Home · 2016 · Mercedes-benz
2016 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
88 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Airbags problems dominate (34% of complaints).
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#128 of 434Among the 2016 models with a matured record, the 2016 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon ranks #128, scoring higher than 68% of them. See the 2016 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.
4/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-CLASS SW RWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 10%
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file, 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 2016 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (30) · Electrical system (10) · Steering (9) · Visibility & wipers (8)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Airbags
34%30 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Passenger seat capacity sensor fault. Will not activate passenger side air bag. Checked with obd scanner”
Electrical system
11%10 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“I believe there is faulty wiring in the door speaker front passenger side. It causes crackling and humming. It lessens some when you turn ECO off. Concerned it could i…”
Steering
10%9 complaints
“I was driving my husband's 2016 E350 at 45 mph when the car accelerated. I attempted to control the speed by braking but the brake did not respond well. The steering w…”
Visibility & wipers
9%8 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“We have been getting water in the front passenger compartment below the door area, after rain. We took it to our mechanic, who determined that the windshield integrity…”
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.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 88 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 7 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?
- 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 2016 Mercedes-benz E-CLASS WAGON beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every E-class Wagon model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 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.