2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Typical pattern

8.5% of complaints about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2016 vehicle — around the middle of the 199 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 4.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (30 complaints), typically at 3.5 yr or about 12,000 miles.

Covers 2 variants: E350 (74), E400 (39)

Complaints: 117
Median age at failure: 4.8 yr
Median mileage: 39,000 n=56
Crash / fire / tow: 11.1% of reports
Safety recalls: 5

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

19V787000 2019-11-01

Communication

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf

An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

17V627000 2017-10-06

Air bags:frontal

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling these vehicles: 2014-2018 CLA250, CLA250 4Matic, CLA45 AMG 4Matic, 2015-2018 GLA250, GLA250 4Matic, GLA45 AMG 4Matic, C300 4Matic, C63S AMG, 2012-2014 C250, C350, C300 4Matic, E550 4Matic, 2013-2014 C63 AMG, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2013-2015 C350 4Matic Coupe, GLK250 4Matic BlueTec, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, 2016-2017 C350e, C43 AMG, 2015 C400 4Matic, 2016-2018 C63 AMG, GLC300, GLC300 4Matic, 2017-2018 C300 Coupe, C300 4Matic Coupe, C43 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG Coupe, C300 Cabriolet, C300 4Matic Cabriolet, C43 AMG Cabriolet

If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.

17V177000 2017-03-14

Electrical system:software

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550 vehicles, 2012 CLS550 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2016 E350 vehicles, 2016-2017 GL450 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2014 ML350 4Matic BlueTec vehicles, 2015 S550, S550 4Matic and C300 4Matic Sedan vehicles, 2015-2016 C300 Sedan vehicles, and 2017 SL63 AMG vehicles. Various control

If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

16V899000 2016-12-14

Steering:electric power assist system

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 SL550, 2013-2014 SL63 AMG, 2014-2016 E350, 2014 E350 Cabriolet, E350 Coupe, 2014-2015 S550, 2015 E350 Bluetec, 2015-2016 E400, 2016 E550 Coupe, and Maybach S600 vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to August 14, 2015. The affected vehicles use an electric power steering system that may have improperly soldered contacts inside the control unit, potentially resulting in the power steering system deactivating while driving.

If the control unit pins lose connection, there would be a loss of electric power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash. The increase in pin contact resistance can also increase the risk of a fire, even while the vehicle is parked and ignition is off.

15V505000 2015-08-11

Engine and engine cooling:engine

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016 Mercedes Benz E350, E400, E400 4Matic, E63 4M S AMG, E350 4Matic, E63-4M S AMG, 2015 CLS400, CLS400 4Matic, CLS550, CLS63-4M "P" AMG, and CLS550 4Matic vehicles manufactured April 16, 2015, to April 22, 2015. The integral steel cable that secures the rubber seal to the bulkhead might have been damaged due to the supplier rework of the rubber seal. In the event the rubber seal is not properly secured around the engine compartment, it is possible for the rubber seal to temporarily stick to the hood when it is opened and then may

If the rubber seal falls into the engine compartment, it may contact parts of the engine or exhaust system, increasing the risk of a fire.

In owners’ own words

Air bags mileage not reported 3.4 yr in service

A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER (MERCEDES-BENZ USA) WAS RECEIVED 2/5/19, ADVISING OF A RECALL CONCERNING THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG MODULE FOR MY 2016 E400 COUPE (MBUSA RECALL #2019010001). AS OF 12/19/19, THE MANUFACTURER STILL HAS NOT MADE THE NECESSARY REMEDY AVAILABLE.

Air bags 5,200 mi 1.2 yr in service crash / fire / tow

MY VEHICLE WAS MOVING THRU INTERSECTION WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT. I HIT THE BRAKES, BUT STILL CRASHED INTO SIDE OF OTHER VEHICLE AT 20-25 MPH. MY VEHICLE HAD FRONT END DAMAGE AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT IT DID NOT HOLD ME TO THE SEAT. I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST AND HAD TO GO TO HOSPITAL FOR X-RAYS. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER SAID I WAS NOT GOING FAST ENOUGH TO DEPLOY AIR BAG. THAT IS NOT TRUE. *TR

Air bags mileage not reported 6.7 yr in service crash / fire / tow

Someone ran a stop sign traveling at at least 30 mph and hit my car twice; once in the front, once in the rear. I hit my face on the steering wheel, was knocked unconscious, and received a concussion. The airbags never deployed.

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.

2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other E-Class model years

How to read this