regards to a constant issue that a great percentage of people including myself, are experiencing with the engine within the 2017 Mercedes E300. The cam adjusters are easily going bad or are malfunctioning causing the timing in the motor to be defected which makes the car stall and shut off even while driving. Giving that this is happening to a great amount of people with this particular vehicle across the US, we feel that mercedes benz should take some responsibility in fixing this issue and not just post bulletins on the problem, cause its a safety issue and it costs people alot of money for a defect of this sort.

NHTSA ID

11589318

Incident

May 2, 2024

There is a pvc problem.It has to do with the emission I found that is a common factory problem.Part is back order.Other cars with this issue and same part number are being recalled.

NHTSA ID

11589127

Incident

Mar 7, 2024

PCV FAILURE causes engine light code and emission problem

NHTSA ID

11584186

Incident

Apr 20, 2024

Check engine light came on and then complete engine failure. Cracked #1 piston, and engine destroyed.

NHTSA ID

11581333

Incident

Apr 5, 2024

Positive Crankcase ventilation Code P052E Mercedes has redesigned the part to prevent recurrent failure issues. Apparently, a very common fail due to poor design that allows condensation in the line causing the valve to fail. Mercedes charges $1500 to $2300 to repair.

NHTSA ID

11577799

Incident

Mar 16, 2024

failed or malfunction in PCV valve. Common issue in all 2016-2018 C300, E300, and GLE300. Multiple failed complaints on the part. Nationwide backorder on the part. No recall issued for this common problem. No help from dealerships, will just put you on a waitlist for a nationwide back order.

NHTSA ID

11577435

Incident

Mar 1, 2024

Piston failure at 62000 miles. No prior engine lights until it happened suddenly while driving at the highway speed. The car suddenly lost power and started to violently shake and the engine light came on. Was able to pull over without incident and consult MB before bringing for diagnostics. There's a lot of MB with this specific engine piston failure affected according to internet search. The car has been inspected by the MB service dealer confirming piston failure. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11553327

Incident

Nov 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while coming to a stop, the vehicle shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while accelerating from the complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact was able to continue driving at a slower speed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving and the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The vehicle was taken an independent mechanic, where the spark plugs, ignition coils, and the fuel injectors were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The mechanic determined that there was low compression on cylinder #1, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA ID

11548098

Incident

Jul 27, 2023

Mileage

82,000 mi

Engine failure due to piston crack. Seems like it is a common issue for mercedes models with this specific engine. A lot of people have their engine needing to be replaced at very low miles such as 10k miles 15k miles. Vehicle was always been serviced on time. Now I need a new engine. Manufacturer needs to take responsibility of this engine defect

NHTSA ID

11539834

Incident

Aug 17, 2023

Car will loose power unexpectedly and start shaking badly. Check engine light comes on flashing. Vehicle gets towed to shop to find loss of compresión on cylinder one. Mercedes Benz forums full of this type of issue. Shop says repair is to rebuild or replace engine. Vehicle available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11534713

Incident

Jul 12, 2023

Having a Mercedes was my dream since I was a kid and I’m completely heartbroken to have to file this complaint. I’ve been working literally my whole life to finally be able to afford my 2017 E300. I purchased it from Autobahn Motors in Belmont, California in August 2020. My car has ~48,000 miles on it and I still own approximately $14,000 on the car as of today (5/20/2023). When I was driving on the highway my car engine light came on, started to violently shake, and I thought it was going to stall out. I immediately took it in to my mechanic and he told me that piston #1 is broken and the spark plugs are melted! Premature engine failure. I can no longer use my car until I get my engine replace! I’ve gotten one quote and it is approximately $15,000! I don’t even have 50,000 miles on my car. I saw a large volume of complaints online for the M274 engine including a class action lawsuit that have exactly the same issue as what my mechanic diagnostics is showing (broken piston #1 leading to premature engine failure). This is a huge safety concern and needs to be investigated immediately and corrected by Mercedes Benz before someone gets hurt or dies from this failure. For the price I’ve paid, still owe, as well as what the repair would be is completely unacceptable. I need my car for work and I’m also a parent so this is creating a huge inconvenience and financial hardship. Mercedes must be aware of this problem and held accountable for there negligence on correcting this issue.

NHTSA ID

11524066

Incident

May 17, 2023

once i turn on the AC and switch TO heat i smell a strong gas odor everytime

NHTSA ID

11506416

Incident

Jan 13, 2023