2011 Mercedes Benz E

Routine

Owners filed 10 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. It has been recalled 4 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires3
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission3
101
Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel2
000
Steering1
000
Air Bags1
101

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Diesel11V496000
Filed Oct 3, 20116,872 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. MERCEDES-BENZ USA (MBUSA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 VEHICLES INCLUDING E-CLASS (212 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 2010 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2011, R-CLASS (251 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2010 THROUGH APRIL 2011, ML-CLASS (W164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, GL-CLASS (X164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 S-CLASS (221 PLATFORM) VEHICLES. THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER MAY LEAK FROM THE AREA AROUND THE HEATING COMPONENT.

Risk. DIESEL FUEL MAY BE DEPOSITED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.

Remedy. MBUSA WILL CONTACT OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 30, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ USA AT 1-800-367-6372.

Engine and Engine Cooling11V213000
Filed Apr 1, 201141 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 E-CLASS MODEL W212 AND S212 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 8, 2010, THROUGH JULY 12, 2010. INSUFFICIENT ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE VIBRATION DAMPER AND ITS INNER MASS DAMPER RING COULD CAUSE A SUDDEN SEPARATION OF THE INNER MASS DAMPER RING FROM THE VIBRATION DAMPER.

Risk. WHILE WORKING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DURING ENGINE OPERATION, THE DAMPER RING COULD STRIKE AND INJURE THE PERSON REPAIRING THE VEHICLE OR A BYSTANDER.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE PARTS AS NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 8, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Fuel System, Other › Fuel Filter10V540000
Filed Oct 29, 20102,297 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. MERCEDES BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 M-CLASS, MODEL W164, GL-CLASS, MODEL X164, E-CLASS, MODEL W212, R-CLASS, AND MODEL V251VEHICLES. THE O-RING MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY LUBRICATED IN ALL CASES. LACK OF LUBRICATION CAN LEAD TO LEAKAGE OF THE FUEL FILTER.

Risk. DIESEL FUEL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON ROADS AND MAKING THOSE ROADS SLIPPERY, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372. THIS CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED . PLEASE SEE RECALL CAMPAIGN 11V-496.

Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Pump10V459000
Filed Oct 4, 201085,300 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. MERCEDES BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 C-CLASS, MODEL 204, E-CLASS, MODEL 212, AND MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 E-CLASS COUPE/CABRIOLET MODEL 207 VEHICLES. THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY FAIL DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID.

Risk. OWNERS MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IN AREAS, SUCH AS PARKING LOTS, WHERE MAXIMUM POWER STEERING IS REQUIRED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL CHECK AND RETORQUE THE CONNECTION FITTING FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 31, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Tires
Filed Sep 17, 201338,000 milesGA

TIRE TREAD IS SEPARATING FROM TIRE ON BACK OF TIRE. ALL FOUR TIRES ON VEHICLE DISPLAY TREAD SEPARATION APPROXIMATELY HALF CIRCUMFERENCE OF TIRE IS AFFECTED. *TR

Tires
Filed Sep 17, 201342,000 milesGA

ALL FOUR TIRES ON 2011 MERCEDES E550 HAVE TREAD SEPARATION. TREAD SEPARATION IS OCCURRING ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE TIRE AND IS UNKNOWN UNTIL THE TIRE BEGINS TO LOSE TIRE PRESSURE. TIRES ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MICHELIN RADIAL X TIRES. FAILURE BETWEEN 38,000-40,000 MILES. *TR

Tires
Filed Dec 19, 2011NJ

5 MONTHS INTO MY 2011 MB E350 BLUETECH LEASE THE FRONT LEFT TIRE BLOWS ON A HIGHWAY. THE TIRES ARE RUNFLAT BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL400-02 MOEXTENDED 245/45R17 95H. STOPPED THE CAR AND SAW THE RIM MADE A CUT IN A SIDEWALL. NOT REPAIRABLE, HAD IT REPLACED. 45 DAYS LATER ANOTHER FRONT TIRE IS AGAIN BLOWN ON A HIGHWAY THE SAME WAY. PUT ON A SPARE AND ORDERED REPLACEMENT. 2 DAYS LATER - THIRD TIRE BLOWS THE SAME EXACT WAY. ALL INCIDENTS ARE ON THE ROADS I TRAVEL FOR 10 YEARS AND NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH MY PREVIOUS CARS. COMPLAINED TO LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS CAUSED BY MY "WAY OF DRIVING". RIDICULOUS! TIRE REPAIRMAN TOLD ME THESE RUN-FLATS ARE NOT FLEXIBLE AND HAVE A VERY THIN SIDEWALL SO IT GETS PUNCTURED BY THE RIM. SINCE MERCEDES DID NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE TIRES FOR FREE, HOW DO I GET COMPENSATED FOR WHAT I PAID REPLACING THEIR TIRES? *TR

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Aug 12, 20117,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ E-350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END CRASH. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAGS BUT HAD NOT YET RECEIVED A RETURN CALL. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT HAD THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SEVERE REDUCTION IN THE INJURIES SUSTAINED IN THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel
Filed May 28, 2011100 milesFL

