2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
216 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 69 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 83 of 216 complaints (38.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 28 | 13.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 18 | 8.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 7.4% |
| Steering behavior | 10 | 4.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 3.2% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 2.3% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 83 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 27 |
| Engine | 20 |
| Service Brakes | 19 |
| Unknown Or Other | 17 |
| Electrical System | 16 |
| Suspension | 13 |
| Power Train | 9 |
Air Bags: 83; Fuel/Propulsion System: 27; Engine: 20; Service Brakes: 19; Unknown Or Other: 17; Electrical System: 16; Suspension: 13; Power Train: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 13 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 20 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 9 |
Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 20; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 9
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 147 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 38 |
| 2018 | 19 |
| 2019 | 36 |
| 2020 | 16 |
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 21 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2025 | 16 |
| 2026 | 7 |
2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 3; 2014: 5; 2015: 4; 2016: 4; 2017: 38; 2018: 19; 2019: 36; 2020: 16; 2021: 16; 2022: 21; 2023: 10; 2024: 18; 2025: 16; 2026: 7
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 18 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 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 10541747 · 2013-09-04 (September 4, 2013)
VEHICLE STOPS ACCELERATING WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES. AT ALL OTHER TIMES, VEHICLE DRIVES NORMALLY. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER VEHICLE BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO SLOW DOWN. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND IT SEEMS THAT THE CAR IS NOT DOWN SHIFTING OR THE AUTO CLUTCH IS NOT ENGAGING TO ALLOW DOWN SHIFT WHILE ACCELERATING. IT DRIVES LIKE IT'S IN 4TH GEAR WHEN IT SHOULD BE IN 1ST OR 2ND GEAR IF IT WERE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A GRINDING SOUND AS IF THE CLUTCH WAS NOT PUSHED IN FULLY WHILE SHIFTI…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,040 miles reported. Look up ODI 10541747 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11340752 · 2020-07-21 (July 21, 2020)
CAR AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTS TO PARK WHEN GOING BELOW 10MPH OR WHEN BRAKING
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11340752 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11208918 · 2019-05-21 (May 21, 2019)
SMELLED GAS FUMES AROUND SIDES OF VEHICLE. REPAIR FACILITY FOUND FUEL LEAK AROUND THE FUEL FILTER WITH SUBSEQUENT REPAIR.
Owner-reported narrative. 57,437 miles reported. Look up ODI 11208918 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11298586 · 2020-01-11 (January 11, 2020)
FUEL PUMP HOUSING (UNDER REAR SEAT,DRIVERS SIDE) CRACKED AND LEAKING FUEL. CAR FILLS WITH STRONG FUEL VAPORS WITH RAW FUEL COLLECTING ON TOP OF FUEL PUMP HOUSING. THIS WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING, PULLED REAR SEAT CUSION TO DISCOVER RAW FUEL INSIDE CAR.
Owner-reported narrative. 74,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11298586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11079349 · 2018-03-23 (March 23, 2018)
2012 MERCEDES BENZ E350. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ELECTRIC WIRING IN SEATS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE STITCHING ON FRONT SEAT WAS DISINTEGRATED AND THE SEAT WAS COMING APART. THE DEALER OFFERED TO REPLACE THE SEATS ON A GOODWILL BASIS, BUT THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE LABOR COST. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS WAS UNREASONABLE. *JS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11079349 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11152075 · 2018-11-16 (November 16, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF SAN JOSE (3000 E CAPITOL EXPRESSWAY, SAN JOSE, CA 95148, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUSE BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 81,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11152075 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10458487 · 2012-05-14 (May 14, 2012)
I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT CRANK. I CALLED MERCEDES SERVICE AND THEY SENT SERVICE TO JUMPSTART THE CAR. THE CAR FINALLY STARTED. AS I BEGAN TO DRIVE, A WARNING LIGHT STATING "POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION - CHECK OWNERS MANUAL" CAME ON. WITH CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULT, I AVOIDED THE CURB IN THE PARKING LOT AND MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO A PARKING SPACE. THE "POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION" INDICATOR WOULD NOT COME OFF EVEN AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN. THE CAR BECAME UNDRIVABLE. *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10458487 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10690941 · 2015-02-26 (February 26, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10690941 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10790237 · 2015-11-13 (November 13, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING BELOW 10 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SUDDENLY MALFUNCTION AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY STOP. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10790237 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11413931 · 2021-04-26 (April 26, 2021)
MY 2012 MERCEDES E350 HAS OIL CONTAMINATION OF THE WIRING HARNESS. THE OIL HAS ALSO DAMAGED OTHER COMPONENTS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT INCLUDING OXYGEN SENSORS; PROBES AND ECU(COMPUTER) THIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE DAMAGE. MERCEDES-BENZ HAD HAD RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN THE PAST BUT THE RECALL DID NOT EXTEND TO THE 2012 MODEL YEAR. THEY NEED TO DO ANOTHER RECALL FOR THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD, AS THE CAR COULD STALL IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING
Owner-reported narrative. 101,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11413931 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11439339 · 2021-11-04 (November 4, 2021)
Cam adjustment solenoids leak oil into the engine wiring harness causing component failures, rough running and stalling. This problem was diagnosed and replaced by the dealer at 48k miles and has returned at 116k miles. There is a recall for models prior to 2012 and this car has the same problem. Eventually the engine will quit running at any given moment posing a dangerous situation.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11439339 at NHTSA ↗