Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 125 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 125 · page 1 of 5
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed but the pedal was stiff. The vehicle was taken to two dealers where it was diagnosed that the brake pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Air suspension in the rear suddenly failed making it impossible to drive, also triggered a red warning of "stop, car too low"
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated that there was leakage coming from the driver’s and the passenger’s side sunroof. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer. The contact was informed that the only warranty would be for the module. The contact stated as he was driving the vehicle into the dealer service center the ESP warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after the ESP warning light disappeared, the brake warning light illuminated. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,648.
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the air bags on the driver’s side of the vehicle inadvertently deployed without warning. After the air bags were deployed, a message showing an air bag malfunction was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact received medical attention for ringing in his ear from the air bag deployment. The vehicle was not diagnosed because the dealer informed the contact that he had to pay for the diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 65,000.
I OWN A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR ABOUT 25 MPH .SHE PUT ON THE BRAKES AND A BRIGHT RED SIGNAL APPEARED ON THE SCREEN AND THE CAR BRAKES FAILED .TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT ,MY WIFE DROVE INTO AN UPHILL PARKING LOT WHERE THE CAR CAME TO A STOP WITHOUT THE CARS BRAKES HELP .AFTER WE CALMED DOWN ,WE CALLED AAA AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO RIZZOLI'S MECEDEZ REPAIR 702 WEST GRAND AVE GROVER BEACH CA 93433 PHONE NUMBER 805-481-0832 WHICH WAS CLOSED AND THE CAR WAS LEFT IN THEIR PARKING LOT WITH THE KEYS LEFT IN THE DROP BOX .THIS WAS THE CLOSEST MERCEDES REPAIR PLACE WE COULD THINK OF IN OUR STATE OF SHOCK. WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT SBC BRAKE SYSTEM HAD FAILED AND IT WOULD COST $3453.06 TO REPAIR .I FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A 25 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VIN NUMBER IN QUESTION .AFTER THE REPAIR I STILL NOTICED SOME CUSHIONING OF THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE CAR BRAKES DID WORK . RIZZOLIS IS NOT AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP .I CALLED THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR ALPHONOS ,1423 CALLE JOAQUIN,SAN LUIS OBISPO ,93405 ,805 4382701 PRIOR TO GET THE CARS BRAKES REPAIRED AND THE REPRESENTATIVE I TALKED TO SAID THEY DO NOT HAVE A RECALL LISTED ON THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT HELP ME . I AM SEEKING REEMBERSEMENT OF THE COST OF REPAIR SINCE THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM WOULD NOT HONOR REPAIRING THE VEHICLE ON THE 25 YEAR WARRANTEE . THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the brakes became inoperable. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnose the failure to be the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) electronic braking system. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
I am in immediate need of a confirmation that Mercedes Benz USA or any dealership performed a Sensotronic Brake Control services on my 2003 E500 Mercedes Benz relative to Safety Recall #2005110001. Is MZBUSA required to report ALL vehicles that were serviced under this recall? Please , if service was completed, provide the dates(s) and place where the work was done. I cannot stress how important this is, and a timely response is VERY relevant to the Court situation about MZBUSA's contention that the SBC pump was replaced.
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the air bag suspension detached from the subframe which caused the shock to lean into the tire. The rear driver’s side wheel ceased turning. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer nor an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.
MZB ISSUED A 25-YEAR-WARRANTY/SAFETY RECALL EXTENSION ON MY 2003 E500 MZB CAR; #2005110001 -FOR THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE SYSTEM. AROUND AUGUST 2020 I WAS DRIVING ON SURFACE STREET WHEN SUDDENLY THE DASHBOARD STARTED FLASHING RED WARNINGS AND THE SPEED IMMEDIATELY REDUCED AND TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED IN FIRST GEAR. I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED AND MANAGED TO PULL CAR CURBSIDE. I THEN SLOWLY DROVE CAR HOME, AND THE NEXT DAY CONTACTE A MASTER ASE MZB MECHANIC AND HAD CAR TOWED THERE IN TEMECULA. HE DETERMINED THE SBC UNIT WAS THE CAUSE AND EVEN CALLED MZB TEMECULA TO ASSURE THEY HAD THE PART. HE THEN INFORMED ME MY CAR WAS UNDER A 25-YEAR RECALL EXTENSION TO REPAIR THE SAFETY- HAZARD ISSUE. DEALER AND MZB USA REFUSES TO REPAIR - THEY SAY SINCE THEIR COMPUTER DOES NOT SHOW FAULTS, THE CODES THAT THE ASE MASTER MECHANIC ( WHO IS KNOW TO TEMECULA MZB SERVICE MANAGER FOR YEARS) SENT TO THEM DO NOT MATTER...ONLY THEIR SYSTEM CODES. I LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE FREEWAY DRIVES ARE ESSENTIAL AND FREQUENT; A SBC LIMP MODE BREAKDOWN WOULD PUT MINE AND OTHERS LIVES IN DANGER. MZB TEMECULA AND MZB USA IN GEORGIA TOLD ME THAT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM UNLESS IFTHE SYSTEM GOES DOWN AND I HAVE TOWED TO THEM.
