What 66 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Mercedes-benz E-class Wagon

Variable Valve Timing Camshaft KNOWN DEFECT rendering the car unusable at only 100K miles.

NHTSA ODI 11724676

The car did not give any warning before this issue came about. A matter of fact when I took it to the mechanic they were unable to do a diagnostic test because there were no error messages and check engine light never came on. After taking it to the dealership they were able to check the history and saw that the error code P061b00 shows that the clutch position switch module needs to be replaced. While driving in traffic the car went into N (neutral) and wouldn’t not go back in D (drive). It took several minutes of me trying to change gears but it eventually went into P (park). The vehicle is unable to change gears sometimes and this is unsettling because the safety of myself, my children and others is affected if I’m driving and the car goes into neutral all of a sudden with no warning or goes into park and is unable to move. This occurred several times within a two week span while my children were in the car and this could have ended very differently. I took it to a certified mechanic who provided an explanation based on the error code received and stated that this was a huge safety issues that needed to be addressed.

NHTSA ODI 11665796

Check Engine Light, running fault code P052E71 - needs software update for N3/10 Engine control unit.

NHTSA ODI 11646753

added information: the issue is the piston, it went off due to a bad part. Mercedes Benz knew about the issue with the type of engine M247. there is a class action lawsuit pending. But I'm reporting this because i didn't know and it happened to me just a month out of warranty. Now, the dealership is asking me to pay for the labor. the dealership is House Of Imports in Buena Park. This has to do with the piston failure.

NHTSA ODI 11634616

On August 12, 2023, my husband pulled into the E43 into the garage with my two kids. When my son got out of the car, he noticed smoke coming out of the front of the car and notified my husband. He popped the hood and tried to put it out with the fire extinguisher but the smoke got overwhelming and he called 911. Fire department came and put out the fire. After the incident we did a search to see if there was a recall we missed but we only found an article published by Mercedes in December 2021 acknowledging their cars may catch on fire but no recall was done.

NHTSA ODI 11548118

According to the Mersedes dealer it is Engine Harness it is possible manufacture defect. Car has only 38900 miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11530446

yellow check engine light came on and a few days later the car stalled on the road potentially causing an accident. took it to a shop and it has a p052e (crankcase valve issue), then took it to mercedes and theyve confirmed that oil has been leaking and it needs a new cvp ($3000) AND oil has leaked into the engine harness ($4000) but a few other indie shops have mentioned that id probably also have to replace the thermostat because thats usually damaged as well. You can google this issue and see that its insanely common, dangerous, and a huge financial burden on mercedes owners. There should be an immediate recall. See the inspection here: https://app.mykaarma.com/service-cart/mpi/8RlVgZhzCNsvpezrI1ZEEtxKAPluMxrUUivaOkycfRg/detail

NHTSA ODI 11520095

Recurrent crankshaft ventilation valve failures. Replaced 14 months ago and has failed again. This is a common and known issue with vehicles in E class from 2017 through 2019 and Mercedes has not issued a recall. Perhaps because it costs $3500 to replace it if out of warranty. Entire system replaced Feb 17, 2022 and has failed again (April 6th, 2023)

