2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 Driver assistance Problems

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 ID

11702819

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

The engine in these cars are defective and can cause serious harm due to a part that was put inside the motor made of plastic. There was a lawsuit but if you didn’t get in on it you losses out for not knowing. I was recently at Mercedes dealership to fix recalls and they brushed me off. The car can catch fire and I’m already experiencing engine failure after only owning the car for a year. They don’t care because it’s an old car but it’s still being sold to unsuspecting buyers. I’m not the only one there are thousands of us who are at risk driving these cars because Mercedes won’t admit their off the showroom floor mistake.

NHTSA ID

11611501

Incident

Aug 28, 2024

I NEED HELP WITH MY CRANKSHAFT PLEASE I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

11403793

Incident

May 26, 2020

WHILE DRIVING ON US 50 MY THE SBC FAILED WHILE DRIVING 60MPH I HAD NO BRAKES THE INDICATORS TOLD ME TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND TO DEPRESS BRAKES FULLY. THAT'S HARD TO DO WHN UR GOING 60MPH... SO I HAD TO LET THE VEHICLE DRIFT UNTIL IT CAME TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY... PLEASE GET MB TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE... AFTER THIS INCIDENT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON HAD THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SAID AS A RESULT OF THE ENGINE REVVING SO HIGH WHEN THE BREAKS FAILED I GOT TROUBLE CODES P0016 AND P0017.. RELATED TO THE BALANCE SHAFT... THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SERVICED... BASED ON THE PRICE I WAS QUOTED IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE I WAS TOLD IT WILL COST BETWEEN 4 TO $5.000 USD FOR REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID

11291831

Incident

Aug 3, 2019

Mileage

144,000 mi

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL THAT HAS A SERVICE THRESHOLD. WHEN THIS THRESHOLD IS REACHED THE BRAKE SYSTEM DEFAULTS TO NON POWER ASSISTED HYDRAULIC MODE TO THE FRONT WHEELS ONLY. THIS OCCURS WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND RESULTS IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. I HAVE SENT A COPY OF THE MERCEDES SERVICE BULLETIN S142.46-P-0012A WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. MERCEDES STOPPED INSTALLING THIS SYSTEM IN 2006. AT THE VERY LEAST, MERCEDES SHOULD ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL TO INTERROGATE THESE VEHICLES WITH STAR DAS TO DETERMINE HOW CLOSE TO THE SERVICE THRESHOLD THE SBC UNIT IS AND REPLACE THEM AT THE DEALER'S EXPENSE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ID

11041512

Incident

Sep 4, 2017

Mileage

200,000 mi

MY CAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET JUST SHUT DOWN RED FLASHING SCREEN SAYING STOP REDUCE BREAKING POWER START ENGINE DON'T KNOW IT SAYS THIS CAUSE CAR DON'T HAVE ANY POWER THE GAS PEDDLE DON'T WORK THE BREAKS DIDN'T EVEN GOOD THING I WAS GOING SLOW IN MY AREA HAD TO GET CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHICH THEY TOLD ME MY AIR FILTERS WAS CLOGGED WHICH I PAYED THEM TO GET NEW ONES THEN I STILL WANTED TO FIND OUT WHY MY CAR JUST SHUT DOWN SO TOOK IT TO MERCEDES DEALER IN FORT WASHINGTON PA THE CHECK IT OUT AND SAID MY BREAKS WAS WEARING SO I HAD TO PAY THEM 589.00 FOR FRONT AND BACK BRAKES SBC SYSTEM THEY SAID IS OK I AM STILL SCARED OF THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID

10995188

Incident

Jun 3, 2017

Mileage

1 mi

THE ENGINE OF MY CAR STALLED SUDDENLY, BRAKING POWER WAS REDUCED DRAMATICALLY. I WAS ABOUT TO GET INTO A SERIOUS CRASH BUT LIKELY THIS HAPPENED IN A LOCAL STREET AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN EVERYONE WAS READY TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP. MY DEALER TOLD ME THE ENGINE STALLED DUE TO A BROKEN VACUUM INTAKE MANIFOLD LINKAGE WHICH CONTROLS AIR IN AND OUT IN THE SYSTEM. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE MANIFOLD ($2100) AND MERCEDES BENZ DOES NOT OFFER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS COMPONENT. I WAS SURPRISED WITH THE QUALITY OF MB ESPECIALLY WHEN I CHECKED THE INTERNET TO FIND OUT HUNDREDS WITH THE SAME INCIDENT AND WITH MANY UNPLEASANT CUSTOMERS. THE BROKEN INTAKE MANIFOLD LINKAGE IS 100% DESIGN ISSUE. MY CAR HAS 107K MILES, I HAD MY EXTENDED WARRANTY UP UNTIL 100K, SO I CAN'T BELIEVE THESE 7K MILES CAUSED THIS LINKAGE TO BE BROKEN. IT IS A DESIGN ISSUE (PROBABLY CHEAP PLASTIC PART THAT AGED OVER TIME). MB HAD SEVERAL EXTENDED WARRANTY ON OTHER MAJOR COMPONENTS SUCH AS: GAS TANK ($2,400) AND SBC PUMP ($2,000) DUE TO FATAL INCIDENTS, SO I AM NOT SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE IN CAR CRASHES BEFORE MB OFFERS THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY. I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM SAYING THIS ABOUT MB QUALITY, BUT JUST GO ONLINE AND YOU WILL FIND OUT MORE AND MORE ABOUT THESE ISSUES. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS COMPONENT IS THE FACT THAT IT IS UNPREDICTABLE BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON THE POSITION OF THESE FLABS (CLOSED, SEMI OPENED, OPENED POSITION). WHICH MAKES IT SCARY TO DRIVE THE CAR WHEN YOU KNOW THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND IT COULD IMPACT YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF YOUR BELOVED ONES AND PROBABLY OTHERS WHO WOULD BE DRIVING AROUND YOU.

