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2011 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
295 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Airbags problems dominate (47% of complaints).
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#166 of 370Among the 2011 models with a matured record, the 2011 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon ranks #166, scoring higher than 54% of them. See the 2011 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2011 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (140) · Brakes (16) · Body & structure (16)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Airbags
47%140 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“The passenger front air bag malfunction,the passenger seat head rest deployed and And malfunction with any incident,the driver air bag is light on malfunction.after I …”
Suspension
13%37 complaints · typically near 78k mi · 5 in the last 2 years
“Rear crossmember or ( rear subframe frame ) rust and It broke due to corrosion”
Fuel system
12%36 complaints · typically near 53k mi · 2 in the last 2 years
“A gasoline smells fills the cabin and the outside surrounding area the vehicle continually to the point making anyone surrounding the vehicle and or sitting in the fro…”
Brakes
5%16 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years
“Dealer notes: Replace rear brake lines, found to be rusty recommend replacement with rear subframe replacement. This is a very well known issue and is not covered unde…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 2 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 295 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 18 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Mercedes-benz before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report airbags problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any airbags symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report suspension problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 78k miles). Has this car shown any suspension symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2011 Mercedes-benz E-CLASS WAGON beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2011? See how every E-class Wagon model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2011 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.