Home · 2017 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon · Complaints

What 165 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon

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 (165)Crash / fire / injury (11)Engine (39)Fuel system (28)Electrical system (27)Airbags (22)Transmission & drivetrain (16)Steering (14)Body & structure (12)Brakes (9)Driver assistance (7)Lights (5)

Newest first · 165 complaints · page 3 of 7

Dec 28, 2023AirbagsSeat beltsDriver assistance1 injury

Pulling in the parking spot , looking to my right not noticing light pole on the left , car sensor bumped the pole in the perfect spot to deploy all of the drivers airbags . No warning of front collision , no breaks emergency were activated , seatbelt did not tighten threw me against the wheel : suffered , lacerations , broken forearm requiring surgery . Slight scratch on the bumper not even a dent in the front bumper

NHTSA ODI 11562287

Dec 12, 2023Electrical system

Battery being drained, the car does not start, water inside the vehicle on the floor at the drivers side

NHTSA ODI 11559812

Nov 2, 2023Engine

Piston failure at 62000 miles. No prior engine lights until it happened suddenly while driving at the highway speed. The car suddenly lost power and started to violently shake and the engine light came on. Was able to pull over without incident and consult MB before bringing for diagnostics. There's a lot of MB with this specific engine piston failure affected according to internet search. The car has been inspected by the MB service dealer confirming piston failure. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11553327

Oct 23, 2023Fuel system

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased on October 20, 2023. The contact stated that when she entered the vehicle the following day, the exterior of the vehicle smelled of gasoline. The contact stated that the fuel odor had become so abnormally strong inside the vehicle, causing her mother’s asthma to flare up. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a low-pressure and high-pressure fuel line leak in the engine compartment. The contact was informed that the fuel line and fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer advised the contact that the parts to complete the repair were ordered. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,806.

NHTSA ODI 11551462

Oct 9, 2023

While driving the car on the beltway, the car unexpectedly and suddenly lost drive power. I pushed on the gas pedal and the car did move forward in a jerky motion. A minute or two later, the car again suddenly lost drive power. Again, I pushed on the gas pedal and the car jerked forward. After, these two episodes above, the car behaved normally for the rest of my 90 drive.

NHTSA ODI 11549006

Oct 3, 2023Engine

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while coming to a stop, the vehicle shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while accelerating from the complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact was able to continue driving at a slower speed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving and the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The vehicle was taken an independent mechanic, where the spark plugs, ignition coils, and the fuel injectors were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The mechanic determined that there was low compression on cylinder #1, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA ODI 11548098

Sep 14, 2023Electrical systemSpeed controlVisibility & wipers

The entire driver instrument panel screen went blank, after going blank and coming back on a few times while driving. This is EXTREMELY dangerous. Now, the driver cannot see the speed, odo, fuel gauge, indicators or anything at all. I hope you please investigate and initiate a campaign and get this resolved from Mercedes.

NHTSA ODI 11544443

Aug 21, 2023EngineBackup camera & sensors

Engine failure due to piston crack. Seems like it is a common issue for mercedes models with this specific engine. A lot of people have their engine needing to be replaced at very low miles such as 10k miles 15k miles. Vehicle was always been serviced on time. Now I need a new engine. Manufacturer needs to take responsibility of this engine defect

NHTSA ODI 11539834

Jul 27, 2023Engine

Car will loose power unexpectedly and start shaking badly. Check engine light comes on flashing. Vehicle gets towed to shop to find loss of compresión on cylinder one. Mercedes Benz forums full of this type of issue. Shop says repair is to rebuild or replace engine. Vehicle available for inspection.

NHTSA ODI 11534713

May 29, 2023Transmission & drivetrainLights

The car lurches forward upon accelerating. Other times the car lags when accelerating after slowing for a dip or speed bump. This has caused me to almost be hit from behind on multiple occasions. My car has been in the shop multiple times since I bought it.

NHTSA ODI 11524269

May 26, 2023Engine

Having a Mercedes was my dream since I was a kid and I’m completely heartbroken to have to file this complaint. I’ve been working literally my whole life to finally be able to afford my 2017 E300. I purchased it from Autobahn Motors in Belmont, California in August 2020. My car has ~48,000 miles on it and I still own approximately $14,000 on the car as of today (5/20/2023). When I was driving on the highway my car engine light came on, started to violently shake, and I thought it was going to stall out. I immediately took it in to my mechanic and he told me that piston #1 is broken and the spark plugs are melted! Premature engine failure. I can no longer use my car until I get my engine replace! I’ve gotten one quote and it is approximately $15,000! I don’t even have 50,000 miles on my car. I saw a large volume of complaints online for the M274 engine including a class action lawsuit that have exactly the same issue as what my mechanic diagnostics is showing (broken piston #1 leading to premature engine failure). This is a huge safety concern and needs to be investigated immediately and corrected by Mercedes Benz before someone gets hurt or dies from this failure. For the price I’ve paid, still owe, as well as what the repair would be is completely unacceptable. I need my car for work and I’m also a parent so this is creating a huge inconvenience and financial hardship. Mercedes must be aware of this problem and held accountable for there negligence on correcting this issue.

