Model year record
1998 Mercedes-Benz E430 recalls & problems
The 1998 Mercedes-Benz E430 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 8 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (3 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E430.
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
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system12v/24v/48v battery | 3 | — |
| Engine and engine coolingEngine › Gasoline | 3 | — |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 110,000 mi |
| Engine | 2 | — |
| Seat belts | 1 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components › Disc | 1 | — |
| Air bagsFrontal | 1 | — |
| StructureBody | 1 | — |
| SuspensionFront › Springs › Coil springs | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
The contact owns a 1998 Mercedes-Benz E430. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the passengerâs side front coil spring collapsed. The contact referenced NHTSA Action Number: PE07021. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed due to a possible safety risk. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was 170,000.
- Electrical system
STALLING, ABRUPT ENGINE FAILURE, FAIL TO OR DELAYED START: FREQUENCY - 6 TIMES PER YEAR, NO WARNING. 1/YR - FAIL TO START AND DELAYED STARTING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES; 5/YR ENGINE STOPPED/ STALLED WHILE OPERATING AT SPEEDS FROM 35 TO 65 MPH. 1. DURING THE DELAYED STARTED THERE WAS NO ENGINE NOISE, I.E. NO GENERATOR/TURNOVER OCCURRED, EVEN DASH LIGHTS FAILED TO LIGHT; THEN STARTED - NO ERROR MESSAGE NOR CHECK ENGINE APPEARED. 2. DURING THE STALLS AT SPEED IN GEAR, THE ENGINE DIED WITH NO WARNING AND EVENTUALLY STARTED AGAIN WITH REPEATED KEY-TURNS. MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF ENGINE FAILURE SINCE 2008. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY SIGN OF A PROBLEM, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS: WHILE…
- Engine
4.11.15//1233HRS (MT) -- 1998 MERCEDES BENZ E430 STALLING, ENGINE FAILURE PROBLEM: MULTIPLE INCIDENTS (MORE THAN 15 IN 7 YEARS) OF ENGINE FAILURE SINCE 2008. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY SIGN OF A PROBLEM, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS: WHILE STARTING - NO RESPONSE , WHILE STOPPED, DRIVING AT SURFACE STREET AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS AND EVEN BACKING UP. HAVE REPLACED/REPAIRED OR INSPECTED PLUGS&WIRES, WIRING HARNESS, K40 RELAY, FUSES, BATTERY, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, EGR VALVE, FUEL FILTER, ECU CHIP, FUEL PUMP/RELAY/LINES, VACUUM LINES, AIR FILTER, TENSIONER, HARMONIC BALANCER, VIBRATION DAMPER, IGNITION CONTROL UNIT, SOLENOID, TEST OF COIL…
- Electrical system
THE VEHICLE HAS EXHIBITED SYMPTOMS FOR 15 MONTHS RESULTING IN $2,000 IN ATTEMPTED REPAIRS: REPLACED IGNITION AND KEY, K MODULE, AND AIR REGULATOR. ANY AND ALL THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS MAY AND DO OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING: ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON, BAS ASR, BAS, EMERGENCY BREAK LIGHT, DEFECTIVE DISPLAY LIGHT, DEFECTIVE BULB, ALL WARNING LIGHTS GO ON AT ONCE. ALL THE LIGHTS WILL CLEAR WHEN RESTARTING THE CAR, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL TURN OFF IN A DAY OR TWO. MECHANICALLY THE FUEL GAUGE AND RPM GAUGE WILL SWING WILDLY WHILE THE SPEEDOMETER SWINGS OR DROPS TO ZERO WHILE IN OPERATION (HAZARD 1), TYPICALLY THE SMELL OF BURNING WIRE (HAZARD 2), THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO GO FROM A STOPPED POSITION PAST THE…
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › GasolineCrash
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE 1998 MERCEDES E430 AT 65 MPH ON A TWO LANE FRONTAGE ROAD ALONG I-4 IN LAKELAND FLORIDA ON AUGUST 7, 2005. THE ROAD HAD CURVES AND STOP SIGNS. WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND ANTI-LOCK POWER BRAKES. MY WIFE RAN THROUGH A STOP SIGN AND INTO A FIELD BEFORE REGAINING CONTROL, ALTHOUGH LIMITED, OF THE VEHICLE. THE HARMONIC DAMPER HAD DISINTEGRATED TAKING OUT THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE CAUSED AN IMMEDIATE SEIZING OF THE ENGINE AS THE DAMPER PARTS WEDGED BETWEEN THE REMAINING PART OF THE DAMPER AND THE ENGINE OIL PAN. MY WIFE WAS STARTLED BY THE NOISE, THEN THE QUIET AND THE LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING AND THE…
- Unknown or otherCrash1 injury
YESTERDAY I GOT REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED BECAUSE MY ENGINE STALLED WHILE I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS RELATED TO A KNOWN MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES BENZ. FAILURE OF THE CPS (CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR) OR ALSO KNOWN AS THE REFERENCE SENSOR. I CHECKED SEVERAL MB FORUMS AND THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE, IT HAS HAPPENED TO MANY PEOPLE ALREADY. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MB VEHICLES FOR OVER 15 YEARS, AND I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT MB HAS NOT DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. I AM DRIVING A '98 E430. THANKS. *JB
- Unknown or other
OUR PHONE/RADIO IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. MERCEDES SAYS THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT (THEY NO LONGER STOCK THE PART). I THOUGHT THAT MANUFACTURERS HAD TO STOCK REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR SO MANY YEARS. OUR CAR IS A 1998 MODEL. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE MY WIFE CAN NO LONGER GET A HOLD OF ANYONE BY THE PHONE IN CASE ON AN EMERGENCY. *NLM
- Seat beltsCrash1 injury
WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMERS VEHICLE ON DRIVERS SIDE. SEATBELT DID NOT RESTRAIN CONSUMER PROPERLY AS HE WAS TOSSED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. *AK CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. ACID DAMAGE FROM BATTERY DUE TO MISSING VENT HOSE. BRAKES SQUEAKED, DEALER REPLACED FRONT PADS AND ROTORS. GLOVE COMPARTMENT BROKE. *SLC
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…
- 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…