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A MERCEDES 2011 E550. I FOUND THE SPEEDOMETER VERY DIFFICULT TO READ DURING DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS IT IS NOT LIGHTED. MY EYESIGHT IS 20/20). THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT TAKES YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD TOO LONG TO READ THE VERY DIM SPEEDOMETER. IT ALSO CAUSES ONE TO GO AT SPEEDS NOT EASILY CONTROLLED BY A NORMAL "GLANCE"AT THE SPEEDOMETER. *TR

Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel
Filed Apr 5, 201110 milesFL

MERCEDES 2011 E550 HAS A SPEEDOMETER THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO READ AND REQUIRES EYE DIVERSION FROM THE ROAD TO AN UNSAFE EXTENT TO VIEW YOUR DRIVING SPEED. *TR

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 25, 2011100 milesCA

E 350 2011 MERCEDES BENZ I OWN HAS PROBLEMS WITH GEAR SHIFTING WHILE DRIVING UPHILL. *TR

Steering
Filed Feb 4, 2011300 milesNY

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ E-350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 MPH IN REVERSE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT WITHIN THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 350. UPDATED 10/21/11 *BF UPDATED 10/26/11

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Oct 7, 20109,898 milesNJ

YOU PUT THE CAR IN PARK THE DIGITAL DISPLAY SAYS "PARK" BUT IT IS NOT. YOU PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE OR REVERSE THE DIGITAL DISPLAY SAYS DRIVE OR REVERSE AND CAR DOES NOT MOVE. IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM YOU HAVE TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT BACK ON THEN IT WILL START TO WORK PROPERLY AGAIN. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTO'S OF THE ISSUE WITH THE RPM UP TO 4K AND THE CAR MPH AT ZERO AND IT SAYS "DRIVE" IN THE DISPLAY. I PROVIDED THE PHOTO'S MERCEDES AND THE DEALER AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CANT FIND ANYTHING WRONG OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM OCCURS ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH. I SPENT SOME TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT GETS IN THIS MODE AND FROM WHAT I DETERMINED IS WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE IF YOU MOVE THE LEVER TO GO IN PARK YOU DON'T HEAR THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGE WHEN IT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY BUT THE DIGITAL DISPLAY SAYS "PARK". THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT TRIGGER THE DISPLAY WHEN IT SHOULD IT SEEMS TO ME THE SHIFT LEVER DOES THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD TRIGGER THE DASH DISPLAY IF IT IS IN PARK OR DRIVE OR REVERSE TO ENSURE IT IS IN THE PROPER GEAR. THE SAME THING GOES FOR WHEN YOU ARE IN PARK AND PUT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL TIME THAT I LEFT MY CAR WHILE RUNNING THINKING IT WAS IN PARK AND IT START TO DRIVE FORWARD ONLY TO JUMP BACK IN AND PHYSICALLY TURN THE CAR OFF. THIS ISSUE OCCURS ONE OR TWICE A MONTH. *TR

Power Train › Automatic TransmissionCrash1 injured
Filed Sep 17, 2010100 milesMD

2011 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS-THIS VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRONIC SHIFTER JUST BEHIND STEERING WHEEL. IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL IF IT GOES INTO PARK OR NOT. MY WIFE HAD ENGINE RUNNING, GOT OUT OF CAR TO CHECK THE TRUNK AND THOUGHT SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK. IT STARTED TO MOVE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO JUMP INSIDE AND HIT THE BRAKE. LATER THAT MORNING I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT AND THOUGHT I HIT THE PARK. I GOT OUT LEAVING THE ENGINE RUNNING WITH MY WIFE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ON THE PHONE. WHEN FINISHED SHE SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS. SHE COULDN'T REACH OVER THE CONSOLE TO HIT THE BRAKE. SHE TRIED PUSHING THE PARK BUTTON AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE (72 HOURS OLD) STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A CAR BEHIND IT IN ANOTHER PARKING SPACE. FORTUNATELY, NOBODY WAS BEHIND THE CAR OR SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I SPOKE WITH MERCEDES CORPORATE WHO SAID THE ELECTRONIC SHIFTER HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2006. THE SERVICE FOREMAN AT MY DEALER TOLD ME THERE IS NO WAY TO ADJUST THE COMPUTER SO THAT IF THE CAR ISN'T IN PARK AND THE KEY IS TURNED OFF THE TRANSMISSION WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SENSE NO ONE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LOCK INTO PARK. HE EXPLAINED WITH THE KEY OFF HAD SHE OPENED THE DOOR THE PARK WOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY HAPPENED. IT SEEMS THERE IS A SIMPLE FIX. IF THE VEHICLE IS BELOW 5 MPH AND SOMEONE HAS THE ENGINE RUNNING BUT OPENS THE DOOR TO GET OUT IT STILL SHOULD GO INTO PARK. THIS IS A SIMPLE PROGRAM FIX I WOULD GUESS. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A WARNING

10 of 10 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2011
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2011 — this page10400Routine
20101100Routine
20092000Routine
20087200Routine
20072200Routine
20061100Routine
20055000Routine
20042000Routine
19941000Routine

Compare every E year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Oct 3, 2011. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.