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Mercedes Benz 211 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

25 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

96,292 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 to 2005 model years. Data snapshot: . 19 complaints include usable failure mileage.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 25 complaints (36.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1144.0%
Fuel system concerns832.0%
Electrical and battery issues28.0%
Engine operation14.0%
Steering behavior14.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Service Brakes
9
Fuel System, Gasoline
7
Fuel/Propulsion System
5
Electrical System
1
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
1
Engine
1
Exterior Lighting
1
Fuel System, Diesel
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Service Brakes9
Fuel System, Gasoline7
Fuel/Propulsion System5
Electrical System1
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1
Engine1
Exterior Lighting1
Fuel System, Diesel1

Service Brakes: 9; Fuel System, Gasoline: 7; Fuel/Propulsion System: 5; Electrical System: 1; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1; Engine: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1; Fuel System, Diesel: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
2
50,000 to 74,999
3
75,000 to 99,999
5
100,000 to 149,999
6
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9992
50,000 to 74,9993
75,000 to 99,9995
100,000 to 149,9996
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 3

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 6 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2012
4
2013
5
2014
7
2015
3
2016
1
2017
3
2018
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20124
20135
20147
20153
20161
20173
20182

2012: 4; 2013: 5; 2014: 7; 2015: 3; 2016: 1; 2017: 3; 2018: 2

Pattern summary

Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 8 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10456977 · 2012-05-01 (May 1, 2012)

I HAVE A 2003 E500 MERCEDES BENZ. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE SBC PUMP WOULD SMOKE FROM THE HOOD. ON APRIL 18, 2012 WAS THE FIRST NOTICE OF PUMP SMOKING. SHORTLY AFTERWARD THE PUMP WOULD CONTINUALLY CYCLE OR RUN. ON APRIL THE 27TH THE PUMP STARTED SMOKING AND WAS EXTREMELY HOT AND THE BRAKE VISIT WORKSHOP LIGHT APPEARED IMMEDIATELY. ON APRIL 30, 2012 I VISITED ATLANTA CLASSIC CARS MERCEDES ON BOGGS ROAD IN DULUTH, GEORGIA. AFTER A 4 HOUR WAIT, THE SERVICE ADVISOR KIM CATES, TOLD ME THAT THE SBC PUMP RESERVOIR WAS DEFECTIVE. …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10456977 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10459610 · 2012-05-25 (May 25, 2012)

DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM OF RESERVOIR, WHICH IS PART OF THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE SYSTEM (SBC). THERE WAS A SYSTEM RECALL #2004 050014, FOR THE SBC. DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT TO REPAIR, WHICH IS A KNOW FACT FOR MANY OWNERS TO HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. DUE TO THE VAST AMOUNT OF OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE, REGARDING THE RESERVOIR AND SBC UNIT, THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT UP TO MERCEDES BENZ USA. MERCEDES BENZ DEALERS REFUSE TO REPLACE RESERVOIR, BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT TO BE A DIFFERENT ITEM. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TWO I…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10459610 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10486146 · 2012-11-27 (November 27, 2012)

I HAVE REALIZED FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW THAT MY CAR HAD INSIDE GAS FUMES AND I WAS LOOSING GAS, AS WELL AS MY GAS FUEL INDICATOR BEING OFF, BUT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY, UNTIL RECENTLY. MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT WHEN I FILL MY GAS TANK, IT LEAKS. I RECENTLY HAD A MECHANIC DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AS LEAK IN THE GAS TANK AS WELL AS LEAKY/BAD SEALS AND THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND FUEL SENDER NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE RECOMMENDED WORK IS VERY EXPENSIVE, WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD. I INQUIRED AT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AND WAS T…

Owner-reported narrative. 84,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10486146 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10558501 · 2014-01-04 (January 4, 2014)

MY 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E55 (W211) HAS DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK AT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT/PUMP. THE UNIT CRACKS AND ALLOWS FUEL TO LEAD INTO THE CABIN, UNDER THE REAR SEATS, WHERE THE FUEL SENDING UNIT/PUMP IS LOCATED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, WHO SAID THIS WAS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THIS MODEL MERCEDES BENZ, BUT THAT THE FACTORY HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN OPENED FOR THIS ISSUE AT NHTSA AND I WAS HOPING TO GET HELP IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FIXE…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10558501 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10532585 · 2013-07-30 (July 30, 2013)

THERE ARE WIRING DEFECTIVE FOR 2003 MB E320 AND MAY BE OTHER YEARS AND MODELS, THAT USE SINGLE BOARD FOR TAIL LIGHTS (BRAKE, NIGHT LIGHT, SIGNAL, REVERSE AS ONE BOARD). IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH REPLACE THE BOARD ($65/BOARD OR $130 FOR TWO PLUS $125 LABOR), IT WILL GO OUT LESS THAN ONE DAY USE. IT IS DANGERS THAT STOP LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING, AND WILL EVENTUALLY INJURY OR FATALITY WILL OCCUR. MERCEDES BENZ WAS NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE IS NO INDICATION FROM THEM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS WIRING HARNESSES AND WIRES FOR TAIL …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10532585 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11128317 · 2018-09-09 (September 9, 2018)

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF RANDOMLY AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE FREEWAY AND I WILL LOSE STEERING AND MY BRAKING ABILITIES. THE SBC PUMP ALREADY HAD BEEN REPLACED AND MERCEDES HAS NOT MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO REIMBURSE ME, MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE WIRING HARNESS WILL CRUMBLE IN YOUR HAND INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE TRUNK HAD PINCHED WIRES SHORTING OUT AND CAUGHT FIRE LUCKILY I HAD BEEN IN THE GARAGE AT THAT TIME TO WITNESS AND PUT IT OUT. THE CAR WILL START UP AND DRIVE AND STALL OUT RANDOMLY NOW AT ANY SPEEDS OR EVEN BEING STOPPED.

Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11128317 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2003
0
2004
0
2005
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20030
20040
20050

2003: 0; 2004: 0; 2005: 0

Year-by-year records

Mercedes Benz 211 model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
200390Not available
2004300
20051300