2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Typical pattern

0.3% of complaints about the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2011 vehicle — around the middle of the 203 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (118 complaints), typically at 6.3 yr or about 51,000 miles.

Covers 2 variants: E350 (265), E550 (66)

Complaints: 309
Median age at failure: 7.8 yr
Median mileage: 61,000 n=110
Crash / fire / tow: 8.7% of reports
Safety recalls: 5

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Air bags

118 reports · 51,000 mi

6.3 yr

5.9%

Suspension

37 reports · 80,000 mi

10.9 yr

2.7%

Fuel / propulsion

30 reports · 59,400 mi

8.8 yr

Other

21 reports · 48,000 mi

11.8 yr

4.8%

Structure

16 reports · 95,000 mi

11.6 yr

18.8%

Engine

15 reports · 90,000 mi

5.2 yr

20%

Service brakes

15 reports · 36,000 mi

12.7 yr

6.7%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

21V638000 2021-08-13

Air bags:frontal

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2016 E400 Coupe, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2011-2014 E350 Coupe, and 2012-2014 E350 Cabrio vehicles. An incorrect front passenger air bag may have been installed during a prior repair.

An incorrect air bag may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

19V010000 2019-01-09

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014 C250, C300 4Matic, C350, C63 AMG, E350 4Matic Coupe, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, SLS AMG Cabrio, SLS AMG Coupe, 2014-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 4Matic Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, GLK 350, GLK250 BlueTec 4Matic, GLK350 RWD, 2015-2017 E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2014-2017 E550 Cabrio, and 2014-2016 E550 Coupe vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally, MBUSA is recalling certain 2012-2014 C250, E350 4Matic Coupe, SLS AMG Cabri

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

16V363000 2016-05-26

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 C300 Sedan, C300 4matic Sedan, C350 Sedan, C63 AMG Sedan vehicles, 2010-2011 GLK350, GLK350 4-Matic and E350 Coupe vehicles, 2011 SLS AMG, E350 Convertible, E550 Coupe and E550 Convertible vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, MBUSA is recalling certain

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

16V081000 2016-02-11

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Matic, ML63 AMG, and C63 AMG, 2010-2011 ML450 4Matic Hybrid, E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic, E550 Coupe, E550 4Matic, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-2014 SLS AMG Coupe, 2012 SLS AMG Cabriolet, 2013-2014 SLS AMG GT and SLS AMG GT Cabriolet, 2005 C230 Ko

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

12V557000 2012-12-03

Fuel system

Mercedes-Benz is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 S400, S550, S550 4Matic, S63 AMG, C300, C300 4Matic, E350, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, CL550 4Matic, and CL63 AMG vehicles manufactured from April 18, 2011, through July 12, 2011. Due to an irregularity stemming from the molding process of the fuel filter flange, the fuel filter flange may crack when operated in high temperatures.

If the fuel filter flange cracks, it will leak fuel which may lead to a fire if an external ignition source is present.

In owners’ own words

Structure 10,000 mi 1.0 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 E350 MERCEDES BENZ. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL GATE WOULD UNLATCH AND OPEN SPORADICALLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Structure mileage not reported 3.1 yr in service

2011 MERCEDES BENZ E-350. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE RADIO AUTOMATICALLY TURNS ON WHEN GEAR SHIFT IS PLACED IN REVERSE MODE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER MANUALLY TURNING OFF THE RADIO, THEN PLACING THE GEAR SHIFT IN REVERSE MODE, THE RADIO AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATED TO THE ON MODE WHICH DISTRACTED AND INTERFERED HIS CONCENTRATION AND AWARENESS WITH REGARD TO SAFE MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE.

Structure 43,471 mi 6.8 yr in service crash / fire / tow

I WAS PARKING IN FRONT OF THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED VERY FAST, JUMPED THE CURB AND RAN INTO THE WALL OF ONE OF THE EXAMINING ROOMS, INJURING A PATIENT.NO ONE IN THE CAR WAS INJURED BUT THE CAR WAS TOTALED. AIR BGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEMS BUT I MANAGED TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE HITTING ANOTHER CAR ON OUR CHURCH PARKING LOT.

Air bags 39,000 mi 4.0 yr in service crash / fire / tow

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ E350A. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DEER AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR THAT WAS DAMAGED DURING THE CRASH CAUSED THE AIR BAG WIRING TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

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.