U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Mercedes Benz E CLASS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

45 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

9,718 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 34 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 45 complaints (15.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	15	33.3%
Fuel system concerns	6	13.3%
Transmission and shifting	3	6.7%
Engine operation	3	6.7%
Electrical and battery issues	3	6.7%
Steering behavior	2	4.4%

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.

Electrical System

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Fuel System, Gasoline

Fuel/Propulsion System

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Air Bags

Equipment

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System	7
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	6
Fuel System, Gasoline	5
Fuel/Propulsion System	5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	4
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	3
Air Bags	2
Equipment	2

Electrical System: 7; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline: 5; Fuel/Propulsion System: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Air Bags: 2; Equipment: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (22). 11 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.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2002: 1; 2003: 9; 2004: 17; 2005: 3; 2006: 2; 2007: 1; 2010: 1; 2011: 3; 2012: 3; 2013: 4; 2014: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 6 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 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 10000362 · 2002-12-26 (December 26, 2002)

THE 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320 HAS A FAULTY GATEWAY MODULE AND SOFTWARE. THIS MODULE HAS RESULTED IN PROBLEMS BEING REPORTED IN MY CAR THAT THE BRAKES, SELF RESTRAINT SYSTEM, TELEPHONE SYSTEM, AND TIRE PRESSURE HAVE FAILED. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING IF THE THE SAFTY SYSTEMS ARE OPERATIONAL OR NOT. AT THIS POINT I AM DRIVING A CAR THAT SAYS MY SRS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. I HAVE BEEN IN THE MERCEDES SHOP NO LESS THAN 4 TIMES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. IT SIMPLY RE-OCCURS AFTER EACH REPAIR. FROM RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THIS APPEARS TO BE…

Owner-reported narrative. 2 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000362 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10017030 · 2003-05-05 (May 5, 2003)

DEFECTIVE BRAKES. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,440 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017030 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10433494 · 2011-10-28 (October 28, 2011)

THE CAR HAS A VERY STRONG GASOLINE ODOR WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL. THE GASOLINE ODOR PERMEATES THE CABIN AND, WHEN PARKED IN AN ENCLOSED GARAGE, CAUSES A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF GAS FUMES THAT OVERWHELMS A THREE CAR GARAGE AS WELL AS THE 1000 SQUARE FEET LOCATED ABOVE THE GARAGE (EVEN WITH ALL ADJOINING DOORS CLOSED). SHOULD THE GASOLINE CONCENTRATION REACH THE PROPER LEVEL, IT MAY CREATE A FIRE OR EXPLOSION HAZARD. ONCE THE TANK IS 1/8 EMPTY, THE FUEL ODOR GOES AWAY AND DOES NOT RETURN UNTIL THE GAS TANK IS ONCE AGAIN FULL. HAD AUTO CHECKED …

Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10433494 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10433530 · 2011-10-29 (October 29, 2011)

VERY STRONG GAS FUMES WHEN GAS TANK IS FULL. FUMES COMPLETELY PERMEATE MY TWO CAR GARAGE AND ALSO ENTER PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE FUMES DISAPPEAR WHEN TANK LEVEL REACHES 7/8 FULL. THERE ARE SEVERAL POSTINGS ON DIFFERENT WEBSITES ON THE WEB REGARDING STRONG GAS ODOR WHEN THE TANK IS FULL ON E MODEL MERCEDES YEARS 2003 TO 2006. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH POTENTIAL FOR EXPLOSIVELY AND/OR FIRE. I CONTACTED MERCEDES REQUESTING THE ISSUANCE OF A SERVICE RECALLED BASED ON THE APPARENT HIGH INCIDENCE. THE COMPANY DOES NOT SEEM INTERESTED IN TA…

Owner-reported narrative. 107,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10433530 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10047007 · 2003-12-02 (December 2, 2003)

I OWN A 2003 E-CLASS MERCEDES BENZ PURCHASED THIS YEAR FROM RALLEY MOTORS, ROSLYN, NEW YORK. SINCE I TOOK THE TITLE TO THE VEHICLE, THERE HAS BEEN UNCONTROLLED MILD ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS, THE CAR BUCKS AND SHAKES UPON DE-ACCELERATION RESULTING IN MY HAVING LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CONSEQUENTLY REQUIRING MY JAMMING ABRUPTLY ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS. IN ADDITION, THE CAR HAD SIGNIFICANTLY STEERED TO THE RIGHT AT ALL TIMES, REQUIRING MY CONSTANTLY HAVING TO STEER TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO DRIVE ST…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047007 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10083022 · 2004-07-30 (July 30, 2004)

1- VEHICLE (2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E55) WAS TRAVELING AT 65-70 MPH ON GARDEN STATE PARKWAY (NJ). I WAS APPROACHING EXIT 109 WHEN A CAR ENTERING FROM THE RIGHT DECIDED TO CROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC, CUTTING ME OFF. *AK 10086185 2- WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS QUICKLY, THE DASH LIT UP RED, A WARNING BEEP CAME ON AND A MALFUNCTION MESSAGE TOLD ME "BRAKE MALFUNCTION-STOP VEHICLE" (A BIT IRONIC, HUH?). THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOFT TO THE FLOOR. I DOWNSHIFTED TWO GEARS AND TRIED PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT FINALLY HAD TO STOP THE CAR BY DOWNSHI…

Owner-reported narrative. 14,180 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083022 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10060856 · 2004-03-09 (March 9, 2004)

VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD AND SLOWS UNEXPECTEDLY. UPON ACCELERATION WILL JERK BACK AND FORTH AS IT IS ABOUT TO STALL.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,487 miles reported. Look up ODI 10060856 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10036734 · 2003-08-27 (August 27, 2003)

MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS AND SL CLASS 2003 2004 MODELS WITH ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS ARE EXPERIENCING BRAKE FAILURES, SOMETIMES WITHIN 1000 MILES OF PURCHASE. ELECTRICAL FAILURES CAN LEAVE THE VEHICLE WITH NO REAR BRAKES AND LIMITED USE OF THE FRONT BRAKES! SOME OF THE BRAKE LINES ARE RUBBER AND ATTACHED WITH HOSE CLAMPS! I HAVE WORKED ON CARS FOR FIFTEEN YEARS AND HAD NOT SEEN A BRAKE FAILURE, BUT HAVE NOW SEEN THREE IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS. WHEN THESE VEHICLES AGE, COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURES MAY BE POSSIBLE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10036734 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10039260 · 2003-09-21 (September 21, 2003)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS MALFUNCTIONS. SERVICE DEPT ADVISED ME THAT MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THE ISSUES (PLURAL) BUT THEY HAVE YET TO REACH A 'FIX'. I HAVE HAD MY E500 FOR 7 MONTHS. I AM SUSPECTING THAT THE FIX MAY BE IMPRACTICAL AS WAS THE CASE WITH THE NAVIGATION SOFTWARE THAT COULD NOT BE INTEGRATED - FORCING MERCEDES TO BUY BACK THEIR CARS. I BELIEVE WE ARE ALL GETTING FALSE PROMISES FROM MERCEDES-BENZ ON ANY PROPOSED FIXES WITH THE ELECTRICAL BUGS TOO. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 17 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039260 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10071611 · 2004-05-17 (May 17, 2004)

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE JERKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION NINE TIMES, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED LOST OF POWER STEERING DUE TO FLUID LEAKING INTO THE GROUND. DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING GEAR BOX. ALSO, SUNROOF DOESN'T CLOSE. DEALER REPLACED SLIDING ROOF ANGLE BRACKET. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071611 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10436746 · 2011-11-22 (November 22, 2011)

I STARTED THE CAR IN THE MORNING, AND IT GAVE ME A MALFUNCTION MESSAGE STATING THAT THE DISPLAY IS DEFECTIVE. THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAY DOESN'T READ THE PROPER LEVEL, THE BACKUP LIGHTS DO NOT WORK, THE SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS DO NOT OPERATE, THE WIPERS DO NOT WORK. THE FEATURES OF AUTO ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL TILT, THE MIRRORS, AND THE SEATS ARE NOT WORKING. CHECKED FOR RECALLS, FOUND A SIMILAR RECALL IN JULY OF 2008, BUT THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID MY VIN NUMBER WASN'T INCLUDED! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436746 at NHTSA ↗