2017 Mercedes-Benz E350 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E350, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine225.0%
- Fuel system225.0%
- Body & structure112.5%
- Brakes112.5%
- Driver assistance112.5%
- Electrical112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I AM IN AN MBFOURM AND I AM STARTING TO HEAR OF ENGINE FAILURE AT AN EARLY AGE. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS, YET. BUT, FROM WHAT I AM READING IN THE FORUMS, A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MODEL ENGINE I HAVE IN MY 2017 MERCEDES E300 ARE HAVING ISSUES WHERE THE PISTON CRACKS AND THEY NEED A NEW ENGINE. MERCEDES ISN'T PAYING FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENTS AND IT IS ALL OUT OF POCKET COST. I AM WORRIED THAT ONCE MY WARRANTY IS OVER AND MY ENGINE BLOWS BECAUSE OF MERCEDES DESIGNS FLAW, I WILL END UP SPENDING 9-10K FOR A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW. HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FORUM: HTTPS://MBWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/E-CLASS-W213/798120-2018-MERCEDES-W213-E300-NEEDS-NEW-ENGINE-23K-MILES.HTML HTTPS://MBWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/C-CLASS-W205/731642-W205-C300-STAY-AWAY-PISTON-CRACKED-65-K-MILES.HTML
CAR CAUGHT FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE PARKED. A TOTAL LOSS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE CABIN WHEN I START THE CAR IN THE MORNING. I'M SEEING THIS AS A COMMON ISSUE IN THREADS ONLINE. CAR OUT OF WARRANTY SO NEED HELP MAKING THIS A RECALL ITEM GIVEN THE DANGER OF FUEL LEAKS. SOLUTIONS POSTED ARE BELOW: 1) QUOTE FROM MY INVOICE: CONFIRMED FUEL LEAK WAS COMING FROM LINE TO HIGH PRESSURE PUMP. REMOVED LOWER PANEL OF TRANSMISSION TO GAIN ACCESS TO LINES. REMOVED HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP COVERS, REMOVED AND INSTALLED FUEL LINES, AND INSTALLED IN REVERSE ORDER TO CORRECT. RAN ENGINE TO VERIFY NO LARGE FUEL LEAKS. FOUND GOOD AT THIS TIME. 2) HAVE YOUR DEALER REPLACE THE TWO FLEXIBLE FUEL LINES FROM THE FUEL FEED LINE TO THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP.THERE IS NO OFFICIAL BULLETIN ON THIS BUT THIS IS THE FIX.
WHEN STARTING THE CAR, IN THE FIRST 20 MINUETS THE CAR HAS A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN CAUSING DIFFICULTY BREATHING AND EYE IRRITATION, I NEED TO LEAVE THE CAR RUNNING FOR 20 MINUTES WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN BEFORE I CAN GET IN AND DRIVE, I WENT TO THE DEALER AND WAS DISMISSED AS IF EVERYTHING IS GOOD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR CAUGHT FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE PARKED. A TOTAL LOSS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
AT AROUND 2.15 PM CST, I WAS DRIVING MY MERCEDES WESTBOUND ON I-694 TOWARDS MINNEAPOLIS AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY E300 STALLED AND BY THE TIME I COULD FIGURE WHAT WAS WRONG, I LOST ALL POWER IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MERCEDES BRAKE ASSIST TRIGGERED A HARD BRAKE AND MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON THE FREEWAY. THE CAR BEHIND ME NEARLY MISSED ME AND AT THIS POINT EVERY LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD LIT UP (I HAVE ATTACHED THE PICTURE BELOW). I TRIED HITTING ON THE IGNITION MULTIPLE TIMES BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT, I DECIDED NOT TO SIT IN THE CAR SINCE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS WITH FAST ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE A MATTER OF TIME THAT SOMEONE WOULD REAR END ME. I STEPPED OUT OF MY CAR AND WHILE MULTIPLE CARS WERE APPROACHING ME AT HIGH SPEED FROM BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT LANES I FOUND A VERY SMALL WINDOW OF TIME (2-3 SECONDS) TO SPRINT FROM THE MIDDLE LANE OF I-694 TO THE SHOULDER. MY WORRY WAS STILL FAR FROM OVER AS MY CAR WAS STILL SITTING IN MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE AND NOW I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHER FOLKS WHO WERE TRAVELING IN MY DIRECTION. I SAW 12 TO 15 CARS ALMOST REAR END MY CAR. WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING, I REALIZED MY PHONE WAS DEAD AND I WAS UNABLE TO CALL 911. I CONTINUALLY WAVED AT THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO ALERT THEM OF MY CAR AND REQUESTED THEM TO CALL 911. ABOUT 7 TO 9 MINUTES LATER, THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SHOWED UP AND BLOCKED TRAFFIC TO ASSIST ME WITH MOVING MY CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THESE 7 TO 9 MINUTES WERE THE MOST TRAUMATIC I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. I FELT HELPLESS, ANXIOUS, AND EXTREMELY STRESSED OUT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
AT AROUND 2.15 PM CST, I WAS DRIVING MY MERCEDES WESTBOUND ON I-694 TOWARDS MINNEAPOLIS AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY E300 STALLED AND BY THE TIME I COULD FIGURE WHAT WAS WRONG, I LOST ALL POWER IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MERCEDES BRAKE ASSIST TRIGGERED A HARD BRAKE AND MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON THE FREEWAY. THE CAR BEHIND ME NEARLY MISSED ME AND AT THIS POINT EVERY LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD LIT UP (I HAVE ATTACHED THE PICTURE BELOW). I TRIED HITTING ON THE IGNITION MULTIPLE TIMES BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT, I DECIDED NOT TO SIT IN THE CAR SINCE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS WITH FAST ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE A MATTER OF TIME THAT SOMEONE WOULD REAR END ME. I STEPPED OUT OF MY CAR AND WHILE MULTIPLE CARS WERE APPROACHING ME AT HIGH SPEED FROM BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT LANES I FOUND A VERY SMALL WINDOW OF TIME (2-3 SECONDS) TO SPRINT FROM THE MIDDLE LANE OF I-694 TO THE SHOULDER. MY WORRY WAS STILL FAR FROM OVER AS MY CAR WAS STILL SITTING IN MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE AND NOW I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHER FOLKS WHO WERE TRAVELING IN MY DIRECTION. I SAW 12 TO 15 CARS ALMOST REAR END MY CAR. WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING, I REALIZED MY PHONE WAS DEAD AND I WAS UNABLE TO CALL 911. I CONTINUALLY WAVED AT THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO ALERT THEM OF MY CAR AND REQUESTED THEM TO CALL 911. ABOUT 7 TO 9 MINUTES LATER, THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SHOWED UP AND BLOCKED TRAFFIC TO ASSIST ME WITH MOVING MY CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THESE 7 TO 9 MINUTES WERE THE MOST TRAUMATIC I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. I FELT HELPLESS, ANXIOUS, AND EXTREMELY STRESSED OUT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR CAUGHT FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE PARKED. A TOTAL LOSS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .