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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)

9 of 165 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters

Sep 10, 2022BrakesParking Brake

2017 Mercedes Benz E300 38k miles Parking brake malfunction. Replaced rear two Electric parking brake module /actuator. Still have the same problem. Mercedes Benz are claiming it to be ABS module.

NHTSA ODI 11483838

Mar 7, 2022BrakesCrash1 injury

The contact owned a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300W. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH he was side swiped on the drivers side door by another vehicle causing his vehicle to jump the curb. The contact stated he had a brake malfunction and had to depress the brake pedal to the floorboard. The contact had to steer the vehicle into a fence in order to come to a stop. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The police were called and filed a police report. The contact had the vehicle towed to a collision center. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact's insurance company declared the vehicle a total loss. The contact suffered injuries to his back, both knees and his head from hitting the steering wheel, but did not seek medical attention until later. The airbags did not deploy. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

NHTSA ODI 11455566

Sep 21, 2020Speed controlBrakes

AT AROUND 2.15 PM CST, I WAS DRIVING MY MERCEDES WESTBOUND ON I-694 TOWARDS MINNEAPOLIS AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY E300 STALLED AND BY THE TIME I COULD FIGURE WHAT WAS WRONG, I LOST ALL POWER IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MERCEDES BRAKE ASSIST TRIGGERED A HARD BRAKE AND MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON THE FREEWAY. THE CAR BEHIND ME NEARLY MISSED ME AND AT THIS POINT EVERY LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD LIT UP (I HAVE ATTACHED THE PICTURE BELOW). I TRIED HITTING ON THE IGNITION MULTIPLE TIMES BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT, I DECIDED NOT TO SIT IN THE CAR SINCE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS WITH FAST ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE A MATTER OF TIME THAT SOMEONE WOULD REAR END ME. I STEPPED OUT OF MY CAR AND WHILE MULTIPLE CARS WERE APPROACHING ME AT HIGH SPEED FROM BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT LANES I FOUND A VERY SMALL WINDOW OF TIME (2-3 SECONDS) TO SPRINT FROM THE MIDDLE LANE OF I-694 TO THE SHOULDER. MY WORRY WAS STILL FAR FROM OVER AS MY CAR WAS STILL SITTING IN MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE AND NOW I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHER FOLKS WHO WERE TRAVELING IN MY DIRECTION. I SAW 12 TO 15 CARS ALMOST REAR END MY CAR. WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING, I REALIZED MY PHONE WAS DEAD AND I WAS UNABLE TO CALL 911. I CONTINUALLY WAVED AT THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO ALERT THEM OF MY CAR AND REQUESTED THEM TO CALL 911. ABOUT 7 TO 9 MINUTES LATER, THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SHOWED UP AND BLOCKED TRAFFIC TO ASSIST ME WITH MOVING MY CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THESE 7 TO 9 MINUTES WERE THE MOST TRAUMATIC I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. I FELT HELPLESS, ANXIOUS, AND EXTREMELY STRESSED OUT.

NHTSA ODI 11360136

Nov 25, 2019Electrical systemBrakesEngine

I STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT, I SAW A POP UP ON THE DASHBOARD THAT READ 'BRAKE ASSIST DISENGAGED'. AT THAT POINT THE CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF. I TRIED TO RESTART WITH NO SUCCESS, IT WOULDN'T EVEN TRY TO TURN OVER. AFTER SITTING IN TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT THREE MINUTES UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR, I JUST KEPT HITTING THE START / STOP BUTTON AND IT FINALLY TURNED OVER AND STARTED. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD WORK ON THE CAR IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN! IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN IT COULD RESULT IN A MUCH WORSE OUTCOME. I WAS DEAD IN TOWN TRAFFIC, HEADING STRAIGHT THRU A RED LIGHT AFTER A COMPLETE STOP.

NHTSA ODI 11282125

Oct 24, 2019Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ E300. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKES SPONTANEOUSLY ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE STOPPED, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND BEEPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOKEY MOTOR COMPANY (19820 US HWY 19 N, CLEARWATER, FL 33764, (727) 362-6657) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NHTSA ODI 11270670

Mar 29, 2019Body & structureBrakes

ROOF SPOILER DETACHED AFTER BEING REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES AND SAID TO BE FIXED BY MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP. BRAKES VIBRATED FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR WHEN NEW, REPORTED ISSUE 3 TIMES UNTIL FULLY WRAPPED ON FOURTH TIME VISITING SERVICE CENTER. DEALERSHIP DENIES FIX EVEN THOUGH PREVIOUSLY REPORTED. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MISDIAGNOSES AND MANUFACTURE DEFECT. VERY DANGEROUS TO HAVE FAILING BRAKES.

NHTSA ODI 11192395

Oct 1, 2018Brakes

I WAS JUST DRIVING HOME ON A CITY STREET (9/20/18) AT ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN UNEXPECTEDLY THE BRAKES ON MY E43 LOCKED UP LAUNCHING MYSELF AND MY PASSENGER FORWARD AGAINST OUR SEAT BELTS. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGED; I HEARD THE REAR TIRES "CHATTER". THE CAR DID NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP; THE BRAKES DISENGAGED AND WE ROLLED FORWARD. UNTIL I REALIZED WHAT HAPPENED I THOUGH I HIT SOMETHING. THERE WAS NO ONE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THERE WAS SOMEONE BEHIND AND BESIDE ME. I TOOK THE CAR INTO MERCEDES AND THEY UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND CHECKED THE SENSORS AND REPORTED BACK THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING PROPERLY. SINCE THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING SPECIFIC - I FEEL THAT THE CAR HAS A DEFECT THAT IS DANGEROUS TO THE PUBLIC AND SHOULD BE RECALLED UNTIL A SOLUTION CAN BE DEMONSTRATED. THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THIS EXACT OCCURENCE. THIS IS A DEFECT THAT WILL RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY - OR WORSE. THE CAR HAS PREMIUM PACKAGE 3 WHICH INCLUDES THE ACTIVE BRAKE ASSIST PROGRAM. I SUSPECT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. ANOTHER PERSON REPORTED THIS WHEN CROSSING ONTO A BRIDGE. THAT WAS MY SPECIFIC EVENT ALSO; THE CAR DIPPED SLIGHTLY AS I WENT FROM STREET PAVEMEN TO BRIDGE PAVEMENT. PLEASE COMPEL MERCEDES TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTION AND TAKE STEPS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC; REGARDLESS OF HOW RARE THE EVENT MAY BE.

NHTSA ODI 11132420

Aug 17, 2017Brakes

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE CENTER CONSOLE. THE SPACE FOR MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL IS ONLY ABOUT 1/4-INCH WIDER THAN MY FOOT. SO, IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, WHEN TRYING TO LIFT MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL TO APPLY THE BRAKES, MY FOOT BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. BY THE TIME I FINALLY GOT MY FOOT ON TOP OF THE GAS PEDAL, IT WAS ALMOST TOO LATE. I ALMOST CRASHED.

NHTSA ODI 11015947

Mar 20, 2017Electrical systemAirbagsBrakesEngine

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ E300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 71 MPH, THE BRAKES SCREECHED AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND THEN SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE ACTIVE BRAKE ASSIST AND "SEE OPERATOR'S MANUAL" INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR ONE WEEK. THE CONTACT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V076000 (AIR BAGS) AND 17V114000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT AND VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10967270

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 →