Mercedes-Benz E550 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
183 owner complaints analyzed
12 distinct recall campaigns
68,972 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2010 to 2017 model years. Data snapshot: . 77 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 89 of 183 complaints (48.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 16 | 8.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 4.4% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 4.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 1.6% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 1.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.1% |
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 | 89 |
| Suspension | 50 |
| Electrical System | 11 |
| Service Brakes | 9 |
| Steering | 8 |
| Structure:Body | 8 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Engine | 5 |
Air Bags: 89; Suspension: 50; Electrical System: 11; Service Brakes: 9; Steering: 8; Structure:Body: 8; Unknown Or Other: 8; Engine: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 11 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 17 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 17 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 20 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 12 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 17; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 20; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 106 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 |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 43 |
| 2018 | 32 |
| 2019 | 35 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2010: 1; 2012: 3; 2014: 2; 2015: 9; 2016: 12; 2017: 43; 2018: 32; 2019: 35; 2020: 12; 2021: 6; 2022: 12; 2023: 7; 2024: 7; 2025: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 8 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 8 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 10367205 · 2010-11-22 (November 22, 2010)
2010 MERCEDES BENZ 350 E4MATIC ROLLED AWAY AFTER PARKED ON HILL , PARKING BRAKE SET, AND ENGINE OFF. THE VEHICLE SHIFT SELECTOR WILL NOT MOVE TO PARK UNLESS KEY IS OUT OF IGNITION OR SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN PARK. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10367205 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10459541 · 2012-05-24 (May 24, 2012)
WHILE DRIVING AROUND A SLIGHT CURVE, (BELOW POSTED SAFE SPEED LIMIT), THE FRONT BRAKES APPLIED JERKING THE CAR FIRST ONE DIRECTION AND THEN THE OTHER. THE DASH TRACTION CONTROL LITE CAME ON MOMENTARILY AS THE EVENT TOOK PLACE. THIS EVENT HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE WEAR AND CHAFFING ON THE OUTER TREAD OF EACH FRONT TIRE. MERCEDES TECHNICIANS RULED THE CAR WAS REACTING ACCORDING TO DESIGN AND THE CAUSE WAS WORN TIRES (EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES STILL HAD 5/32 INCH OF TREAD LEFT. THE TIRES ARE THE ORIGINA…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10459541 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11482579 · 2022-09-02 (September 2, 2022)
My car has this issue that when I am slowing down it will automatically shift to park and will not let me shift to drive until I turn the car off and on. When rolling to a stop, I've had a few instances where the car shifts to park and the car behind me almost hits me due to the car shifting on its own and not allowing me to proceed with the flow of traffic. This puts not only me, but the person behind me at risk. I took the car to a mechanic and he stated that there was no recall for this issue but that I should contact you (NHTSA). The mechan…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11482579 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10648992 · 2014-10-21 (October 21, 2014)
BEGINNING SOMETIME IN MAY 2013, THE CAR BEGAN LEAKING FUMES INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN WHICH MADE ME VERY ILL. AFTER TAKING IT TO BOTH PARK PLACE MERCEDES HERE IN DALLAS, AND THEN MERCEDES BENZ OF PLANO, NEITHER SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MATTER WITH PARK PLACE, I TOOK IT TO MERCEDES BENZ OF PLANO IN NOVEMBER 2013. THEY EVALUATED THE CAR, CHANGED THE BATTERY, AND GAVE THE CAR BACK TO ME IN DECEMBER OF 2013 FOR A WEEKEND, CLAIMING IT WAS FIXED. THE CAR,…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10648992 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10677002 · 2015-01-21 (January 21, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ E550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10677002 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11089991 · 2018-04-24 (April 24, 2018)
MY CAR WAS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD AND NEEDED THE AIRBAGS REPLACE I CAN BE DRIVING MY CAR IN MY AIR BAGS TO GIVE OUT THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS I WAS AT LEAST GOING 75 MILES PER HOUR SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. AND THERE'S A RECALL FOR THE STEERING WHEEL OF THIS VEHICLE
Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11089991 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11443261 · 2021-12-09 (December 9, 2021)
Transmission cooler which i manufactured inside the radiator failed causing transmission fluid to mix with anti-freeze/coolant, now the transmission slips and per recommendation from a mercedes dealership the vehicle needs a new transmission, torque converter, radiator, radiator cap, new upper and lower radiator hoses, new upper and lower radiator overflow hoses, new thermostat and the entire cooling system to be flushed and the transmission lines to be flushed, estimated at $11,200 for the repair
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11443261 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11362961 · 2020-10-06 (October 6, 2020)
AT 80MPH, THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT U-JOINT FAILED, WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF POWER AND A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND. VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE ON ITS OWN POWER. TEARDOWN SHOWED A COMPLETELY DESTROYED FRONT DRIVESHAFT U-JOINT, DAMAGE TO HEAT SHIELDING, DAMAGE TO OXYGEN SENSORS, DAMAGE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, ALONG WITH SUPERFICIAL DAMAGE TO THE BELLHOUSING AND MISSING BRACKETS. FAILURE IS SUSPECTED TO THE GEOMETRY OF THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT, WHICH CONNECTS AT AN ANGLE FROM THE TRANSFER CASE TO THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ON 4MATIC-EQUIPPED VEHICLES. THIS INTROD…
Owner-reported narrative. 134,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11362961 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10620788 · 2014-08-07 (August 7, 2014)
STARTED IGNITION, IDLE FOR ABOUT 3 MINS WARMING UP THE ENGINE. PREPED TO LEAVE TO CURRENT DESIGNATION. REVERSE, PULLING OUT TO THE RIGHT I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT, CAR SHUTS OFF, ALL LIGHTS APPEAR ON THE DASH. TURN OFF AND RESTARTED. AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE IN REVERSE REPEATING THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT... CAR STALLS AGAIN.... I FINALLY MAKE IT HOME BECAUSE I WAS NOT SURE IF THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. I PARKED, TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT MADE A WEIRD IDLE NOISE MAYBE 4X LOUDER THEN STANDARD BUT DEEPER. AND BOOM STALL…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,260 miles reported. Look up ODI 10620788 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11500100 · 2023-01-04 (January 4, 2023)
The vehicle felt like it was all over the road at highway speeds. Took it to a mechanic and the rear subframe had become weakened with premature rust. The mounting point for one of the rear suspension arms had broken off of the subframe and was making contact with my gas tank. I called the dealer to see if there were any recalls. No recalls for this issue however there are a few reports on this website. I have also been on forums for my vehicle and it is a VERY common problem on these vehicles. From what i gather this is a widespread iss…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11500100 at NHTSA ↗
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 5 |
2010: 3; 2011: 3; 2012: 4; 2013: 5; 2014: 4; 2015: 3; 2016: 3; 2017: 5