2008 Mercedes-Benz E350 Owner Complaints

Driving down Interstate 65 just south of Bay Minette Alabama and doing approximately 70MPH, there was a total failure of the sunroof. This happened where crazing started and then a catastrophic failure of the glass, blowing out the sunroof. This happened in the space of about 30 seconds. It appears to be the exact circumstance outlined in NHTSA Recall #24V874000. Shards of glass entered the cabin, and while there were no injuries, the passenger was hit in the face with debris. The car behind, although hit with some glass, swerved to avoid it and moved on without stopping. No police report was filed. The car was previously inspected by Mercedes under the recall and we were told that the glass was fine and MB closed the recall on this particular VIN. This is a post inspection failure. Mercedes have so far, refused to honor any type of recall work to replace the roof. At this time, I have opened a case with MB USA and await an outcome.

NHTSA ID

11734513

Incident

Apr 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V918000 (Visibility). The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact informed the dealer that the sunroof had not been used in 10 years. In addition, the contact informed the dealer of an issue while attempting to close the sunroof ten years ago. The vehicle was not inspected, and the dealer declined the recall repair. The contact was informed that if the recall repair was performed and the sunroof fractured, the vehicle owner would be responsible for the repair. The contact was unsure if the previous sunroof issue was with the vehicle or a previous vehicle that the contact had owned. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to an alternate dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unavailable.

NHTSA ID

11719333

Incident

Feb 20, 2026

My car displayed all of the issues listed below for the Electrical system recall. The fuel gague went "blank", other gagues acting irradical, the check engine light stay on, etc. My car make and model fall under this recall but have been excluded. I had to pay out of pocket $4678.50 to replace the entire fuel tank due to this and the Manufacture (Mercedes Benz) is refusing to reimburse me. (1) THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS MAY BE INCORRECT; (2) A STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; (3) THE OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND, (4) THE SPEEDOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP MAY NOT RECEIVE A CRASH SIGNAL THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUEL PUMP TO DISCONNECT AND PREVENT FUTURE FUEL DELIVERY AS DESIGNED.

NHTSA ID

11708086

Incident

Nov 13, 2020

2008 MercedesE350 (W211) Driver’s seat heater, ~11:48am Location: Lidl Parking Lot, 2017 St. Joseph’s Dr., Bowie/Upper Marlboro, MD While I was sitting in the driver’s seat with my back fully against it, the seat heater burned through the leather on the left side of the seat. The cabin immediately filled with smoke. The burning stopped only after I turned off the seat‑heater button. I was inside the vehicle during the failure, and the situation created a direct fire hazard; the seat could have ignited, and I could have caught fire. I don’t know if the passenger seat heater is also affected, so passengers cannot safely use their seat warmer. No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms pre failure. Evidence Available: Video/photo of the aftermath (burned seat left‑side damage), the vehicle and damaged seat are available for inspection. Smoke in video/photo. Has the Problem Been Reproduced or Confirmed?: I’ve not attempted to reproduce the problem for safety reasons, and it has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. However, publicly available information shows Mercedes previously settled a $54 million class action for the same seat‑heater defect in model years prior to 2008. My 2008 model was not included despite experiencing the same dangerous failure. Mercedes is aware this is a known issue.Has the Vehicle Been Inspected?: A dealership inspection at Mercedes‑Benz of Alexandria scheduled 12/23/23 at 11:00 a.m. Warning Lamps or Prior Symptoms: None. Safety Risk Summary: This defect created immediate danger to my safety. The heater burned through the seat while I was sitting in it, filling cabin with smoke and creating a risk of burn injury and the possibility that I could have caught fire. The defect may also endanger passengers if both seats are affected. Broader Concern: Prevent others from experiencing defect, causing serious injury/vehicle fire. Limits safe use of vehicle for self and passengers. Plus Mercedes is aware. Can’t upload video.

NHTSA ID

11706318

Incident

Dec 16, 2025

While driving a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350 on 5/21/2025 around 1:50pm, the transmission suddenly failed while I was traveling at approximately 75 mph was on highway 76. As a result of the failure, the driver's side airbag deployed unexpectedly.

