What breaks most · 1995 to 2017 model years
Mercedes-Benz E300 problems by year
Owners have filed 67 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz E300 across model years 1995 to 2017. Three years stand out: 2017 for body and structure complaints, 1999 for suspension complaints and 1997 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 1996, 2001 and 1995.
- Years to check closely: 2017, 1999, 1997
- Fewest complaints: 1996, 2001, 1995
- Complaints on file
- 671995 to 2017, all trims
- Worst year
- 201727 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 33 fires · 4 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 40kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 16Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (4) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (2) | |
| 8 | 2 | 0 | Engine and cooling (4) | |
| 13 | 1 | 0 | Suspension (4) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Exterior lighting (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Steering (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 27 | 0 | 16 | Body and structure (6) |
What fails on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 22% |
6 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 22% |
6 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 19% |
5 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 |
| Unknown or other | 19% |
5 | 0 | — |
| Air bags | 11% |
3 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 11% |
3 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 7% |
2 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Wipers and visibilityWiper motors and blades | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop all wipers and visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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The motorized trunk lid spontaneously and forcefully closed on my head, cutting my face, while i was loading (with both hands) groceries into the trunk. Car was parked in parking lot, engine off.
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While driving with the cruise control set to 72 mph consumer attempted to disengage the cruise control and vehicle took off like a jet. As a result, vehicle jumped the median on the highway, damaging the under carriage of the vehicle. *ak
-
Problems with mercedes-benz e300 diesel.*mr the consumer has had ongoing problems with the engine hesitating and stalling while driving and has spent approx $3800.00 in repairs for defective vehicle. *cb
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mercedes-Benz E300 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2017, 1999, 1997 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz E300. The 2017 alone has 27 complaints, led by body and structure.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz E300 problem?
On the 2017 model year, the most-reported component is body and structure with 6 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz E300 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz E300 complaints that include mileage is about 40,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.