The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been around for decades, providing quality and luxurious services all around the globe.
It is no doubt among the brand’s most popular models of all time, this could be attributed to its high level of reliability.
Though the E-Class seems to be a perfect luxury midsize sedan, just like any other vehicle, it has its own problems, so let’s explore that.
Table of Contents
1. Electrical System Software Problem
For a car with loads of technological features, it is no surprise that the Mercedes-Benz E-Class has suffered a couple of electrical problems with the electrical system’s software at the forefront, taking the lead.
The electrical system software, like any other software, is responsible for the smooth and continuous running of apps and other electrical features in the car.
The E-Class’ defective electrical system software affects the normal operations and functions of some very important and possibly life-saving features.
These features could be crucial in a crash or when urgent help is needed.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class communication module software may fail to relate the vehicle’s correct location to the emergency call system (eCall) if the car is involved in an accident.
The failure of the emergency call (eCall) system to give the vehicle’s correct location to emergency responders could prove to be very dangerous since lives may depend on it.
Also, the E-Class communication module’s SIM card software could cause a mobile network connection failure, thereby disabling the emergency call (eCall) system.
This could be quite harmful since the occupants of the vehicle would not be able to reach emergency service call centers for help or rescue.
Another issue encountered by the E-Class’ is the faulty Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) multimedia system software. If the MBUX fails, the car’s display remains blank and may reboot after the initial startup.
The blank display automatically reduces the driver’s rear visibility since the rearview camera is affected by the multimedia system software’s failure.
2. Faulty Hands-off Detection for Steering
The car steering, as the name suggests, is laden with the sole responsibility of steering the car in the desired direction. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has a driving assist feature known as the hand detection control unit.
The hand detection control unit notifies the driver to grab the steering wheel when his or her hands are off it.
The E-Class has suffered from faulty steering hands-off detection because of a software error in the hand-detection control unit.
A problematic hands-off detector would not detect when a driver’s hands are off the wheel, consequently failing to warn the driver to grab the wheel when the need arises.
The E-Class’ DISTRONIC system, apart from notifying drivers to grab the steering wheel, is also responsible for calling first responders when help is needed. This is part of the Active Emergency Stop Assist feature in the car.
With this driver assist feature in question, E-Class owners could be at a high risk of being involved in a crash.
Since most drivers might be dependent on the driver assist feature without prior knowledge that the feature is deactivated and not in good shape.
You should also explore the best and worst years for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
3. Quick Wear Out of Transmission Mounts
A car’s transmission is responsible for setting the pace or speed at which the car moves. The transmission slows down the car when speed is not the priority and does the opposite when momentum is needed.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been plagued by components of its transmission system.
The issue of concern is the luxury car’s transmission mount. This transmission mount has been reported to wear out earlier than it should.
The worn-out transmission mount makes lots of disturbing noise and causes unwanted vibration when the car revs or when it is in motion, and the major reason for the transmission mounts’ early wearing out is that the E-Class uses an oil-filled engine and transmission mounts.
The oil-filled transmission mounts do a satisfying job of limiting noise and vibration as heard or felt by the car’s occupants.
Although this type of transmission mount gets the job of minimizing noise and vibration done, it wears out quicker than the rubber transmission mount. Thereby defeating its own original purpose.
It would be agreed that the annoying shuddering and clonking caused by a worn-out transmission mount could be quite distracting for the driver, while the comfort and convenience of the car’s occupants are greatly reduced.
4. Defective Seats and Faulty Seat Belts
Car seats are meant to provide comfort and convenience for occupants and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class’s bucket seats do justice to that.
However, the E-Class seats have had drawbacks in ensuring that owners get maximum comfort from them.
Among the problems plaguing the E-Class seats is the passenger seat limiter. The passenger seat limiter allows the seat to be too close to the airbag in the dashboard.
This may be dangerous in the event of a crash because a seat too close to the airbag increases the risks of injury or suffocation when the airbag is necessarily deployed.
Also, the rear seat headrests may have been incorrectly mounted to the seatbacks. The consequence of the headrest defect is that it could result in unwanted movement or detachment from the seat in the event of an accident.
This possible movement or detachment could pose a high risk of serious injury to the car’s occupants.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has a tendency to have faulty electrical contact within the seat position switch. This is likely to hinder the driver and passenger airbags from deploying, and seatbelt force limiters from performing properly.