NHTSA ODI 11515977

MB 2018 E300 WOULD STOP WITH ME IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC THE STOP AND START SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS AND DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIXED THE PROBLEM UNTIL I ALMOST GOT KILLED. CAR STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AROUND (NOV 2020 OFF COMMERCIAL BLVD FORT LAUDERDALE FL BETWEEN 4 TO 6PM RAINY DAY RUSH HOUR ABOUT TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN TO GET ON I95 AND CARE DIED ON ME AND I HAD TO WAIT 3 YOURS BECAUSE ONSTAR BUTTON WASN'T WORKING AND HAD TO CALL TOW USING MY PHONE ) I BEEN HAVING ISSUES STARTING BACK UP AND OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE PISTINES IN THE ENGINE AND CAR FINALLY BREAKS DOWN AND NEEDS NEW ENGINE FEB 2 MERCEDES NEVER HONORS THEIR WARRANTY AND FIXED MY ISSUE . ONE DRIVER WITH 2018 E300 MERCEDES BENZ LIKE MINE AFTER 23K MILES NEEDS A NEW ENGINE ALSO . BELOW I PAST THE LINK TO THE FORUM WITH OTHER MB CUSTOMERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUES OF THEIR E-CLASS MB ALL OF WHICH EXPERIENCE FAMILIAR ENGINE AND CAR START UP FAILURE. HTTPS://MBWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/E-CLASS-W213/798120-2018-MERCEDES-W213-E300-NEEDS-NEW-ENGINE-23K-MILES-2.HTML CONFIRMATION CODE: [XXX] DATE AND TIME: JAN 6, 2021 9:00:00 AM VEHICLE: 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 VIN: [XXX] ADVISOR: [XXX] ARRANGEMENT: LOANER VEHICLE REPAIR SERVICES: ENGINE PERFORMANCE CONCERN (HESITATION, LACK OF POWER, POOR MILEAGE, ETC.) ' CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE STALLS AT REGULAR PERIOD CONFIRMATION CODE: [XXX] DATE AND TIME: NOV 25, 2020 10:00:00 AM VEHICLE: 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 VIN: [XXX] ADVISOR: [XXX] ARRANGEMENT: LOANER VEHICLE REPAIR SERVICES: TELL US MORE ' CLIENT STATES THE VEHICLE IS HAVING ISSUES WHEN SHE TURN THE CAR ON, THERE ARE SOME WEIRD NOISES COMING FRON ENGINE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11415132

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MERCEDES BENZ E400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WERE SMELLING A BURNING ODOR EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE AUTOMATIC DRIVING WAS ACTIVATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE TO HIGHER SPEEDS. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PRESS THE VEHICLES BRAKES OBSESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE'S SIDE VIEW MIRRORS ALSO FAILED TO ROTATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER WAS OBSERVING THE VEHICLE THEY FOUND THE ENGINE TO HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF COCONUT CREEK 4250 FL-7, COCONUT CREEK, FL 3307; (954) 406-1167) WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND OPENED A CASE REGARDING THE MATTER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 21,000.

NHTSA ODI 11407108

ON MAY 30, 2020, AROUND 3 PM, MY SON WAS THE DRIVER AND MY WIFE AND I WERE THE PASSENGERS DRIVING IN JERSEY CITY, NJ (USA). WHILE CHANGING LANES ON THE ROAD, THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING. ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AND IT SHOWED A CAR WITH ZIG ZAG LINES AND STATED INOPERABLE. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IN A DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WITH CARS GOING AROUND US. THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. WE TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR MANY TIMES WITH THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS COMING ON AND STATING INOPERABLE. AFTER A LITTLE WHILE, WE WERE ABLE TO PLACE IT IN NEUTRAL AND PUSH THE CAR TO SAFETY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHILE STILL BLOCKING A LANE. WE THEN CALLED THE MERCEDES SERVICE CENTER WHERE A TECHNICIAN TRIED TO HELP US VIA TELEPHONE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND FINALLY 2 HOURS LATER, WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. THE FAMILY HAD TO TAKE UBER HOME. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO RAY CATENA MERCEDES IN UNION, NJ, USA AND WE RECEIVED A CALL THIS MORNING THAT THEY WILL INSPECT IT LATER ON TODAY. THE REASON I AM BRINGING THIS INCIDENT TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THAT THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE WERE NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OR HAD ANY INJURIES BUT WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE AWARE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO ANY OTHER MERCEDES OWNER AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS IN NATURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11327065

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ E-300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 80 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNKNOWN ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE FAILURES. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF SEATTLE LOCATED AT (2025 AIRPORT WAY S, SEATTLE, WA 98134) HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS CARBON MONOXIDE LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE AFTER THE CONTACT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER FOR ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO BE PERFORMED. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE TWO FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED BLOWOUTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OF THE FAILURES BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ODI 11312130

I WAS DRIVING IN THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE TRAVELING FROM MIAMI I STOPPED AT A SERVICE STATION TO GO TO THE RESTROOM AND WHEN I CAME BACK MY CAR HAD A FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I HAD TO GET THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE GAS STATION, OPENED THE HOOD AND PUT DOWN THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. MY CONCERN WAS NOT JUST MY SAFETY BUT THE FACT THAT I WAS SO CLOSE TO THE GAS STATION. THERE WAS 0 WARNING AND NO ERRATIC BEHAVIOUR FROM THE CAR BEFORE THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11164363