Owner-reported issues — NHTSA
2,836 complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the S211 across model years 2002–2009. Federal public records, updated weekly.
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 98 reports |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 61 reports |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 38 reports |
| ENGINE | 31 reports |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 26 reports |
| GASOLINE | 25 reports |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 22 reports |
| VISIBILITY | 20 reports |
Selected owner reports
2003 · FUEL SYSTEM
THE STRONG SMELL OF GAS FUMES IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR, ESPECIALLY AFTER FILLING THE FUEL TANK. *TR
2003 · FUEL SYSTEM
MY 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E55 (W211) HAS DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK AT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT/PUMP. THE UNIT CRACKS AND ALLOWS FUEL TO LEAD INTO THE CABIN, UNDER THE REAR SEATS, WHERE THE FUEL SENDING UNIT/PUMP IS LOCATED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, WHO SAID THIS WAS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THIS MODEL MERCEDES BENZ, BUT THAT THE FACTORY HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN OPENED FOR THIS ISSUE AT NHTSA AND I WAS HOPING TO GET HELP IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FIXED. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED AND CONCERNED THAT MB HA
2003 · FUEL SYSTEM
AFTER A GASOLINE FILL-UP A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IS NOTICED OUTSIDE THE CAR AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED. THIS CONTINUES UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 1/8 TANK OF GASOLINE IS USED. THE ODOR IS SO STRONG THAT IT CANNOT BE PARKED IN A CLOSED GARAGE FOR FEAR OF A FIRE OR AN EXPLOSION. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. *TR
2003 · SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ANOTHER CAR CUT IN FRONT OF ME.WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE COMPLETELY FAILED AND A RED WARNING SIGN APPEARED ON THE DASH SAYING BRAKE MALFUNCTION STOP VEHICLE". I WAS FORCED TO RUN A RED LIGHT IN ORDER TO PREVENT HITTING OTHER CARS AND WAS ABLE TO ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP.THE INCIDENT NEARLY KILLED ME AND PUT OTHER DRIVERS AT A SERIOUS RISK AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF AND TURNING IT BACK ON ALL CAME BACK TO NORMAL AND THERE IS NOW NO MALFUNCTION ON THE DASH AS IF THIS NEVER HAPPENED. *TR
2003 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THERE ARE WIRING DEFECTIVE FOR 2003 MB E320 AND MAY BE OTHER YEARS AND MODELS, THAT USE SINGLE BOARD FOR TAIL LIGHTS (BRAKE, NIGHT LIGHT, SIGNAL, REVERSE AS ONE BOARD). IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH REPLACE THE BOARD ($65/BOARD OR $130 FOR TWO PLUS $125 LABOR), IT WILL GO OUT LESS THAN ONE DAY USE. IT IS DANGERS THAT STOP LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING, AND WILL EVENTUALLY INJURY OR FATALITY WILL OCCUR. MERCEDES BENZ WAS NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE IS NO INDICATION FROM THEM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS WIRING HARNESSES AND WIRES FOR TAIL LIGHT BOARDS. DEALERS SAID IT SHOULD BE A RECALL I
2003 · FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I HAVE REALIZED FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW THAT MY CAR HAD INSIDE GAS FUMES AND I WAS LOOSING GAS, AS WELL AS MY GAS FUEL INDICATOR BEING OFF, BUT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY, UNTIL RECENTLY. MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT WHEN I FILL MY GAS TANK, IT LEAKS. I RECENTLY HAD A MECHANIC DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AS LEAK IN THE GAS TANK AS WELL AS LEAKY/BAD SEALS AND THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND FUEL SENDER NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE RECOMMENDED WORK IS VERY EXPENSIVE, WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD. I INQUIRED AT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL AND MB WOULD NOT DO ANYTHIN
2003 · SUSPENSION
I WAS SITTING WITH THE CAR IN PARK BUT STILL RUNNING AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME UP SAYING THAT THE CAR WAR TO LOW.LOOKING ONLINE AND READING OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPING TO THE MAKES ME THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS AGO WHERE I HAD TO HAVE THE RIGHT SIDE AIR SCK REPLACED BUT WITH THIS PROBLEM BOTH SIDES ARE SITTING LOW WHICH MAKES ME THINK THAT THE PUMP HAS WENT BAD. *TR
2003 · SERVICE BRAKES
DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM OF RESERVOIR, WHICH IS PART OF THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE SYSTEM (SBC). THERE WAS A SYSTEM RECALL #2004 050014, FOR THE SBC. DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT TO REPAIR, WHICH IS A KNOW FACT FOR MANY OWNERS TO HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. DUE TO THE VAST AMOUNT OF OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE, REGARDING THE RESERVOIR AND SBC UNIT, THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT UP TO MERCEDES BENZ USA. MERCEDES BENZ DEALERS REFUSE TO REPLACE RESERVOIR, BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT TO BE A DIFFERENT ITEM. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TWO ITEMS WORK HAND IN HAND AND ALSO SEEMS TO BE A COMM
2004 · FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I HAVE A STRONG FUEL SMELL AFTER FILLING THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AND THE TECHNICIAN COMMENTED ON FUEL LEAK MARKS AROUND THE TANK. *TR
2004 · FUEL SYSTEM
MY CAR SMELL GAS STRONGLY WHEN I PUT FULL TANK OF GAS. THIS IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR ME N FAMILY. I NEED RECALL FOR MERCEDES DEALER. I READ TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT E SERIES IN THE WEB. THANKS.... *TR
2004 · FUEL SYSTEM
VERY STRONG SMELL OF GAS FROM REAR RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR. FUEL LEAK FOUND UNDER VEHICLE. TOOK CAR TO AUTO SHOP; MECHANIC FOUND A DEFECTIVE FUEL SENDER/PUMP. REPLACED SENDER/PUMP. RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO STRONG FUEL SMELL AND NO VISIBLE FUEL LEAK AFTER THE REPAIR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I TOOK THIS CAR TO A SHOP FOR FUEL LEAK ISSUE AND THIS IS ALSO MY SECOND FILING A COMPLAINT VIA THIS AGENCY. I THINK 211S HAVE DEFECTIVE FUEL SYSTEM. I DON'T SEE RECALL ON THIS SPECIFIC MODEL...THIS A SAFETY AND HEALTH ISSUE TO THE OWNER AND PUBLIC, AND ENVIRONMENT. *TR
2005 · ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF RANDOMLY AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE FREEWAY AND I WILL LOSE STEERING AND MY BRAKING ABILITIES. THE SBC PUMP ALREADY HAD BEEN REPLACED AND MERCEDES HAS NOT MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO REIMBURSE ME, MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE WIRING HARNESS WILL CRUMBLE IN YOUR HAND INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE TRUNK HAD PINCHED WIRES SHORTING OUT AND CAUGHT FIRE LUCKILY I HAD BEEN IN THE GARAGE AT THAT TIME TO WITNESS AND PUT IT OUT. THE CAR WILL START UP AND DRIVE AND STALL OUT RANDOMLY NOW AT ANY SPEEDS OR EVEN BEING STOPPED.
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint database · synced 2026-09-21