2000 Mercedes-Benz E430 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.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

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

Recent owner complaints

• Air bags

  SPONTANEOUS AIRBAG EXPLOSION WHILE I AM ON THE FREEWAY ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE ONLY ON A SUNNY DAY WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC WITHOUT A VEHICULAR ACCIDENT AND A SMOOTH ROAD AND OCCURRED ON 10 OCTOBER 2018 AND I WAS TRAVELING ON THE SLOWER LANE ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR ON THE SANTA PAULA FREEWAY FROM VENTURA CA GOING EAST

  Oct 10, 2018 · 293,403 miles
• Air bags

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ E430. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURES LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V256000 (AIR BAGS), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

  Jan 5, 2016 · 120,000 miles
• Suspension

  MOUNTING FOR SUSPENSION SPRING FAILED, CAUSING THE SUSPENSION SPRING TO FALL OUT. I WAS GOING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, AND IT HAPPENED AT THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY. HAD I BEEN CRUISING ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. *TR

  Apr 3, 2015 · 190,000 miles
• Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel

  AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, ALL OF THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS WENT OUT. I COULD NO LONGER GET A READING ON THE SPEED I WAS DRIVING, THE GAS LEVEL, ETC. OR ANYTHING ELSE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WENT OUT. I WAS LUCKY THAT THIS HAPPENED DURING THE DAY AS THERE WAS STILL DAYLIGHT. HAD IT HAPPENED AT NIGHT, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM AS I WAS MORE THAN 45 MINUTES FROM HOME. I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A RECALL OF CERTAIN 2000 S430 VEHICLES DUE TO THIS "CLUSTER LIGHT "MALFUNCTION." I CHECKED MY VIN AND APPARENTLY MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, THOUGH I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY. *TR

  Oct 2, 2014 · 63,430 miles
• Suspension

  MOUNTING FOR SUSPENSION SPRING FAILED, CAUSING THE SUSPENSION SPRING TO FALL OUT. I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE, AND IT HAPPENED AT THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY. HAD I BEEN CRUISING ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. *TR

  Aug 4, 2014 · 105,000 miles
• Power train

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES E430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INSTEAD. THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR SEVERAL TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

  Feb 10, 2007 · 60,000 miles
• Power train › Automatic transmission

  2000 E430 SPORT. NO NEED TO PRESS THE BRAKE TO MOVE THE SHIFT GEAR OR TO REMOVE THE KEY WHILE THE CAR IS OFF. THE SHIFT FEAR MOVES FREELY FROM PARK TO DRIVE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OFF. *TR

  Oct 12, 2000 · 111,343 miles
• Air bags › Side/window

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ E430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS INDEPENDENTLY DEPLOYED AS HE STARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE AT HIS EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,000.

  Aug 24, 2010 · 202,000 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

• 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