Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 96 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz E320, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and fuel system categories. 29 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2003 | 4 | 12 |
| Nov 2003 | 2 | 14 |
| Dec 2003 | 1 | 15 |
| Jan 2004 | 1 | 16 |
| Jun 2004 | 1 | 17 |
| Nov 2004 | 1 | 18 |
| Jul 2005 | 1 | 19 |
| Aug 2005 | 1 | 20 |
| Sep 2005 | 1 | 21 |
| Oct 2005 | 1 | 22 |
| Nov 2005 | 1 | 23 |
| Dec 2005 | 2 | 25 |
| Jan 2006 | 2 | 27 |
| Mar 2006 | 3 | 30 |
| Apr 2006 | 4 | 34 |
| May 2006 | 1 | 35 |
| Aug 2006 | 2 | 37 |
| Sep 2006 | 3 | 40 |
| Oct 2006 | 2 | 42 |
| Jan 2007 | 1 | 43 |
| Feb 2007 | 2 | 45 |
| Apr 2007 | 2 | 47 |
| Aug 2007 | 2 | 49 |
| Oct 2007 | 1 | 50 |
| Nov 2007 | 2 | 52 |
| Dec 2007 | 3 | 55 |
| Jan 2008 | 3 | 58 |
| Feb 2008 | 1 | 59 |
| Mar 2008 | 2 | 61 |
| May 2008 | 1 | 62 |
| Jun 2008 | 2 | 64 |
| Jul 2008 | 2 | 66 |
| Aug 2008 | 1 | 67 |
| Oct 2008 | 1 | 68 |
| Nov 2008 | 1 | 69 |
| Dec 2008 | 2 | 71 |
| Apr 2009 | 1 | 72 |
| May 2009 | 1 | 73 |
| Jun 2009 | 1 | 74 |
| Nov 2009 | 1 | 75 |
| Jan 2010 | 1 | 76 |
| Apr 2010 | 1 | 77 |
| May 2010 | 2 | 79 |
| Jan 2011 | 1 | 80 |
| Feb 2011 | 1 | 81 |
| Mar 2011 | 1 | 82 |
| Apr 2011 | 1 | 83 |
| May 2011 | 1 | 84 |
| Jun 2011 | 1 | 85 |
| Feb 2013 | 1 | 86 |
| Mar 2013 | 1 | 87 |
| Apr 2013 | 1 | 88 |
| May 2013 | 1 | 89 |
| Sep 2013 | 1 | 90 |
| Aug 2014 | 1 | 91 |
| Sep 2014 | 1 | 92 |
| Oct 2014 | 1 | 93 |
| Dec 2014 | 1 | 94 |
| Sep 2015 | 1 | 95 |
| Dec 2019 | 1 | 96 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION FALLING OFF - COPPER WIRES EXPOSED AND MAY RESULT IN SHORT AND ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS - COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH.*DT CONSUMER STATED WIRING IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT MERCEDES HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE NATURE OF THE DEFECT FOR MANY YEARS.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL LINES AND THE FAN BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,664. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
ON THIS 1995 MERCEDES E320, WOULD NOT PASS EMISSIONS, TOOK TO DEALER, WAS TOLD THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AT A COST OF $1500. THE WIRING HARNESS WAS CRUMBLING EVERYWHERE. I CHECKED ONLINE AND IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL E20. I CHECKED NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS TOTALLY A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, THE COATING TO THE WIRING HAS DISINTEGRATED AND IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THESE CARS. I HAVE SPENT OVER $2,000 TO TRY TO GET THIS CAR TO PASS EMISSIONS, IT FAILS SO BAD I CANT EVEN GET A WAIVER. *TR
PURCHASED IN LATE SPRING 2014. FIRE IN RIGHT DOOR ELECTRICAL WIRING MID JUNE. STALL AT RED LIGHT IN MID JULY. STALL ON HIGHWAY, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC IN MID SEPTEMBER. AND STALL AT A RED LIGHT SEPT. 27, 2014. BOUGHT IT, IT HAD 107,000MILES. *TR
I DROPPED OFF MY CAR AT AUTO SHOP DUE TO MY CAR STARTING ROUGH, THE AC AND FAN CUT OFF, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE THE WIRE HARNESS AS I HAD READ ABOUT PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, AND HAD DISCUSSED POSSIBLE ISSUE WITH VARIOUS MERCEDES MECHANICS. I WAS TOLD THAT MERCEDES BENZ HAD INSTALLED BIO DEGRADABLE WIRE HARNESS THAT WERE RESULTING IN PREMATURE DETERIORATION. WHILE MY CAR WAS IN THE SERVICE BAY AT S THE AUTOMOTIVE SHOP MY ENGINE WIRE HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE! THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE ENTIRE CAR AND HIS SHOP CAUGHT ON FIRE. I HAVE ASKED HIM TO RETAIN HARNESS FOR EVIDENCE, HE SAID HARNESS IS IN PIECES DUE TO EXTREME HEAT OF THIS ELECTRICAL FIRE. I AM SO THANKFUL THAT THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE SHOP, OR MY ENTIRE FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I SAY THIS AS MY ELECTRIC LOCKS WERE MESSED UP, AND SOMETIMES I HAD TO WAIT UP TO A MINUTE OR MORE TO OPEN THE CAR DOORS AND TRUNK, AND ALSO TO LOCK MY VEHICLE DUE TO SOME SORT OF SHORT. WE COULD HAVE ALL BURNED TO DEATH IF THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND WE COULD NOT OF EXITED THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. THERE ARE OVER 700 COMPLAINTS, ALONG WITH DOZENS OF FIRE COMPLAINTS, REGARDING ENGINE WIRING HARNESS DEFECT ON MERCEDES BENZ BUILT BETWEEN 1991-1997 WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. HOW MANY SAFETY REPORTS, ENGINE HARNESS FIRES, AND POSSIBLE HARNESS FIRES RESULTING IN DEATH DOES IT TAKE FOR ACTION IN THE FORM OF A RECALL BY MERCEDES BENZ AND THE NHTSA? THIS IS NOT A MATTER "IF" THESE WIRE HARNESS WITH FAIL, BUT WHEN AND HOW. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION REGARDING MY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS THAT FAILED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND RESULTING DAMAGE TO MY CAR. *TR
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILED. THE WIRES CRUMBLED. VEHICLE NO LONGER RUNS. *LN
THE ELECTRICAL INSULATION ON THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILED AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO MISFIRE. MY CONCERN IS EITHER AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR COMPUTER FAILURE. *TR
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
NTG5.5: Incorrect time shown on instrument cluster, COMAND display, and analog clock
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Unmotivated Reaction from Park Assist - model series 213 facelift / 238 facelift with option code 235 (active par- king assist) and option code 501 (surround view system)
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC); SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
If the customer brakes sharply from a speed of > 30mph, without ABS intervention, there is a single cracking noise from the area of the ESP hydraulic unit
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AIRMATIC Fault Message "Max 80 km/ h (50 mph) " In Instrument Cluster
SEAT BELTS
Seat belt extender toothed rack sluggish or makes noises
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC); SUSPENSION
Display of suspension setting in head unit implausible
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.