VEHICLE STARTED FLASHING A RED WARNING SIGN WHILE DRIVING AT WHICH POINT I LOST ALL BRAKES IT WAS ONLY RIGHT THAT I USED A RUNAWAY RAMP AT THE MOMENT OTHERWISE THE CAR WOULD HAVE NOT STOPPED. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND THEN UPON RESTARTING EVERYTHING BRAKE RELATED DISAPPEARED. ALSO THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES ALREADY.
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR LOST POWER. PULLED OVER FOR VISUAL INSPECTION, NOTICED THE FUEL WAS LEAKING RAPIDLY. IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE CAR. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP. DEALER VERIFIED THE TANK WAS LEAKING.
I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO A CITY STREET WHEN I HEARD A CLICK/ CRACK, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIT UP, AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE CAR IN TIME AND HIT A PARKED CAR. THE ENGINE DID NOT TURN OFF WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT WASN'T A CASE OF THE POWER STEERING FAILING BECAUSE I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AT ALL (I DO KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE). I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, SURVEYED THE DAMAGE, THEN TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND WAS ABLE TO REVERSE IT AND PARK THE CAR BEHIND THE ACCIDENT. THE STEERING WAS FINE. AFTER I COLLECTED MYSELF, I DROVE THE CAR AROUND THE BLOCK (RESIDENTIAL AREA) AND SAW THE CAR DROVE FINE, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT I WAS JUST IN AN ACCIDENT. I ENDED UP HAVING THE CAR TOWED BECAUSE THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS RUBBING AGAINST SOMETHING, CAUSING SMOKE, AND I DIDN'T WANT THE BELT TO BREAK. I WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED IN THE CRASH. BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO TURN THE LOCKED STEERING WHEEL, I INJURED MY RIGHT ELBOW FROM THE IMPACT. MY STOMACH MUSCLES WERE ALSO HURT, PROBABLY DUE TO THE FLEXING OF MY CORE AS I WAS TRYING TO YANK THE WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT. AS I STATED EARLIER, THESE WERE VERY MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MAIN REASON I'M REPORTING THIS IS BECAUSE I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY SON TO DRIVE. AND I CANNOT LET HIM DRIVE THIS CAR NOW, KNOWING THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN. THANK GOD HE WASN'T DRIVING AND IT HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED.
AIR SUSPENSION LOWER CAUSED CAR STOPPED WHILE DRIVING. THIS AIR SUSPENSION HAS SERIOUS PROBLEM NEEDS RECALL DUE TO DEFECTIVE DESIGN. SPRINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM WILL CAUSE ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING.
SBC ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT FAILED NEEDED REPLACEMENT & SWITCH MB SAID THIS WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY FOR MY YR VEHICLE. MERCEDES BENZ FINALLY TOOK OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM AND STATED IN DOCUMENT AUGUST 2018 THAT THEY ARE COVERING THE COST AND LABOR TO THIS PROBLEM FOR UP TO 25 YEARS IN MODEL YEAR. BUT YOUR SITE DOES NOT SHOW A RECALL ON THIS?? LIMP MODE AND FAULT LIGHTS FLASHED SBC/ABS UNIT FAILED. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. PLEASE, FILE MY COMPLAINT SINCE I AM GOING AFTER MERCEDES BENZ LOCAL DEALER FOR MY REFUND OF CASH FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE FIXED. THANKS
THE SBC IS THE PROBLE , AND I BELICE RHAT IT IS / WAS ON RECALL, I WANT YOU TO FIX THE PROBLEM . THANKS
AIR SUSPENSION - THE ENTIRE VEHICLE HAS FALLEN ALMOST TO THE GROUND DUE TO DEFECTIVE AIR SUSPENSION(FRONT AND REAR). THIS STARTED WITHIN A YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A MERCEDEZ BENZ DEALERSHIP BUT DID NOT REALIZE HOW SERIOUS THE PROBLEM WAS UNTIL THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AS OF TODAY, THE AIR DOES NOT PUMP INTO THE CAR AND THEREFORE IT'S LOW TO THE GROUND.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E500. WHILE DRIVING, THE RED BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND A "DECREASE BRAKING" MESSAGE APPEARED. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKES PERFORMED AT A SLOWER RATE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHCLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V296000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E500. WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTH HOUSTON LOCATED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS) WHO INDICATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC SBC BRAKE PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE SBC BRAKE PUMP WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED IN 2011. AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE AND WHILE DRIVING, SEVERAL WARNING MESSAGES DISPLAYED, INCLUDING THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WARNING INDICATORS BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,801. UPDATED 09/05/17*LJ *CN *TR