Another issue surrounding the E-Class problem-plagued seats is its rear seatbelt automatic locking retractors.
The problem is that the rear seatbelt automatic locking retractors may deactivate too early.
This early deactivation could prevent the child restraint system from functioning properly in restraining the car’s rear occupants if an accident occurs.
5. Faulty Frontal and Side Airbags
The Mercedes-Benz brand is well accomplished in the automobile industry, partly because it is known as a safe and dependable make.
It has most times had good safety scores for its different models. With that in mind, it is noteworthy that some of these models have suffered the ill fate of having tricky airbags.
Airbags play a vital role in the safety of vehicle occupants in the event of an accident. So, what happens when a car’s airbags become cranky and refuse to function properly? You might have guessed the answer right.
The E-Class had some recalls by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) because of its faulty airbags.
The problem is that the incorrect version of the driver’s airbag and software may have been installed during production.
Consequently, the E-Class’ faulty driver airbags and the wrong version of the software could be very harmful and injurious in the event of a crash.
This is because the airbags would likely fail to adequately restrain the driver if an accident occurs.
6. Faulty Fuel Injection System
Some Mercedes-Benz E-Class model years have also been pestered by a faulty fuel injection system that has the potential to cause fuel leaks.
The fuel injection system has the delicate job of transmitting fuel to the engine of the car.
The problem was said to be a result of particles that may have been trapped between the fuel rail and injectors during the course of production.
Generally, it is known that fuel leaks close to ignition sources like hot engines or hot exhaust components can easily cause a fire.
Therefore, the faulty fuel injection system should not be overlooked as a minor problem.
This is because fuel leaks have a high possibility of starting a fire.
The fire in turn may cause various degrees of injuries to the vehicle’s occupants and serious damage to the car. You can also probe into the problems with Mercedes cars.
General Pros and Cons of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Just like every other brand and product, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class has its merits and demerits. What we should always look out for is which one outweighs the other. Below are the pros and cons of the lavishly built E-Class.
Pros
- Polished cabin with finely detailed interior materials
- Powerful and impressive engines
- Smooth and comfortable ride
- Cutting-edge technology
- Pliable suspension
Cons
- Limited cargo space
- High price tag
- The high projected cost of ownership
Perhaps the reason for its limited cargo space is that the E-Class is among the popular cars with extra seats in the trunk.
What Do the Reviews Say?
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has fared well in terms of positive reviews from well-known car sites and reviewers. This sleek luxury midsize sedan has received critical acclaim for its high-end comfort and reliability.
Edmunds has this to say about the 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class’ comfort, “This E-Class is quiet too, with little road or wind noise intruding into the cabin.
Dip into the throttle and get a smooth growl from the six-cylinder engine. It’s just quiet enough to avoid attraction… It works simply and evenly, and rear passengers will appreciate the air vents.”
Car and Driver says, “Velvety, creamy, buttery, smooth- these are the words that come to mind in a Mercedes-Benz E-Class.”
The same platform went on to hail the E-Class’ interior as, “beautifully detailed with brushed aluminum, lovely wood, and some of the most comfortable seats we’ve ever tested.”
The favorable reviews, we can all agree, stem from the E-Class’ long years of providing highly comfortable and relatively reliable services to customers.
What’s the Resale Value of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
The resale value or price of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class may vary according to the model year, mileage, and general condition of the car. Below are the estimated resale values of the prestigious E-Class.
Model Year Approx. Mileage (Miles) Price ($)
2022 13,500 67,404
2021 27,000 50,168
2020 40,500 41,622
2019 54,000 28,501
2018 67,500 15,134
Final Thoughts
Overall, the exquisitely built Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a smooth, practical luxury sedan that denotes elegance, style, and prestige. The E-Class is definitely a good buy, so long as one can conveniently foot the maintenance bills.
It is also pertinent to note that the problems listed and explained in this article are for some and not all model years of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Go Back: Problems for all Mercedes models.
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ⓘ The information in this article is based on data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall reports, consumer complaints submitted to the NHTSA, reliability ratings from J.D. Power, auto review and rating sites such as Edmunds, specialist forums, etc. We analyzed this data to provide insights into the best and worst years for these vehicle models.