NHTSA ID

11662587

Incident

May 21, 2025

The trunk safety release inside the trunk will not open the trunk. It is an electrical switch and not a cable pull release. If you get in the trunk and the battery is low, you cannot get out. There is not a passage between the rear seat and the trunk. There is not a manual release for the trunk. The only way to get inside is cutting through the trunk lid or deck.

NHTSA ID

11642583

Incident

Feb 3, 2025

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle overnight, the vehicle failed to start the following morning. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to Combels Customs - Collision Repair, Auto Body Shop, where the alternator and the battery were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the speedometer, the clock, and the infotainment system were inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at various speeds and turning, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the rear suspension, and the vehicle was swaying. The contact stated that after opening the sunroof, the sunroof failed to close as needed. The contact was able to close the sunroof manually with assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 08V303000 (Electrical System), 24V874000 (Visibility) and 12V264000 (Suspension). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact the VIN was not included in the recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

NHTSA ID

11635613

Incident

Dec 13, 2024

Mileage

116,000 mi

This is a PZEV vehicle. When the car is filled over 3/4th of the way, the driver's side near the back tire starts to leak the fuel. There was no warning lights, just the smell and the leaks. It's obvious why this is a safety hazard. This was not inspected by anyone other than myself as it was quite obvious after removing the back seat and accessing the sending unit location. This started after I resolved a fuel pump issue (back in March, resolved this month) Mercedes refused to handle ($3k) and noticed on or around 9/24/24.

NHTSA ID

11616902

Incident

Sep 24, 2024

panoramic sunroof stuck will not close. generally dealer purportedly recalled select vehicles acknowledging issue, however oem states this particular vin is not included in recall, not making any sense, if they acknowledge problem but decline to resolve for others

NHTSA ID

11611297

Incident

Jan 4, 2024

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that the vehicle was recently repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V918000 (Visibility). The contact stated that the sunroof was working prior to the recall repair. After the recall repair, the contact opened the sunroof to check the operation of the sunroof; however, the sunroof failed to close as needed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the sunroof was manually closed and the contact was informed that the sunroof should not be opened. The sunroof was not repaired. The contact called the dealer several times but was unable to speak with the Service Manager. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,876.

NHTSA ID

11602710

Incident

Jul 15, 2024

Mileage

86,876 mi

On [XXX] I was driving and the vehicles stalled in the middle of the street, I couldn’t start it back. I managed to contact AAA and had the vehicle towed to my home because it around 6pm and auto repair shops were closed. Next morning I had AAA towed the vehicle to a local auto repair shop and they told me that fuel pump failed. It would have been very dangerous if we were driving on the freeway, not to mention I had my 85 year old mother in the passenger seat. Please help me as I am sure what I need to do now. It’s a Mercedes-Benz model E350 2008. I can be reached at [XXX] my name is [XXX] . My car has 87,200 miles. Thank you in advance for all your helps. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11587937

Incident

May 1, 2024

Smell of gasoline in the cabin and real bad outside of car

NHTSA ID

11582498

Incident

Mar 6, 2024

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. In addition, the engine began to sputter while idling. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the fuel tank sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact also stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled in the middle of an intersection. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed; and the mechanic discovered that the fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11560359

Incident

Oct 1, 2023

Mileage

140,000 mi

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350W. The contact that she noticed a fuel odor throughout the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the fuel tank components and fuel compressor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel gauge failed to read properly and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced the NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V303000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

NHTSA ID

11549161

Incident

Sep 10, 2023

Mileage

128,000 mi

Gasoline smell all times inside of the car.

