1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Suspension › Front

  I AM WRITING REGARDING AN INVESTIGATION INTO MERCEDES BENZ E300 (W210 CHASSIS) FAILURES. WHILE DRIVING ON THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE, ROUTE 90 ON MONDAY, MY SPRING PERCH FAILED, BROKE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND WAS LOST ON THE HIGHWAY. THE PERCH LET GO WITH A VERY LOUD BANG, THEN A PRONOUNCED BUMP (PRESUMABLY AS THE REAR TIRE DROVE OVER THE SPRING ASSEMBLY.) THE CAR SUDDENLY DROPPED HARD ON THE FRONT RIGHT BUMP STOPS. LOTS OF WARNING LIGHTS - BAS, ASR, ETC. I THOUGHT I BLEW A TIRE OR HIT SOME ROAD DAMAGE. SURPRISINGLY, JUST A LITTLE SWERVE IN THE LEFT LANE AND I MADE IT TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AFTER A 1/4 MILE. I HAD HEARD OF THE SPRING PERCH FAILURES FROM THE USER FORUMS AT…

  Oct 27, 2008 · 201,500 miles
• Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs

  1998 MERCEDES BENZ E-320, SPEED <15 MPH HAD THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE COIL SPRING EJECTED AND HOUSING COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE MAKING THE FRONT END DROP DOWN ONTO DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE IMPINGEMENT OF THE BODY ONTO THE TIRE AND WHEEL AND/OR THE SPRING ITSELF PRECLUDED ANY STEERING CONTROL. THE COIL SPRING MOUNT OR "SADDLE" HAD SEPARATED FROM THE WELDED POINT TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. MERCEDES OFFERRED TO PAY 25% OF THE REPAIR FEE DUE TO EXCELLENT SERVICE HISTORY. WE REPEATEDLY REQUESTED A TEAM FROM MERCEDES TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THIS VEHICLE WOULD BE IDEAL TO INVESTIGATE AS NO OTHER COMPLICATING CRASH HAD OCCURRED. THEY REFUSED THIS. MY WIFE…

  May 29, 2007 · 153,000 miles
• Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs

  THE MAIN SUSPENSION SPRING FROM MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE FELL OUT ON THE GARAGE FLOOR AND THE CAR CAME DOWN ON THE TIRE. TWO MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVING ON THE ROAD AT 60 MPH AND HAD IT OCCURRED TWO MINUTES EARLIER SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE POOR DESIGN BY MB CAUSED EXCESS RUST AND FAILURE IN THE 1998 MB E320. *JB

  Jul 13, 2006
• Suspension › Front

  DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP, THE FRONT END COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SPRING PERCH FRACTURED. THE SPRING PERCH WAS REPLACED.

  Jun 7, 2006 · 140,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Catalytic convertor

  CATALYTIC CONVERTER LOOSE INSIDE, RATTLING AND NOT EFFECTIVE. *JB

  Feb 14, 2006 · 156,982 miles
• Tires

  TIRES OVERHEAT ON DRY PAVEMENT, CAUSING DECREASED TRACTION. *JB

  Jan 1, 2006 · 150,000 miles
• Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs

  1998 MERCEDES BENZ E300D 4 DOOR SEDAN. DRIVER SIDE SPRING PERCH IS RUSTED AND PEELING OFF DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT. CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE WAY IT IS DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ON MANY FORUMS AS WELL AS PREVIOUS HTTP://WWW.MERCEDESSHOP.COM/SHOPFORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP3?T=95228. *NM

  Dec 15, 2005 · 115,000 miles
• Power train › Automatic transmission

  AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE, STAYS ON 1ST. GEAR (ROUGH RUN). TOOK TO AUTHORIZED MBZ REPAIR STATION, THEY RESET THE "COMPUTER" AND RUN APPROXIMATELY 450 MILES OK AND AGAIN THE SAME PROBLEM. WENT BACK AND THEY FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION AND RESET AGAIN "COMPUTER FAULTS", RUN AGAIN FOR 75 MILES AND SAME PROBLEM, AND SO ON.....*JB

  Sep 9, 2005 · 139,500 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING EJECTIONClosed

  ODI HAS FOCUSED THIS INVESTIGATION ON ASSESSING THE RISKS POSED BY A SEPARATED SPRING AS (1) A ROAD HAZARD AND (2) THE POTENTIAL FOR VEHICLE CONTROL TO BE COMPROMISED AFTER THE FRONT COIL SPRING HAS BEEN EJECTED FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IN THE VEHICLE.BOTH RISKS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CORROSION, FLEXING, AND FRACTURE OF THE UPPER FRONT SUSPENSION MOUNTING BRACKET.TIME-IN-SERVICE FAILURE RATES ARE NOTABLY HIGHER IN SALT BELT STATES SINCE CORROSION IS A PRIMARY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE FAILURE MODE.SINCE A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED, ODI IS SKEPTICAL THAT OWNERS CAN ALWAYS DETECT THE SUBTLE SIDE TO SIDE DIFFERENCE IN RIDE HEIGHT AND/OR INSPECT OR NOTICE THAT THE UPPER SUSPENSION BRACKET HAS BEEN COMPROMISED BY CORROSION.(1) ROAD HAZARD - ALTHOUGH THE (APPROX. 7 LB.) FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING THAT MAY BE EJECTED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD POSE A SERIOUS ROAD…

  PE07021 · opened Apr 19, 2007 · closed Aug 9, 2007
• ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILUREClosed

  THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE…

  PE03058 · opened Dec 17, 2003 · closed Apr 22, 2004