IllustrationCORRODED DRIVER SIDE SPRING HOUSING ON 1996 E320 MERCEDES BENZ. CORRODED TO THE EXTENT THAT IT SPRING COULD HAVE DISLARGED. REPORTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN OTHER LOCALS THAT THIS HAS OCCURED. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND INVESTIGATING, BUT HASN'T RECALLED PART.
1996 Mercedes Benz E320
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Mercedes Benz E320 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 42.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all E320 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
00–25K
325–50K
550–75K
475–100K
12100–150K
5150K+
29 reports with mileage · 16 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
45 reportsFRONT COIL SPRING TOP SUPPORT CORRODED AND BROKE AWAY FROM THE BODY. WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE. CURRENTLY VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN. *AK CONSUMER HEARD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1996 E CLASS MERCEDES . *BF
I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AT THE END OF A FREEWAY OFF RAMP ON A RAINY DAY AND WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND AFTER ONE SPIN BOUNCED INTO A UTILITY POLE, HITTING THE CAR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS PUSHED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS FRONT OR SIDE DEPLOYED, WHIC…
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I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AT THE END OF A FREEWAY OFF RAMP ON A RAINY DAY AND WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND AFTER ONE SPIN BOUNCED INTO A UTILITY POLE, HITTING THE CAR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS PUSHED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS FRONT OR SIDE DEPLOYED, WHICH IN VIEW OF THE NATURE AND MAGNITUDE OF THE IMPACT IS UNBELIEVABLE. *JB
THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND HIT THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE HAD DROPPED DOWN TO THE GROUND. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT 3 SPOT WELDS HAD FAILED. THE CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A REPAIR KIT FOR THIS PROBL…
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THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND HIT THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE HAD DROPPED DOWN TO THE GROUND. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT 3 SPOT WELDS HAD FAILED. THE CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A REPAIR KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
THE PERCH ASSEMBLY THAT HELD THE WHEEL WELDING CAME APART FROM THE FRAME . THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER TEMPORARILY LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST BEING HIT BY PASSING MOTORIST. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE BY SLOWING IT DOWN AND PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY ONTO THE S…
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THE PERCH ASSEMBLY THAT HELD THE WHEEL WELDING CAME APART FROM THE FRAME . THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER TEMPORARILY LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST BEING HIT BY PASSING MOTORIST. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE BY SLOWING IT DOWN AND PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PERCH. *AK *JB
WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD THUMP COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO FOUND THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM THE CHASSIS. *JB
CONSUMER STATED FRONT END COLLASPED BECAUSE OF THE CORROSION OF THE FRAME. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THEATFRONT SUSPENSION IS RUSTED, ALL SUSPENSION BRACKETS COLLAPSED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING FAILED. *JB THE COIL SPRING FAILURE CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*TS *JB
THE SPRING PURCH PLATE HAD RUSTED AND RIPPED APART FROM THE FRAME. MR SCC
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE07021 · Front Suspension Coil Spring Ejection
Opened Apr 19, 2007 · Closed Aug 9, 2007
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs
ODI HAS FOCUSED THIS INVESTIGATION ON ASSESSING THE RISKS POSED BY A SEPARATED SPRING AS (1) A ROAD HAZARD AND (2) THE POTENTIAL FOR VEHICLE CONTROL TO BE COMPROMISED AFTER THE FRONT COIL SPRING HAS BEEN EJECTED FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IN THE VEHICLE.BOTH RISKS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CORROSION, FLEXING, AND FRACTURE OF THE UPPER FRONT SUSPENSION MOUNTING BRACKET.TIME-IN-SERVICE FAILURE RATES ARE NOTABLY HIGHER IN SALT BELT STATES SINCE CORROSION IS A PRIMARY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE FAILURE MODE.SINCE A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED, ODI IS SKEPTICAL THAT OWNERS CAN ALWAYS DETECT THE SUBTLE SIDE TO SIDE DIFFERENCE IN RIDE HEIGHT AND/OR INSPECT OR NOTICE THAT THE UPPER SUSPENSION BRACKET HAS BEEN COMPROMISED BY CORROSION.(1) ROAD HAZARD - ALTHOUGH THE (APPROX. 7 LB.) FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING THAT MAY BE EJECTED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD POSE A SERIOUS ROAD HAZARD TO PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER VEHICLES, THE OCCURRENCE RATE HAS BEEN LOW (.03% BASED ON 51 REPORTED INCIDENTS OCCURRING AND AN INITIAL POPULATION OF 172,781 VEHICLES AFTER 9 - 12 YEARS OF USE / EXPOSURE) AND THERE ARE NO KNOWN INJURIES, FATALITIES, OR PROPERTY DAMAGE REPORTS DUE TO AN EJECTED SPRING.ALSO, MANY OF THE 51 INCIDENTS OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED OR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED OR PARKED.(2) VEHICLE CONTROL - VEHICLE HANDLING AND CONTROL COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE FRACTURE OF THE UPPER SUSPENSION MOUNT AND/OR THE ASSOCIATED SPRING EJECTION.ODI FIRST IDENTIFIED ITS CONCERN ABOUT CORROSION IN THE UPPER SUSPENSION BRACKET OF SUBJECT VEHICLES IN 2002, AT WHICH TIME MERCEDES PROVIDED A VIDEO THAT SHOWED THAT A VEHICLE COULD BE STEERED, STOPPED, AND CONTROLLED THROUGH VARIOUS MANEUVERS AT HIGH SPEEDS WITH A FRONT COIL SPRING COMPLETELY MISSING FROM THE VEHICLE. DURING PE07-021, IN ADDITION TO REVIEWING THE 2002 VIDEO-TAPE, ODI ENGINEERS DROVE AN EXEMPLAR VEHICLE WITH THE SPRING REMOVED AND SIMULATED VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF STEERING ANGLES TO ASSESS WHETHER THERE WERE ANY POSSIBLE CONDITIONS / DISPLACEMENTS IN WHICH THE SEPARATED SPRING MIGHT INTERFERE WITH THE WHEELS. IN A VEHICLE WITH THE FRONT SPRING REMOVED, THE TOP OF THE WHEEL CAN LIGHTLY CONTACT THE BOTTOM AREA OF THE WHEEL FENDER DURING HIGH ANGLE TURNS TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SLOWER SPEED MANEUVERS SUCH AS CITY DRIVING. THE LIGHT TIRE CONTACT GENERATED AN OBVIOUS GRINDING NOISE AND WOULD LIKELY ABRADE OR BEND THE EDGE OF THE FENDER WITH CONTINUED USE.HOWEVER, THE EXTENT OF THE INTERFERENCE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO AFFECT VEHICLE STEERING AND DOES NOT OCCUR AT SMALLER TURNING ANGLES ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHWAY DRIVING.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT TREND AT THIS TIME.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING THAT A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF FUTURE CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT.