2005 Mercedes Benz E500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
140 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
99,625 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 124 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 55 of 140 complaints (39.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 53 | 37.9% |
| Braking behavior | 40 | 28.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 6.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 4.3% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 2.9% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 55 |
| Service Brakes | 34 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 20 |
| Suspension | 9 |
| Engine | 8 |
| Electrical System | 6 |
| Air Bags | 5 |
| Power Train | 4 |
Fuel/Propulsion System: 55; Service Brakes: 34; Fuel System, Gasoline: 20; Suspension: 9; Engine: 8; Electrical System: 6; Air Bags: 5; Power Train: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 9 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 11 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 19 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 23 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 47 |
| 150,000 and above | 15 |
Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 19; 75,000 to 99,999: 23; 100,000 to 149,999: 47; 150,000 and above: 15
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (47). 16 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 |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 13 |
| 2013 | 24 |
| 2014 | 31 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
2004: 1; 2005: 3; 2006: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 3; 2011: 3; 2012: 13; 2013: 24; 2014: 31; 2015: 17; 2016: 8; 2017: 6; 2018: 11; 2019: 3; 2020: 3; 2021: 2; 2022: 4; 2023: 3; 2024: 1; 2025: 2
Pattern summary
Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 53 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 40 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 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 10398248 · 2011-04-29 (April 29, 2011)
2005 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS HAS FUEL TANK ISSUES. MANY OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE 2 TO 3 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE. FIRST THE FUEL CAP INDICATOR COMES ON, LATER TRIGGERING THE ENGINE LIGHT TO APPEAR AND UPON REPAIR ATTEMPTS EVERYTHING BUT THE FUEL TANK IS SUSPECTED. THE END RESULT AFTER ADJUSTING AND TWEAKING MANY OTHER PARTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUEL EVAP SYSTEM, REPLACING THE FUEL TANK RESOLVED THE ISSUE. THIS IS UNSAFE. A FEW OWNERS REPORTED A FILTER VALVE CONNECTED TO THE FUEL TANK UNDER THE BACK SEAT ACTUALLY GETTING HOT, VERY HOT WHILE…
Owner-reported narrative. 46,786 miles reported. Look up ODI 10398248 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10452616 · 2012-03-22 (March 22, 2012)
STRONG SMELL OF FUEL WHEN TANK IS HAS BEEN FILLED UP. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST PRESENT STANDING OUTSIDE THE CAR AT THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE. NOW I CAN SMELL IT INSIDE. THE DEALER TOLD ME I NEED A $1300 DOLLAR REPAIR. THEY WANT TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, THE FUEL PUMP AND THE SENDING UNIT. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF READING ABOUT THIS AND HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS AFFECTING A LOT OF E CLASS OWNERS FROM THE 2003-2009 PRODUCTIONS AND EVEN A COUPLE OF OTHER MERCEDES MODELS. ONE OF THE SERVICE ADVISERS TOLD ME THEY ARE REPLACING A LOT OF TANKS, P…
Owner-reported narrative. 86,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10452616 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10113529 · 2005-02-16 (February 16, 2005)
CONSUMER STATED 2005 E-500 MERCEDES-BENZ DID NOT STOP AND JUMPED OFF CURB AND CRASHED. *BF THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB AND CRASHED INTO A GLASS DOOR OF A DENTIST OFFICE AND SIDE SWIPED ANOTHER VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED IRREGULAR SPEED. THE CONSUMERS FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES THE ENTIRE TIME. MERCEDES FOUND NO PROBLEM. REFER TO ODI# 10115643. *SC
Owner-reported narrative. 1,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10113529 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134196 · 2005-09-29 (September 29, 2005)
DT: 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E500. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT RAN INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THE CONSUMER'S FOOT MUST HAVE BEEN ON THE ACCELERATOR, NOT THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE RAN NORMALLY PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM. NOTHING WAS REPLACED FOR THIS PROBLEM, JUST THE BODY PARTS. NO ONE INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT TAKEN. THIS WAS THE ONLY TIME THIS HAPPENED WITH THE VEHICLE.*AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134196 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10104507 · 2004-12-26 (December 26, 2004)
CONTROLS ON STEERING COLUMN PERIODICALLY DO NOT WORK. WHILE MOST OF THESE ARE CONVENIENCE ITEMS, THE HORN ALSO DID NOT WORK. HAPPENED 4 TIMES--12/16 DRIVING TO WORK; 12/'20 DRIVING TO AND FROM DULLES AIRPORT; 12/26 IN THE MORNING. EACH TIME THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 30 DEGREES F. DEALER SERVICED VEHICLE ON 12/22--SAID WIRING WAS REPAIRED BUT EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM AGAIN ON 12/26. RESTARTING CAR DOES NOT RESET THE CONTROLS. CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING WITHOUT AN OPERABLE HORN.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 2,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104507 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10331313 · 2010-05-20 (May 20, 2010)
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN AN ALERT THAT THE SRS SYSTEM HAD DETECTED A FAILURE AND LIT UP ON THE GAUGE CLUSTER. HAD A AN INDEPENDENT MERCEDES SHOP READ CODES WHICH WERE: FAILURE OF SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM ON A 2005 MERCEDES E500 WAGON. THE "SRS" LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A MERCEDES DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT SENDS AND RECEIVES DATA TO DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG 1 CAUSED A FAILURE IN WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE SQUIB FOR THE AFFECTED AIRBAG. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT IN THE E…
Owner-reported narrative. 77,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10331313 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10395727 · 2011-04-13 (April 13, 2011)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ E500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN; THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. HE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL GEAR IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE TO THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM HYDRAULIC UNIT. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V133000, SERVICE BRAKES H…
Owner-reported narrative. 68,056 miles reported. Look up ODI 10395727 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10450273 · 2012-03-05 (March 5, 2012)
AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT AN ENTRANCE TO A BUSY HIGHWAY, MY 2005 E500 JUST BARELY MOVED ONTO THE BUSY HIGHWAY, AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS "STUCK" IN ONE OF THE HIGHER GEARS. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, AND RESTARTED IT. AFTER RESTARTING, IT WORKED NORMALLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THEN. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. THIS IS SEEMS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC FROM A STOP, OR CROSSING A BUSY INTERSECTIO…
Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450273 at NHTSA ↗