2011 Mercedes Benz E problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Tires (3) · Power Train:automatic Transmission (3) · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel (2)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Mercedes Benz E model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (4)
Fuel System, Diesel 2011-10-03 · campaign 11V496000 · 6,872 vehicles
Defect: MERCEDES-BENZ USA (MBUSA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 VEHICLES INCLUDING E-CLASS (212 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 2010 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2011, R-CLASS (251 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2010 THROUGH APRIL 2011, ML-CLASS (W164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, GL-CLASS (X164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 S-CLASS (221 PLATFORM) VEHICLES. THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER MAY LEAK FROM THE AREA AROUND THE HEATING
Risk: DIESEL FUEL MAY BE DEPOSITED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.
Fix: MBUSA WILL CONTACT OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 30, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ USA AT 1-800-367-6372.
Engine And Engine Cooling 2011-04-01 · campaign 11V213000 · 41 vehicles
Defect: MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 E-CLASS MODEL W212 AND S212 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 8, 2010, THROUGH JULY 12, 2010. INSUFFICIENT ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE VIBRATION DAMPER AND ITS INNER MASS DAMPER RING COULD CAUSE A SUDDEN SEPARATION OF THE INNER MASS DAMPER RING FROM THE VIBRATION DAMPER.
Risk: WHILE WORKING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DURING ENGINE OPERATION, THE DAMPER RING COULD STRIKE AND INJURE THE PERSON REPAIRING THE VEHICLE OR A BYSTANDER.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE PARTS AS NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 8, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
Fuel System, Other:fuel Filter 2010-10-29 · campaign 10V540000 · 2,297 vehicles
Defect: MERCEDES BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 M-CLASS, MODEL W164, GL-CLASS, MODEL X164, E-CLASS, MODEL W212, R-CLASS, AND MODEL V251VEHICLES. THE O-RING MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY LUBRICATED IN ALL CASES. LACK OF LUBRICATION CAN LEAD TO LEAKAGE OF THE FUEL FILTER.
Risk: DIESEL FUEL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON ROADS AND MAKING THOSE ROADS SLIPPERY, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372. THIS CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED . PLEASE SEE RECALL CAMPAIGN 11V-496.
Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump 2010-10-04 · campaign 10V459000 · 85,300 vehicles
Defect: MERCEDES BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 C-CLASS, MODEL 204, E-CLASS, MODEL 212, AND MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 E-CLASS COUPE/CABRIOLET MODEL 207 VEHICLES. THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY FAIL DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID.
Risk: OWNERS MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IN AREAS, SUCH AS PARKING LOTS, WHERE MAXIMUM POWER STEERING IS REQUIRED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL CHECK AND RETORQUE THE CONNECTION FITTING FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 31, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
Service bulletins (13)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Engine 2013-08-13 · LI-47-40-P053871 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
xentry (mercedes): check engine light (cel) is activated; stored in engine control unit is very fine leak. automatic fuel tank leak test software is sensitive and can produces an erroneous diagnosis. models 204, 212, 218, 221, 216,and 166 with no model years listed. *pe update 11/22/1
Seat Belts:front:retractor 2012-04-20 · LI-91-40P051830 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
mercedes-benz: the front seat belt catches when pulled out, because the strap was not guided back properly. happens on both the passenger and driver's side. *rm updated 5/22/2012. *js
Power Train:automatic Transmission 2011-10-03 · LI27-60P051774-1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
mercedes-benz: the vehicle jolts during start-offs, steady driving, or acceleration. the control valve temporary jams. *rm updated 12/28/11. *pe
Structure:body:trunk Lid 2011-10-01 · SCB-2011100002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
mercedes: on some affected vehicles, the trunk lid may touch bumper during closing. *pe
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine 2011-05-31 · LI-05-20-P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
mercedes-benz: the malfunction light is on with multiple possible trouble codes stored. there could be a problem with the camshaft and/or scoring of a piston. *rm
Structure:body:door 2011-05-31 · LI-72-12-P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
mercedes-benz: the rear door cannot be opened from the outside in cold temperatures. the window guide rail of the door freezes. *rm
Showing the 6 most recent of 13 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2013-09-17 · Tires · 38,000 mi“tire tread is separating from tire on back of tire. all four tires on vehicle display tread separation approximately half circumference of tire is affected. *tr…”
2013-09-17 · Tires · 42,000 mi“all four tires on 2011 mercedes e550 have tread separation. tread separation is occurring on the back side of the tire and is unknown until the tire begins to lose tire pressure. tires are original equipment michelin radial x tires. failure between 38,000-40,000 miles. *tr…”
2011-12-19 · Tires“5 months into my 2011 mb e350 bluetech lease the front left tire blows on a highway. the tires are runflat bridgestone turanza el400-02 moextended 245/45r17 95h. stopped the car and saw the rim made a cut in a sidewall. not repairable, had it replaced. 45 days later another front tire is again blown on a highway the same way. put on a spare an…”
2011-08-12 · Air Bags · 7,000 mi · 💥 crash“tl* the contact owns a 2011 mercedes benz e-350. the contact was driving 60 mph when the contact was involved in a rear-end crash. as a result, the contact crashed into the guardrail. none of the air bags deployed and the vehicle was destroyed. the contact sustained injuries to the neck and back. a police report was filed. the manufacturer was …”
2011-05-28 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel · 100 mi“i recently purchased a mercedes 2011 e550. i found the speedometer very difficult to read during daylight conditions it is not lighted. my eyesight is 20/20). this is a safety problem because it takes your eyes off the road too long to read the very dim speedometer. it also causes one to go at speeds not easily controlled by a normal "glance"at…”
2011-04-05 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel · 10 mi“mercedes 2011 e550 has a speedometer that is very difficult to read and requires eye diversion from the road to an unsafe extent to view your driving speed. *tr…”
2011-03-25 · Power Train:automatic Transmission · 100 mi“e 350 2011 mercedes benz i own has problems with gear shifting while driving uphill. *tr…”
2011-02-04 · Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump · 300 mi“tl*the contact owns a 2011 mercedes benz e-350. while driving approximately 1 mph in reverse the steering wheel became very stiff and difficult to turn. the contact continued to drive the vehicle and the power steering continued to malfunction. the vehicle was eventually towed to an authorized dealer where the contact was told that there was a def…”
2010-10-07 · Power Train:automatic Transmission · 9,898 mi“you put the car in park the digital display says "park" but it is not. you put the car in drive or reverse the digital display says drive or reverse and car does not move. in order to correct the problem you have to turn off the car and turn it back on then it will start to work properly again. i have taken photo's of the issue with the rpm up …”
2010-09-17 · Power Train:automatic Transmission · 100 mi · 💥 crash“2011 mercedes benz e class-this vehicle has an electronic shifter just behind steering wheel. it is difficult to tell if it goes into park or not. my wife had engine running, got out of car to check the trunk and thought she put the vehicle in park. it started to move and she was able to jump inside and hit the brake. later that morning i pulle…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.