2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Typical pattern

1.5% of complaints about the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2006 vehicle — around the middle of the 250 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 8.5 yr in service. The most-reported system is fuel / propulsion (168 complaints), typically at 9.0 yr or about 92,200 miles.

Covers 4 variants: E350 (482), E500 (59), E320 (49), E CLASS (11)

Complaints: 597
Median age at failure: 8.5 yr
Median mileage: 87,000 n=500
Crash / fire / tow: 8.5% of reports
Safety recalls: 4

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Fuel / propulsion

168 reports · 92,200 mi

9.0 yr

4.8%

Fuel system

101 reports · 80,000 mi

7.7 yr

Service brakes

64 reports · 132,998 mi

11.8 yr

6.2%

Engine

51 reports · 110,000 mi

11.3 yr

15.7%

Power train

38 reports · 73,480 mi

8.1 yr

5.3%

Air bags

25 reports · 84,042 mi

7.6 yr

32%

Electrical system

24 reports · 66,215 mi

6.2 yr

4.2%

Engine cooling

22 reports · 66,215 mi

5.5 yr

9.1%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

24V874000 2024-11-19

Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.

A detached sunroof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

22V954000 2022-12-23

Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.

A detached sunroof panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

21V196000 2021-03-19

Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2007 C350, C230, C280, CLK350, E320CDI, E350 Wagon, E350, 2006 C55 AMG, CLK500, CLS500, CLS55 AMG, E500 Wagon, E500, E55 AMG, 2007 CLK550, CLS550, CLS63 AMG, E550, E63 AMG, and E63 Wagon AMG vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly causing the glass panel to detach from the vehicle.

A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

19V918000 2019-12-20

Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly resulting in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V918-4126.pdf

A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 21,670 mi 4.3 yr in service

MERCEDES BENZ 2006 E350. THE STEERING WHEEL ELECTRICAL HARNESS IS TO SHORT AND COMES APART DISABLING ALL AIRBAGS. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THE COMPANY WON'T PAY TO CORRECT IT. THE REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVE AT $715.00 THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY DEFECT!! *TR

Electrical system 44,000 mi 4.3 yr in service

HORN DID NOT SOUND/BLOW EVEN KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION. IT SOUND/BLOW ONLY IF CAR/ ENGINE IS RUNNING. *TR

Electrical system 105,000 mi 10.9 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON, THE CLUSTER FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THE CLUSTER SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

Air bags 21,670 mi 4.3 yr in service

MERCEDES BENZ 2006 E350. THE STEERING WHEEL ELECTRICAL HARNESS IS TO SHORT AND COMES APART DISABLING ALL AIRBAGS. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THE COMPANY WON'T PAY TO CORRECT IT. THE REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVE AT $715.00 THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY DEFECT!! *TR

Other E-Class model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.