2016 Mercedes-Benz E350: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE COLLISION ASSIST INOPERATIVE WARNING INDICATOR DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DOWN SHIFT. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED AND THE SOFTWARE WAS RESET. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF T…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10816678 at NHTSA ↗

WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT WORK FASTER ENOUGH AT HIGH SPEED TO ALLOW AUTO TO OPERATE SAFELY AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEEDS IN RAINSTORM

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10819052 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING SYSTEM SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. DURING THE CRASH, THE MESSAGE "MALFUNCTION" DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO BOTH HANDS DURING THE CRASH, BUT MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE M…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10820475 at NHTSA ↗

THE CAR UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATES WHEN STARTING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE ENGINE REVS UP THEN THE CAR LURCHES. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TRYING TO PROCEED FORWARD AND BACKWARD. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE BUT NO ISSUES WERE FOUND AND THE CAR RETURNED AS WAS.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10823038 at NHTSA ↗

MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING AT 65 MILES PER HOUR IN THE HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANE OF THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO ACCELERATE ANY LONGER AND SHE BECAME DISABLED INSTANTLY CAUSING AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR HER. OBVIOUSLY SHE HAD TO ATTEMPT TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY, OR AT LEAST ONTO THE SHOULDER. HOWEVER SHE HAD TO CROSS FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC WHILE GOING TWENTY MILER PER HOUR.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10914397 at NHTSA ↗

CAR SHOWN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM OF NOT ACCELERATING WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED. IT WILL GIVE MANY JERKY MOVEMENTS BUT THEN AFTER FEW MINUTES DRIVING LIKE THIS IT WILL NORMALIZE. I TOOK IT TWICE TO DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY OR REPLICATE PROBLEMS. THEN MY WIFE TAKING KIDS TO SCHOOL HAS SIMILAR PROBLEM SO I GOT SCARED FOR SAFETY OF KIDS AND WROTE TO THEIR HEAD QUARTER. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO DEALER AND LEAVE IT FOR 5-6 DAYS SO THEY CAN TRY TO FIND THE PROBLEM. AFTER FEW DAYS THEY GAVE ME "GREAT NEWS" THAT THEY CONFIRM THE PR…

Owner-reported narrative. 40 miles reported. Look up ODI 10937370 at NHTSA ↗

MY VEHICLE WAS MOVING THRU INTERSECTION WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT. I HIT THE BRAKES, BUT STILL CRASHED INTO SIDE OF OTHER VEHICLE AT 20-25 MPH. MY VEHICLE HAD FRONT END DAMAGE AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT IT DID NOT HOLD ME TO THE SEAT. I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST AND HAD TO GO TO HOSPITAL FOR X-RAYS. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER SAID I WAS NOT GOING FAST ENOUGH TO DEPLOY AIR BAG. THAT IS NOT TRUE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 5,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10947642 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE 722.9 7G-TRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES GET STUCK IN 1ST GEAR. THE ENGINE SPEED ALMOST INSTANTANEOUSLY EXCEEDS 5000 RPM. THE CAR MUST BE IMMEDIATELY DRIVEN OFF THE ROAD, THE ENGINE TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. THE TRANSMISSION WILL THEN SHIFT PROPERLY UNTIL THE NEXT TIME IT FAILS WHICH COULD BE AT ALMOST ANY TIME. THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT WHICH MERCEDES BENZ HAS KNOWN ABOUT FOR YEARS. ONLY MERCEDES BENZ WILL REPAIR THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY WILL NOT ALLOW 3RD PARTIES ACCESS TO THE REPAIR PA…

Owner-reported narrative. 138,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10954937 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2015-08-11 (August 11, 2015)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016 Mercedes Benz E350, E400, E400 4Matic, E63 4M S AMG, E350 4Matic, E63-4M S AMG, 2015 CLS400, CLS400 4Matic, CLS550, CLS63-4M "P" AMG, and CLS550 4Matic vehicles manufactured April 16, 2015, to April 22, 2015. The integral steel cable that secures the rubber seal to the bulkhead might have been damaged due to the supplier rework of the rubber seal. In the event the rubber seal is not properly secured around the engine compartment, it is possible for the rubber seal to temporarily stick to the hood when it is opened and then may fall into the engine bay when the hood is closed.

Consequence: If the rubber seal falls into the engine compartment, it may contact parts of the engine or exhaust system, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rubber seal, in the engine compartment, free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2015. MBUSA's number is 2015080001. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-201-573-5339.

Reported: 2016-12-14 (December 14, 2016)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 SL550, 2013-2014 SL63 AMG, 2014-2016 E350, 2014 E350 Cabriolet, E350 Coupe, 2014-2015 S550, 2015 E350 Bluetec, 2015-2016 E400, 2016 E550 Coupe, and Maybach S600 vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to August 14, 2015. The affected vehicles use an electric power steering system that may have improperly soldered contacts inside the control unit, potentially resulting in the power steering system deactivating while driving.

Consequence: If the control unit pins lose connection, there would be a loss of electric power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash. The increase in pin contact resistance can also increase the risk of a fire, even while the vehicle is parked and ignition is off.

Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric power steering control unit, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2017-03-14 (March 14, 2017)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550 vehicles, 2012 CLS550 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2016 E350 vehicles, 2016-2017 GL450 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2014 ML350 4Matic BlueTec vehicles, 2015 S550, S550 4Matic and C300 4Matic Sedan vehicles, 2015-2016 C300 Sedan vehicles, and 2017 SL63 AMG vehicles. Various control units on these vehicles may have been updated with incorrect software, potentially affecting the correct deployment of the air bags in the event of a crash.

Consequence: If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update software in the affected control units, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2017-10-06 (October 6, 2017)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling these vehicles: 2014-2018 CLA250, CLA250 4Matic, CLA45 AMG 4Matic, 2015-2018 GLA250, GLA250 4Matic, GLA45 AMG 4Matic, C300 4Matic, C63S AMG, 2012-2014 C250, C350, C300 4Matic, E550 4Matic, 2013-2014 C63 AMG, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2013-2015 C350 4Matic Coupe, GLK250 4Matic BlueTec, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, 2016-2017 C350e, C43 AMG, 2015 C400 4Matic, 2016-2018 C63 AMG, GLC300, GLC300 4Matic, 2017-2018 C300 Coupe, C300 4Matic Coupe, C43 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG Coupe, C300 Cabriolet, C300 4Matic Cabriolet, C43 AMG Cabriolet, C63 AMG Cabriolet, C63S AMG Cabriolet, GLC300 4Matic Coupe, GLC43 AMG, GLC43 AMG Coupe, 2014 E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic Coupe, E350 Cabriolet, E400 Hybrid, 2015-2017 E400 Coupe, E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabriolet, 2014-2017 E550 Coupe, E550 Cabriolet, B250e, 2014-2016 E250 BlueTec, E63 AMG 4Matic Wagon, 2012-2013 E350 BlueTec, 2012-2016 E350, E350 4Matic, 2015-2016 E400, E400 4Matic, 2012 E63 AMG, 2014-2015 E250 4Matic BlueTec, 2013-2016 E350 Wagon, 2017 GLC300d 4Matic, and 2018 GLC350e 4Matic. The driver's air bag may unexpectedly deploy due to insufficient grounding of the steering components if an electrostatic discharge occurs and the air bag clockspring is broken.

Consequence: If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.

Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will add sufficient grounding to the steering components, free of charge. The recall began in December 6, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.

Reported: 2019-11-01 (November 1, 2019)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf

Consequence: An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019120008.