NHTSA ODI 11524066

Apr 11, 2023Seats3 injuries

Safety Issue. The Chrome on the lever to make the seat move forward to access the back seat has sharp razor blade ridges. It has cut my hand open multiple times as well as my wife and a friend. A lot of blood, this is a serious issue. When I brought my car to the Mercedes Service center the agent told me this is a known problem and he too has cut his hand open on customers cars. This is not from wear and tear, this lever is used in frequently, I see a lot of complaints on the blogs too. Mercedes will not fix it. The Part is only $270 but they want $650 to install it.

NHTSA ODI 11516573

Mar 16, 2023Fuel system

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal gasoline odor entering the vehicle. The contact stated that he did not notice a warning light being illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact then drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel rails and fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The independent mechanic advised the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V961000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

NHTSA ODI 11512265

Mar 1, 2023Steering

The steering wheel tilt feature is stuck in the up position.

NHTSA ODI 11509682

Feb 11, 2023Fuel system

There was a smell of gasoline in and outside the car when the car was idling. Also, a smell of gasoline in the garage around the parked car. Also a smell of gasoline after starting the car, that went away after driving. I called the service department. They gave me an appointment one week later. I have no complaints about the service dept. When the car was repaired several hours later, the report stated "found seep at fuel hose to pump", and then, "replaced upper fuel hose to high pressure fuel pump". They told me it was no charge because they knew about this problem happening in their vehicles and had extended the warranty for it. I was/am very concerned because(1.) if I had been in an accident, could have more easily been a fire? (2.) Mercedes knew about this and to my knowledge have not let customers know, (3) I kept up with all maintenance/service visits and I was never told to be aware of this possibility, (4) when reported by me, there was no procedure in place to prioritize scheduling this repair. I may be wrong in my analysis and do not want to cause anyone any trouble. I just think if one car fire can be avoided that is important. If my thinking is incorrect, I apologize sincerely for my reaction to this situation.

NHTSA ODI 11506780

Feb 9, 2023Engine

once i turn on the AC and switch TO heat i smell a strong gas odor everytime

NHTSA ODI 11506416

Feb 8, 2023Engine

have engine light on, and error code p052, which is a PVC malfunction. It is a common issue happens to a lot of MB owners. Mercedes Benz refuses to have the replacement covered by extended warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11506210

Feb 8, 2023Engine

MY check engine light has come on and the code is P052E71 stating Crankcase Ventilation Valve has a malfunction

NHTSA ODI 11506268

Jan 26, 2023Steering

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the power steering assist failed with the "Steering Malfunction, Increased Physical Effort" and "Active Brake Assist" warning messages appeared on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where an attempt was made to repair the power steering failure; however, the repair was unsuccessful. The mechanic then informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V574000 (Steering) which he linked to the failure. The dealer was notified and informed her that there were no recalls on the VIN. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

NHTSA ODI 11503816

Jan 19, 2023Equipment

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that the GPS Navigation voice control was providing driving directions to random locations. The contact stated that the locations might be miles away from the intended destination. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the GPS Navigation unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11502665

Jan 10, 2023Engine

Code P052E Crankcase Ventilation Valve Replacement, Emissions system manufacture does not cover and commonly fails around 25-55K miles.

NHTSA ODI 11501093

Dec 14, 2022Engine

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer and the contact was made aware of a failed piston. The contact was informed that further diagnostic testing on the engine was needed. The vehicle was not repaired and was towed back to the residence. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.

NHTSA ODI 11497483

Nov 1, 2022Engine

Vehicle running really rough. Check engine light came on and stated Cylinder #1 misfire. Technician took apart the engine and found cylinder #1 piston to have a Crack in it.

NHTSA ODI 11491824

Oct 21, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced jerking and hesitation and erroneously switched from the automatic transmission to the manual transmission position, without the transmission selector being switched. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not yet notified of failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11490306

Oct 10, 2022Engine

Positive crankcase ventilation regulator valve performance

NHTSA ODI 11488632

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Working with the data? Download all 165 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 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 2017 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon verdict →