WHILE DRIVING DOWN STREET BRAKES ENGAGED ON THEIR OWN. PULLED CAR OVER DUE TO WARNING LIGHT FOR BRAKE MALFUNCTION AS CAR DOWN SHIFTED ITSELF. TRIED TO DRIVE CAR ONCE STOPPED AND BRAKES WERE STILL ENGAGED NOT ALLOWING CAR TO OPERATE. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THE SBC HYDRAULIC PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD BEEN RECALLED BY MERCEDES BUT THEIR TIME FRAME TO GET IT FIXED HAD EXPIRED. I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE DUE TO BUYING THE CAR USED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS DEFECT AFFECT SEVERAL YEARS OF THIS MODEL. I CONTACTED MBUSA THEY EXPLAINED NHTSA DIDN'T DO THE RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT AND THE TIME THEY SET FOR REPAIR HAD EXPIRED. I TOLD THEM THE REPAIR IS $2100.AND ASKED MBUSA DO THEY STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT BEING THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE THAT THEY USED ON THEIR VEHICLES. THEY TOLD ME THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THAT THEY COULD GIVE ME $200.00 OF $2100.00 TOWARD THE REPAIR BEING THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE. MDUSA HAS NO INTEGRITY TO STAND BEHIND A PROBLEM THEY CREATED WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKING SYSTEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE "STOP DRIVING" AND "VEHICLE DRIVING LOW" WARNING MESSAGES DISPLAYED. WHILE SITTING IN THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEEMED LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT AIR SUSPENSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.
I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THE CARS BUILT BETWEEN 2003 & 2006 WERE BUILT WITH THE SENSORMATIC BRAKE CONTROL UNIT OR SBC. MERCEDES DISCOVERED THAT THIS BRAKE SYSTEM HAD A LIFESPAN BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE BRAKES WERE PRESSED SO THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS UNIT TO TEN YEARS. FROM WHAT I READ, THESE UNITS JUST FAIL, SOMETIMES WITHOUT NOTICE, AND THE CAR IS LEFT WITH 10% BRAKING POWER, WHICH IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO STOP A CAR, ESPECIALLY A CAR GOING 55 OR 60 MILES AN HOUR. THE TEN YEAR WARRANTY DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE THE FAILURE IS BASED ON USAGE, NOT TIME. MY CAR IS 13 YEARS OLD AND I JUST SAW A MESSAGE ON MY DASHBOARD THAT INDICATES IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE SBC. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE JOB, UP TO $2000 AND I DO NOT BELIEVE I OR ANY OWNERS SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO FIX IT. HOW IS A CAR MANUFACTURER ALLOWED TO BUILD AND SELL A CAR THAT HAS A BRAKING SYSTEM THAT FAILS AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TAPS ON THE BRAKE. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR FEAR OF THE BRAKES FAILING ON ME. I HAVE EMAILED DAIMLER BENZ AND DID NOT GET A RESPONSE FROM THEM. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE ME WITH THIS MATTER [XXX] *DL INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*JB
STRONG FUEL ODOR COMING FROM VEHICLE WHEN TANK FULL. DOESN'T HAPPEN IF TANK IS 3/4 FULL OR LESS. ANY RECALLS? WILL DEALERSHIP FIX PROBLEM?
DRIVING A CAR IN VEHICLE WENT DOWN SAYING IS TOO LOW
I WAS DRIVING AND WHEN I TRIED TO BRAKE. THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. RED LIGHT LET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASH IT SAID THAT BRAKE MALFUNCTION. SBC SYSTEM FAILURE. HAD TO GLADE TO A STOP AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED. *TR
STRONG FUEL SMELL FROM DRIVER SIDE REAR SEAT. THE SMELL SPREAD TO THE CABIN AND THE WHOLE GARAGE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL. THE SMELL WILL LESSEN AFTER THE TANK IS ABOUT HALF FULL.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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