Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports6 fire reports6 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

18 reports

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67,000 miles · Sep 4, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE RUBBER INSERT IN THE PULLEY CRANKSHAFT EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. *JB *SCC *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10032448

71,500 miles · Sep 3, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

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CRANKSHAFT BALANCER FAILURE- MERCEDES E320 1999 (FROM INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES OF SEVERAL MERCEDES CUSTOMERS WITH 320 V6 ENGINE ON W210 PLATFORM AND OTHERS).*AK AROUND 72000 MILES, MY VEHICLE CRANK SHAFT BALANCER PULLEY STARTED SPERATING A THICK BLACK RUBBER RING, WHICH IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE CRANKSFAT AND THE SERPENTINE BELT PULLEY ON THE OUTSIDE, BELT BURNING SMELL AND CLICKING NOISE WHICH QUICKLY TURNED INTO A KNOCKING NOISE RECOGNIZED AS I WAS DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEED, LUCKILY. I PARKED THE VEHICLE AND CHECKD THE ENGINE BAY, TO FIND A FALLEN OFF PIECE OF CRANK SHAFT BALANCER PULLEY (IT MADE A THUD WHEN IT CAME OFF WHILE DIRVING). IT COULD HAVE EASILYCAUSED FLYING OBJECT DAMAGE IF I WERE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND GOT IT FIXED, WORTH 421 DOLLARS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY IS A COMMON FAILURE FOR THIS MODEL ENGINE AND I WAS LUCKY THAT IT DID NOT 'TOTALLY' GOUCE THE TIMING CHAIN COVER AND OIL PAN. I HAVE HEARD FIRST HAND INCIDENCES OF OTHERS WITH SIMILAR MODEL VEHICLES IN THE RANGE OF 1997 THROUGH 2001 HAVING TIMING CHAIN COVER GOUGED OFF COMPLETELY AND VEHICLE BECOMING INOPERABLE WITHIN MINUTES AND CAUSING MECHANICAL DAMAGE TO THE EXTENT OF 20 TO 25 HOURS REPAIR NEEDED, AND OVER 25000 DOLLARS NEEDED ON AVERAGE.

NHTSA ODI #10037113

62,000 miles · Apr 23, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE MAIN DRIVE PULLEY BROKE OFF RENDERING VEHICLE INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE HAPPENED ON OPEN ROAD AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK *JB

NHTSA ODI #10016036

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING OIL STARTED TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE. *NLM THE DEALER DIDN'T USE THE RECOMMENDED SYNTHETIC OIL AS STATED BY THE MANUFACTURER. SCC

NHTSA ODI #10009824

Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

THERE'S A PIPE THAT RUNS UNDER VEHICLE THAT IS LEAKING OIL. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS COULD START A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8006679

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.VEHICLE WILL NOT RE-START. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8001647

Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

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I HAD PURCHASED A MERCEDES-BENZ E320 4 MATIC WAGON ON AUGUST 25TH 1998 FROM MILLENNIUM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP AT BRIDGEWATER, NJ. SINCE THEN THIS CAR HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED AND SERVICED. THE DATES OF SERVICE ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) JUNE 16, 2000 ODOMETER 12,435 MILES, 2) JAN 3, 2001, ODOMETER 17,549, 3) JAN 29, 2001 ODOMETER 18,008 MILES, 4) JULY 25, 2001 ODOMETER 21,797. DURING THESE VISITS TO THE MILLENNIUM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, WE WERE REASSURED THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO OPERATE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE CLUELESS AS TO WHY THIS VEHICLE STALLED SO MANY TIMES. MANY PARTS WERE REPLACED, AND WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE CAR WAS THOROUGHLY CHECKED AND IS SAFE TO DRIVE. HOWEVER, THIS CAR STALLED AGAIN AT PULASKI SKYWAY DURING A RAIN STORM AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME ON SEP. 14. 2001. THIS CAR IS INDEED NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. CURRENTLY I AM DRIVING A LOANER CAR FROM THE MILLENNIUM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP AND I AM PURSUING FOR A FULL PURCHASING REFUND FROM MERCEDES BENZ USA PERTAINING TO NJ STATE LEMON LAW (NJSA 56:12-29 TO 56:49). I FEEL OBLIGATED TO REPORT THIS MATTER TO YOU. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION OR ANY LEGAL ADVICE TO ASSIST ME IN THIS MATTER, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT 908-322-4730, OR CONTACT MY HUSBAND'S BEEPER AT 201-422-2177. MY HUSBAND, STEVE SHIH HAS FULL AUTHORIZATION ON MY BEHAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ODI #752256

Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2000

Engine And Engine Cooling

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN GOING OVER ANY TYPE OF BUMP VEHICLE STALLS . VEHICLE HAS BEEN SEEN 6 TIMES BY THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #857484

Official recalls

No 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

PE07021 · 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.

PE03058 · Engine Crankshaft Pulley Failure

Opened Dec 17, 2003 · Closed Apr 22, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:belts And Associated Pulleys

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND 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 BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT ATTACHED FOR FURTHER DETAIL.