NHTSA ID

11545003

Incident

Sep 17, 2023

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated while driving at various speeds on a bumpy road surface, the sunroof shuddered. The contact also stated that the sunroof failed to open. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the pedal went to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The brake fluid level message was displayed. The contact stated that she swerved to the left lane to avoid crashing into another vehicle. The contact then made a left turn and continually depressed the brake pedal until the vehicle stopped. The contact then drove 20-25 MPH to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the brake line was corroded, causing the brake fluid to leak. The mechanic added brake fluid to the vehicle; however, the failure recurred while the contact was driving back to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

NHTSA ID

11537131

Incident

May 8, 2023

Mileage

106,000 mi

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while refueling, the contact smelled an abnormal fuel odor. The contact stated that the odor was present whether the vehicle was turned off or running. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ID

11533253

Incident

Jul 5, 2023

Mileage

70,000 mi

My car has smelled like gas for the past few years. Also it has not past inspection for the past 2 years. Mercedes said it was due to a defective intake manifold. Paid to replace the intake manifold and Mercedes said 2 new codes appeared. Now the gas tank, fuel pumps, brackets and hoses need to be replaced at a cost of of over 3500. The fuel pumps were replaced in 2014. Not sure why I continue to have problems with fuel pumps and now gas tank. Was informed this year after replacing the intake manifold that there was an extended warranty that concluded December 2022. I think Mercedes should resolve this as other vehicles had this same safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11519937

Incident

May 1, 2022

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, a vehicle that was merging onto the road did not yield and crashed into the front passenger side of her vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained whiplash and bruises on her right leg, and the front passenger had an ACL injury. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where unknown repairs were completed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.

NHTSA ID

11510984

Incident

Oct 27, 2022

Mileage

123,000 mi

Very strong gas smell both inside and outside of the car with check engine light on. This happened in May of 2022. Could not park the car inside the garage. Contacted MBUSA, they said there is an extended warranty for this vehicle for this problem, advised me to take it to Mercedes dealer. I took the car to the dealer. They checked it out and said it is not covered under the extended warranty because it has passed the mileage ceiling for PZEV which I do not know what PZEV is. I checked The NHTSA website, it says 15 years unlimited miles. I had no other choice but to fix the car at the dealer and pay for the cost. A few months later MBUSA sent me a letter telling me although it has passed the mileage I might be eligible for a refund and wanted me to file a claim at the dealership. I did and after over two months the dealer again told me it is not covered. I paid about $1100 for the repair and told MBUSA that the dealer does not honor what the MBUSA letter says. Now even MBUSA does not honor what they wrote me in their own letter. They say if my car was non PZEV it would have been covered? How was it my fault to have a PZEV vehicle? Why did Mercedes had PZEV and non PZEV? How is it the customer fault. Both vehicles have the same issue but why one is covered and the other is not? Please you be the judge.

NHTSA ID

11504240

Incident

May 1, 2022

I switched on driver seat heater. Less than one minute later I noticed smoke and discovered a hole burned through seat and my jacket.

NHTSA ID

11501910

Incident

Jan 8, 2023

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while approaching a stop, she heard a roaring sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle then stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear differential had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,888.

NHTSA ID

11501074

Incident

Aug 23, 2021

Mileage

71,888 mi

The driver side seat warmer melted through the leather seat and burnt a hole in my sweater The seat could have got on fire We took the car to Mercedes Benz of Lynnwood where our service advisor, John McDonald took pictures to send to MBenz USA The display panel did not show any error messages or error codes

NHTSA ID

11496166

Incident

Nov 30, 2022

The vehicle will intermittently go into limp mode with a max speed of 45mph. At a stop vehicle will not accelerate FWD unless transmission is put into park and the vehicle turned off and then re-started. Professional diagnosis suggests the transmission needs to be replaced and this is common for cars with 100k miles or more. Only a Mercedes Authorized Technician with a real time connection to a Mercedes Server can properly perform this task. This is a sub par design that creates a safety hazard. The repair procedure coupled with the frequency of this serious failure makes this vehicle a Lemon. Mercedes Benz Is Totally Responsible.

NHTSA ID

11481112

Incident

May 3, 2016

Panoramic sunroof does not close and roof shades do not close. Mercedes Benz wants $8,000+ to fix it. Then tells us our 2008 is only worth $3500.

NHTSA ID

11447834

Incident

Jun 1, 2019