NHTSA Data Explorer

Mercedes-Benz 500E

Data refreshed May 30, 2026

Select a model year to filter results to that year of the Mercedes-Benz 500E.

Complaints

404

Active records

Recalls

15

Active records

TSBs

62

Active records

Filing history

Monthly totals over the last 20 years. Click a legend item to show or hide that series.

Reported severity

Based on consumer complaints filed since 2000. Recalls and TSBs do not include severity data.

Deaths

3

Injuries

15

Crashes

15

Fires

10

Top reported issues — Mercedes-Benz 500E

Click a category to expand its values.

Condition issue

212

Operating state

78

Engine behavior

74

Reporting mechanism

43

Fluid issue

31

Performance issue

31

Electrical issue

28

Thermal issue

27

Braking behavior

26

Driver assistance issue

19

Noise

19

Safety restraint issue

18

Smell

17

Transmission/drivetrain behavior

17

Safety restraint behavior

15

Access/entry issue

13

Recent change

11

Steering behavior

11

Vibration/harshness

10

Infotainment behavior

9

Lighting behavior

8

Starting behavior

8

Powering on/off behavior

7

Ride/handling behavior

7

HVAC behavior

6

Wiper/washer behavior

3

Recent filings

The 10 most recent filings for each type.

1993 MERCEDES-BENZ 500

Filed Feb 13, 2016


WIRE HARNESS DEFECT CAUSING SHORT IN SYSTEM SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON A COUNTY ROAD IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER CUTTING OTHER DRIVERS OFF JUST TO GET VEHICLE IN A SAFE AND SECURED LOCATION.

2003 MERCEDES BENZ 500

Filed May 31, 2014


IN JUNE 2012 THE CAR DID NOT PASS INSPECTION AND WE WERE TOLD WE NEEDED A NEW GAS CAP. WE GOT A GAS CAP AND IT PASSED INSPECTION. SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD A STRONG FUEL SMELL WHEN THE GAS TANK IS FILLED COMPLETELY. IF WE ONLY FILL THE GAS TANK ABOUT 3/4 OR LESS, THERE IS NO GAS SMELL. WE RECENTLY HAD THE CAR SERVICED AND THE MECHANIC TOLD US THE GAS CAP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND A SEAL/CAP IN AN OVERFILL TANK UNDER THE REAR SEAT WAS LOOSE. WE REPLACED THE GAS CAP AGAIN AND THE CAP TO THE…

2003 MERCEDES BENZ 500

Filed May 31, 2014


THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT EXTEND OUT AND DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY DURING HOT WEATHER. *TR

2003 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS

Filed Apr 29, 2014


MY WHOLE GARAGE SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE WHENEVER WE FILL UP THE GAS TANK. THE SMELL WILL REMAIN UNTIL WE DRIVE THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS, CONSUMING PERHAPS 1/4 OF THE TANK. THIS HAS BEEN ON-GOING ONLY FOR THE LAST YEAR. *JS

2002 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS

Filed Apr 29, 2014


I REITERATE ....THIS VEHICLE IS A DEATH TRAP! MERCEDES BENZ INSTALLED POWER SEAT CONTROLLERS IN THIS CAR THAT FAIL VERY FREQUENTLY. THIS DESIGN FLAW CAUSES THE UNIT TO RUN POWER SEAT COMPONENTS CONSTANTLY EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED, KEY REMOVED AND THE CAR IS LOCKED. WITHIN 2-11 HOURS, THE ACTIVITY OF THIS FAULT SEAT CONTROLLER UNIT DRAINS THE CAR BATTERY! WHEN YOU TRY TO JUMP START THE CAR AS PER MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS, THE PROCESS CAUSES THE REAR LEFT SAM (SIGNAL…

2003 MERCEDES BENZ 500

Filed Apr 3, 2014


WAS GOING DOWN ROAD AND FRONT STRUT BOTTOMED OUT BECAUSE OF AIR BELLOW FAILURE IN AIR LEVELING SYSTEM .MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM! *TR

2006 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS

Filed Mar 23, 2014


WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 25 MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COMPLETELY LOST THE BRAKE FUNCTION, THE CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I STEERED THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND IT TOOK IT ANOTHER 200 TO 300 FEET TO STOP. THE DASH TURNED RED AND HAD A WARNING STOP REDUCED BRAKING POWER DEPRESS BRAKE FULLY SBC WARNING I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT, EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL, BRAKE PADS, LEAKS ...BUT FOUND NONE. *TR

2006 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS

Filed Mar 7, 2014


2006 MERCEDES E350 PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2007. CURRENT MILEAGE LESS THAN 90K. IN MARCH 2012 I ENTERED MY GARAGE AND SMELLED A HEAVY SCENT OF GASOLINE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO MERCEDES BENZ OF BUCKHEAD. ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH FUEL LEAKING UNDER BACK PASSENGER SEAT. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. REPAIR COST $965.63. *TR

2006 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS

Filed Jan 11, 2014


WHENEVER MY CAR FILLED UP (NOT OVER FILL) WITH GASOLINE, THE STRONG GASOLINE SMELL WILL LAST A FEW DAYS. THE CAR WAS INVESTIGATED BY MERCEDES DEALER, THEY FOUND FUEL PUDDLED AT SENDER UNDERNEATH THE REAR SEAT ON LEFT SIDE. THEY STATED THAT THE CAR IS NOT SAFE FOR USE AT THIS TIME DUE TO FIRE HAZARD. HOWEVER, THEY WON'T FIX IT AS MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND WOULD CHARGE ME FOR $1,300.00 AND I DIDN'T REPAIR IT SINCE IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE. I ALSO THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IS NOT THE PART THAT NEED REGULAR…

1997 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS

Filed Dec 18, 2013


I TOOK MY CAR INTO GET THE SUSPENSION FIXED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SPRING PERCH THAT ATTACHED THE SPRING TO THE CAR HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND IS ABOUT TO BREAK. LUCKILY I FOUND IT BEFORE I HAD A BAD ACCIDENT. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF CHECKING WITH MERCEDES TO SEE IF THEY WILL STAND BY A POOR DESIGN ISSUE AND REPAIR IT. I AM AMAZED THAT SOMEONE HAS NOT CONTACTED OWNERS OF OLDER CARS AS THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE FOR THOSE NOT FORTUNATE TO GET THINGS CHECKED OUT. I AM NOT DRIVING THE CAR…

Data sourced from NHTSA's public datasets. Issue classifications are generated by Repair Surge. About this data.

Updated May 30, 2026. Refreshed nightly.