2001 Mercedes-Benz E320 Electrical Problems

Unknown, the car filled with smoke from within the dashboard on driver side.

NHTSA ID

11459312

Incident

Apr 2, 2022

ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS IDLING IN PARK IN THE DRIVEWAY. COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE VEHICLE IN 10-15 MINUTES. FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT INDUCED THE FIRE BUT UNABLE TO BE SURE. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. THE CAR WAS IN GOOD MAINTENANCE, NO ENGINE WORK HAD BEEN DONE RECENTLY. LAST REPAIR WAS A TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACEMENT AFTER REPAIRING A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK IN EARLY DECEMBER 2018

NHTSA ID

11174621

Incident

Jan 26, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

IGNITION AND KEY DEFECTS CAUSES CAR TO STOP RUNNING AND STALL. STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

10915715

Incident

Oct 7, 2016

Mileage

153,769 mi

DEFECTIVE INSULATION ON THE WIRING FOR THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING. IT APPEARS THIS PROBLEM IS CATALYZED BY HEAT. INSULATION CRUMBLES AND LEAVE BARE WIRE EXPOSED, CAUSING SHORTAGE AND FAILURE/MELTING OF LIGHT SOCKET. OBVIOUSLY, MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA REALIZED ISSUE BUT S NOT COMPELLED TO MAKE REPAIRS!

NHTSA ID

10749075

Incident

Aug 17, 2015

Mileage

200,000 mi

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR WATER FROM A CUP IN THE CUPHOLDER DIRECTLY ABOVE THE CENTER CONSOLE WHERE THE GEAR SHIFTER IS LOCATED SPILLED AND SEEPED DOWN INTO AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BOARD THAT WAS LOCATED BENEATH THE CUP HOLDER. THE CAR CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP AND WAS INOPERABLE. THE CIRCUIT BOARD SHORT CIRCUITED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED WHERE LIQUID WAS SPILLED AND SEEPED INTO THE CIRCUIT BOARD. I SUSPECT THAT THE LOCATION OF THE CIRCUIT WOULD BE THE SAME FOR SEVERAL MODEL YEARS AND IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT IT MAKES NO SENSE TO LOCATE A CIRCUIT BOARD IN A PLACE WHERE LIQUID IS LIKELY TO BE SPILLED AND CAN CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT RENDERS THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT LEFT THE CAR INOPERABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A 3 LANE HIGHWAY. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WERE EXPOSED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CAR BEING STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY OR STRUCK BY A VEHICLE TRYING TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE AND SEEK SAFETY ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10583902

Incident

Feb 4, 2010

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE PLASTIC COATING ON THE WIRING FOR THE HEADLIGHTS IS COMING OFF LEAVING EXPOSED COPPER WIRES THAT SHORT OUT CAUSING HEADLIGHTS, ETC. TO FAIL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563714

Incident

Feb 10, 2014

Mileage

167,000 mi

THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT LOW BEAM HEADLAMP STOPPED WORKING. WE CHANGED THE LIGHT BULB, BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WE NOTED THAT THE SOCKET FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM APPEARED BURNT. WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO REWIRED THE RIGHT FRONT LOW BEAM LIGHT SOCKET AND WIRE HARNESS. AFTER THIS INITIAL PROBLEM, THE DRIVER SIDE HIGH BEAM HEADLAMP STOPPED WORKING. WE REPLACED THE LAMP BULB. WE NOTED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE HIGH BEAM HEADLAMP SOCKET APPEARED BURNT. WE DID NOT REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE HIGH BEAM HEADLAMP SOCKET. SO IT DOES NOT WORK. AFTER THE ABOVE TWO PROBLEMS, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE, TAIL, AND PARKING LAMP STOPPED WORKING. WE CHANGED THE LAMP BULB, BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE, TAIL, AND PARKING LAMP SOCKET DID NOT APPEAR BURNT. INSTEAD THE LAMP WAS LOSE AND COULD NOT BE TIGHTENED. WE USED BLACK ELECTRIC TAPE TO HOLD THE LAMP IN PLACE, WHICH HAS WORKED. HOWEVER, WE MUST PERIODICALLY RE-TAPE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10557183

Incident

Nov 7, 2011

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ E 320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CUP HOLDER WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE GEAR SHIFT AND WHEN LIQUID SPILLS INTO THE GEAR SHIFT, IT SHUTS THE VEHICLE OFF. WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT SHORTED OUT THE CONTROLS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START UNTIL IT DRIED OUT. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL; HOWEVER, HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136000.

NHTSA ID

10372208

Incident

Jun 9, 2010

Mileage

136,000 mi

TURN SIGNAL WILL NOT TURN OFF. MAKING A LEFT TURN CAUSES THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL TO TURN ON AND VICE VERSA. *JB

NHTSA ID

10184101

Incident

Feb 28, 2007

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNSW A 2001 MERCEDES E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WHEN SHE STARTED TO SMELL FUMES. THE CONTACT COULD NOT FIND WHERE THE FUMES WERE COMING FROM. SHE THEN CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FUMES AND HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THEN, THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTALED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY OFFERED NO SOLUTION AND HAVE YET TO FULLY INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10180855

Incident

Jan 16, 2007

Mileage

49,000 mi

MERCEDES BENZ EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FOR 10 YEARS. THIS WAS ONLY DONE FOR 220/215 ( S/CL) MODELS. I HAVE A 2001 E 320 MODEL [XXX] IDENTIFICATION NO. [XXX] MY CAR HAS THE SAME INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PROBLEMS AS THE MODEL WHICH THEY HAVE EXTENDED THE WARRANTY. THEY NEED TO STEP UP AND INCLUDE ALL MODELS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO BE REPLACE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY WHICH I HAD AT THE TIME BUT THEY WOULD GLADLY REPLACE IT IF I WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF POCKET. *NM UPDATED 07/11/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10178005

Incident

Jul 9, 2004

Mileage

64,971 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DASH BOARD WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO INADEQUATE ILLUMINATION AND THE GAUGES WERE DIFFICULT TO READ. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 06V028000, REGARDING THE INTERIOR LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.*AK

NHTSA ID

10174425

Incident

Nov 27, 2006

Mileage

67,000 mi

THE BATTERY, LOCATED IN A METAL COMPARTMENT UNDER THE REAR SEAT, EXPLODED. *NM THE CONSUMER STATED THAT MERCEDES-BENZ WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TC *JB

NHTSA ID

10109674

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

Mileage

20,000 mi