IllustrationWHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES THEY LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM THE TRACTION CONTROLSYSTEM APPLIES TO THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS.*TS
1999 Mercedes Benz E320
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
20–25K
725–50K
1350–75K
775–100K
16100–150K
6150K+
51 reports with mileage · 32 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.
- 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
What owners actually said
83 reportsTHE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB
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
THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE DRIVER MANAGED TO GET CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *NLM THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONSUMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE GARAGE WHEN THE RIGH…
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THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE DRIVER MANAGED TO GET CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *NLM THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONSUMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE GARAGE WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT COLLAPSED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THIS WAS DUE TO RUSTING. *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPER FLEW OFF WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE FRONT OR REAR WINDOWS WILL FAIL INTO THE SEAL CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
DRIVER INVOLVED IN REAR END COLLISION AT LOW SPEED. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEVICE KNOWN AS "ETR" ACTIVATED ON LEFT FRONT AND REAR RESTAINT AND ON RIGHT REAR RESTRAINT. NO PASSENGERS IN THESE SEATS. FIRE OCCURRED IN "C" POST ON LEFT SIDE. ORIGIN IN AREA OF "ETR" UNIT. FIRE CAUSE NOT VERIFIED. I AM FIRE INVESTIGATOR NOT OWNER OF …
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DRIVER INVOLVED IN REAR END COLLISION AT LOW SPEED. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEVICE KNOWN AS "ETR" ACTIVATED ON LEFT FRONT AND REAR RESTAINT AND ON RIGHT REAR RESTRAINT. NO PASSENGERS IN THESE SEATS. FIRE OCCURRED IN "C" POST ON LEFT SIDE. ORIGIN IN AREA OF "ETR" UNIT. FIRE CAUSE NOT VERIFIED. I AM FIRE INVESTIGATOR NOT OWNER OF VEHICLE. OWNER IS JUDITH ROBERTS #19 JAY STREET NEW YORK, NY 10013 (212) 941-4646. *AK
TAILGATE DOOR CRASHED/ CAME DOWN ON HEAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER,AND THEY STATED THAT HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS FAILED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER HAS FAILED TO PROPERLY CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD OF RAIN. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES AND HAS REPLACED ALL OF THE WORKING PARTS, THE MALFUNCTION PERSISTS. CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEALER HAVE INDICATED THAT NOTHING MORE CAN BE DONE AND LEAD ME TO…
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SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER HAS FAILED TO PROPERLY CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD OF RAIN. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES AND HAS REPLACED ALL OF THE WORKING PARTS, THE MALFUNCTION PERSISTS. CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEALER HAVE INDICATED THAT NOTHING MORE CAN BE DONE AND LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN ERRROR ON ALL E 320S. THIS INADEQUATE WINDSHIELD WIPER CAUSES SEVER VISIBILITY PROBLEMS DURING RAINY WEATHER AND CREATES SIGNIFICANT RISKS OF SERIOUS ACCIDENTS.*AK
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
2PE07021 · 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.