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What 25 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Mercedes-benz B-class E-cell

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (25)Transmission & drivetrain (14)Fuel system (10)Engine (7)Speed control (6)Electrical system (5)Steering (2)

5 of 25 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters

May 2, 2023Electrical systemFuel system

The electric motor was leaking coolant and needs to be replaced. I have read countless accounts that this is a known issue with this car.

NHTSA ODI 11520040

Jun 14, 2022Electrical systemEngineFuel system

The main electric drive motor will start leaking coolant which then damages the motor and even electronics. Well known issue and makes the vehicle unsafe and isn't a matter of "if" but "when" the seals will go bad and this is on our car that has less than 40k miles on the odometer.

NHTSA ODI 11469255

Nov 20, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

THIS MB MODEL HAS AN ELECTRIC MOTOR THAT FAILS AT AROUND 35000 TO 40000 MILES, AND MAKES THE VEHICLE TO STOP SUDDENLY CAUSING SERIOUS RISKS TO THE DRIVER IF THIS HAPPENS IN ANY MAIN HIGHWAY. TWO WEEKS AGO MY WIFE WAS DRIVING NORTHBOUND AT THE FAST LANE OF THE PALMETTO EXPRESSWAY , IN MIAMI FL, WHEN THE CAR STOPPED GIVING NO TIME TO AVOID COMING TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY ONE FDOT RANGER WAS DRIVING SAME WAY AND PROTECT MY WIFE TURNING ON ITS EMERGENCY LIGHTS WHILE THEY WAIT FOR A TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE. THIS MODEL OF MB IS ASSEMBLED WITH A TESLA MOTOR THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN TO FAIL, BUT TESLA HAS TAKEN FAST ACTION TO AVOID INCONVENIENCES TO ITS CUSTOMERS. MB HAS DOING NOTHING TO ADVICE ITS CUSTOMERS ON THIS CRITICAL ISSUE, PUTTING ON RISK ON A DAILY BASIS ALL DRIVERS THAT RIDE TIS MB MODEL. I FIGURE IF OTHERS ARE FACING SIMILAR ISSUES, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO GET A RECALL SET UP IF MB DOES NOT STEP UP TO THE PLATE. IT TOOK FOUR YEARS FOR THESE ISSUES TO SHOW UP NEAR THE END OF MY WARRANTY, AND SINCE THE CARS REMAIN ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THROUGH THE 2017 MODELS, WE MAY EXPECT TO SEE OTHERS MODEL YEARS SHOW THE SAME ISSUES AS THE END OF THEIR WARRANTIES COME UP. I HOPE NOT, FOR EVERYONE ELSE BUT BEST BE PREPARED. MY VEHICLE CAN BEEN INSPECTED AT THE MERCEDES BENZ OF MIAMI DEALER WHERE REPAIR ARE UNDERWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11281313

Dec 13, 2015Electrical system

CAR WAS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE TURNED ITSELF OFF. RESTARTED MANUALLY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPROGRAMMING. DID THE SAME THING AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 10809888

Oct 8, 2015Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

ON 10-5-15, MY 2015 MERCEDES B CLASS WITH 3300 MILES DECIDED TO LOSE ALL POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF 101 IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS MOVING AT 15MPH, I HAD TO COMPLETELY STOP THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE LANE. PUT THE CAR IN PARK, SHUT IT OFF AND RESTART TO REGAIN POWER. THERE WERE NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR SIGNS THAT THE CAR WAS BROKEN, I JUST SIMPLY LOST ALL DRIVE POWER EVEN THOUGH I WAS IN D. IT WAS SCARY AS I WAS ON THE 101 AT ABOUT 4PM. THIS ALSO HAPPENED AT ANOTHER WHEN I FIRST GOT THE CAR, PLEASE GET MERCEDES TO FIX THIS BEFORE I GET REAR-ENDED AND CRUSHED.

NHTSA ODI 10780926

Working with the data? Download all 25 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2015 Mercedes-benz B-class E-cell verdict →