NHTSA ID

10777922

Incident

Sep 18, 2015

Mileage

107,000 mi

ON THE WAY TO WORK, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. AFTER A FEW MILES, AT AN INTERSECTION, MY CAR JERKED AND I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE THE SIGNAL LIGHT. I DECIDED TO GO BACK. AFTER I SHIFTED TO REVERSE, THE CAR DIDN'T MOVE BACK AND STOPPED THERE TOTALLY. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED, THE CAR WORKED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY, IT NEEDS "ENTIRE VALVE BODY/CONDUCTOR PLATE ASSY-REPLACE AND RETEST" AND TOTAL COST IS $2000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10622316

Incident

Aug 13, 2014

Mileage

71,794 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND COULD HEAR THAT THE ENGINE DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT, IT WAS REVVING AT A HIGHER RPM THAN NORMAL. I PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG AND IT CONTINUED TO DO THIS EVERY TIME I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, TURNED IT BACK ON AND THEN ONLY HAD 3RD. GEAR AVAILABLE. NOTHING ELSE. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT IT'S CALLED "LIMP MODE" IT WOULDN'T GO FASTER THAN 40MPH AND NOTHING ELSE WORKED, JUST 3RD. GEAR AND REVERSE. AFTER DOING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I LEARNED THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MOST 7-SPEEDS AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HAVING OR HAD THIS ISSUE IS APPALLING. APPARENTLY MERCEDES KNEW OF THIS MATTER ALL ALONG AND DID NOTHING. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP NOW AND I HAVE TO PAY $1,600 TO HAVE THE CONDUCTOR PLATE AND VALVE BODY FIXED. I'M A SINGLE MOM, SELF EMPLOYED, BUT STILL A SINGLE MOM. THIS ISN'T RIGHT AND MERCEDES SHOULD BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO REMEDY THIS. "*TR

NHTSA ID

10480738

Incident

Oct 12, 2012

Mileage

78,000 mi

I JUST WAS ADVISED BY MY MERCEDES ONLY INDEPENDENT GARAGE THAT THE ON-GOING CEL ON MY 2006 E350 (48000 MILES) IS FOR THE CAMSHAFT WEAR MENTIONED IN THIS LAWSUIT. THE MECHANIC ADVISES REPAIR COST IS $6200. HE HAS THE BULLETIN AND HAS SEEN THIS ISSUE IN MULTIPLE CARS. I WILL BE COMPLAINING TO THE NHTSA AND HOPING NHTSA CAN RECOVER MY DAMAGES FOR THIS OBVIOUS AND KNOWN DEFECT.CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS STAR DIAGNOSIS INDICATED : CODE 1200 AND 1208 ( P0016 AND P0017) FOR MB E350 2006 48000 MIL MERCEDES HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2007 AND HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY ANY OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM. PROBABLY BECAUSE THE REPAIR IS SO EXPENSIVE RANGING FROM $4,000-$8,000 AND WITH MOST, THE PROBLEM DOESN'T SHOW UP UNTIL AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. SO IT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR MERCEDES. I DON'T FEEL ALL WARM AND FUZZY INSIDE BECAUSE MERCEDES OFFERED TO PUT A LITTLE "GOODWILL CASH" TOWARDS A REPAIR THAT COST ME THOUSANDS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE COVERED IN FULL. AND THEIR 2 "RULES" FOR QUALIFYING FOR "GOODWILL ASSISTANCE" FOR THE REPAIR HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE REPAIR. IT'S NOT PREVENTABLE. IF YOUR VEHICLES FALLS BETWEEN THE SERIAL NUMBERS, YOUR BALANCE SHAFT WILL FAIL. ON FACEBOOK SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BALANCE SHAFT YOU CAN GET INFORMATION AND A NUMBER OF VEHICLES AFFECTED. HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/EDIT.... PLEASE HELP ME TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE!!! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10423134

Incident

Aug 10, 2011

Mileage

48,090 mi

ON MARCH 26TH AT 950 AM. MY E 350 MERCEDES BENZ 2006, ACCELERATED ON IT OWN ,CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. I HIT A TRACTOR TRAILER AND A UTILITY POLE.. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND I HAD INJURIES TO MY HANDS AND NECK. THE CAR WAS GOING AT HIGH SPEED DOWNHILL AND DID NOT STOP UNTIL THE FRONT TIRES COLLAPSED AFTER HITTING UTILITY POLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10347929

Incident

Mar 26, 2010

Mileage

30,290 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VHEICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 30,290.

NHTSA ID

10326012

Incident

Mar 26, 2010

Mileage

30,290 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A STRANGE ODOR LIKE ROTTEN EGGS OBSERVED IN THE VEHICLE. WHILE STOPPED AND WAITING FOR A PARKING SPACE TO OPEN UP, THE ENGINE REVVED AND ACCELERATED FORWARD ALTHOUGH THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THE SPEED AT IMPACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS 40 MPH. AFTER THE IMPACT THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF HOWEVER THE ENGINE WAS RACING AND THE FRONT WHEELS WERE STILL SPINNING AND SMOKING. THE SEATBELTS WERE WORN AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, BUT REMOVED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL.

NHTSA ID

10170373

Incident

Sep 7, 2006

Mileage

1,500 mi