What breaks most · 2003 to 2009 model years
Mercedes-Benz E500 problems by year
Owners have filed 410 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz E500 across model years 2003 to 2009. Three years stand out: 2004 for fuel system complaints, 2005 for fuel system complaints and 2003 for fuel system complaints. The quietest years are 2006.
- Years to check closely: 2004, 2005, 2003
- Fewest complaints: 2006
- Complaints on file
- 4102003 to 2009, all trims
- Worst year
- 2004131 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 101 fires · 10 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 91kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 13Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 113 | 3 | 3 | Fuel system (26) | |
| 131 | 3 | 3 | Fuel system (51) | |
| 124 | 3 | 3 | Fuel system (51) | |
| 40 | 1 | 4 | Fuel system (14) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Fuel system (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Fuel system (1) |
What fails on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 39% |
51 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 21% |
27 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 18% |
23 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 14% |
18 | 2 | Shop brakes parts for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 5% |
7 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 5% |
6 | 0 | Shop powertrain and transmission parts for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 5% |
6 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 5% |
6 | 0 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 |
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.
-
You can not put gas into the vehicle it is like there is no vent holes or something because it took me 1hour and 20 minutes to put gas in the car because the pump kept cutting off like there was air in the tank. Maybe its a flap or filter problem, whatever it is it is so frustrating trying to put gas in this car.
-
Red colored message appeared on dashboard window readout indicating a problem with the gas cap. The message appears inter mitenaly while driving along with the check engine message. Message came on 7/717 while driving on highway and continues except when engine is shut down.
-
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?
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 E500 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2004, 2005, 2003 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz E500. The 2004 alone has 131 complaints, led by fuel system.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz E500 problem?
On the 2004 model year, the most-reported component is fuel system with 51 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz E500 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz E500 complaints that include mileage is about 91,000 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.