2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other E 300 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 32 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300. That ranks 2nd out of 12 E 300 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (9 complaints, 28%), typically at around 32,500 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 2 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 32owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 9 | 28% | 32,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 22% | 13,400 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 19% | 8,796 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 16% | 133,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 13% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 6% | 10,453 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 6% | 13,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 6% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 3% | 18,034 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 3% | 13,100 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | 7,805 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 3% | 1,200 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Communication: auto crash notification
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 C300, E300, 2018-2020 CLA250, 2020 CLS450, AMG E53, AMG GT53, GLE450, 2018 AMG E63, AMG GTA, 2017-2020 GLA250, GLC300, 2019 GLC350, AMG GLC43, 2017-2018 GLE350, 2019 AMG GLC 43, GLC350, GLE400, 2017 GLS450, S550, C300 Cabrio, and 2018-2019 S560 vehicles. On June 18, 2021, an additional 9 vehicles were added, including certain 2021 GLA250, GLC300, 2018 S450, E400, and 2017 CLA250 vehicles. The communication module might have been inadvertently deactivated during a service visit, which could have disabled the Emergency Call (eCall) function.
Risk: A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting emergency services through the call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the communication module and activate it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Letters for the owners of the 9 additional vehicles were mailed July 9, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021030005.
Communication: auto crash notification; electrical system:software
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details. The software design of the communication module may fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (eCall) in the event of a crash.
Risk: Failure of the eCall system may result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021020025.
Electrical system:software; seat belts:front:warning light/devices
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019 C300, C300 Coupe, CLS450, E450 Coupe and S450, 2017-2019 E300, 2018 E400 Coupe, E400 Stationwagon, and 2018-2019 S560 vehicles that have previously had the instrument cluster replaced. The software in the replaced instrument cluster may cause the seat belt warning system to not operate properly, only displaying a solid warning light if either the driver or passenger seat belt is unfastened, instead of a blinking light with an audible tone.
Risk: Without the audible tone and blinking warning light to remind the front seat occupants that their seat belts are not buckled, they may forget to buckle their seat belt, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began September 8, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020080015.
Seat belts
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 E400 Wagon 4MATIC, E400 4MATIC, E43 AMG 4MATIC, 2018-2019 E63S AMG 4MATIC Wagon, E63 AMG 4MATIC Wagon, E300, E300 4MATIC, GLC63S Coupe AMG 4MATIC, 2019 CLS450, CLS450 4MATIC, CLS53 AMG 4MATIC, E450 Wagon, E53 AMG 4MATIC, GLC300, GLC63 AMG Coupe 4MATIC, G550 4MATIC, G63 AMG, GLC300 Coupe 4MATIC, GLC300 4MATIC, GLC350e 4MATIC, GLC43 AMG Coupe 4MATIC, GLC43 AMG 4MATIC, GLC63 AMG 4MATIC, GT63 AMG four-door 4MATIC, and GT63S AMG four-door 4MATIC vehicles. Although correctly fastened, the front seat belts may be inaccurately detected as being unfastened, which may cause the electric PRE-SAFE®-function and the pretensioner to be deactivated.
Risk: The electric PRE-SAFE®-function and the seat belt pretensioners may not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat belt buckles, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020020017.
Steering:rack and pinion:rack
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Mercedes Benz C300, 2017-2019 C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, C63 Cabrio, 2015 C63S AMG, 2018-2019 C300, C350e, C63 AMG, C63S AMG Cabrio, 2018 C63 AMG Cabrio, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG, C63S AMG Coupe, E300, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2019 CLS450, E450 Cabrio, and E450 Coupe rear-wheel drive vehicles. A locknut in the steering rack may break under high load, possibly causing the steering to become stuck in one position.
Risk: A car that cannot be properly steered has an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019080012.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic Coupe, C300 4Matic Cabrio, E300, E300 4Matic, C300, C300 4Matic, C300 Coupe and C300 Cabrio vehicles. The cover for the starter battery may not cover the live positive electrical wire, and in certain crashes, the vehicle's strut brace may deform and short circuit the battery.
Risk: If the battery is shorted, the emergency door unlocking would be deactivated for an outside responder and the short circuit could increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the positive pole cover, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2018110002.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 Mercedes-Benz E300, E300 4Matic, E43 AMG 4Matic, E400 4Matic, E63S AMG 4Matic+, and 2019 CLS450 4Matic vehicles. The Occupant Classification System (OCS) may not be properly calibrated, resulting in the front passenger air bag not being deactivated if a child seat is in the front seat.
Risk: If a child seat is in the front seat and the passenger air bag is not deactivated, in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion, free of charge. The recall began November 26, 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes Benz E Class. The contact stated that while driving stopped at a residential gate, the gear was shifted and skipped from g1 to g3., shifting itself to neutral. In another incident, when at a stop light or stop sign, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the…
Variable Valve Timing Camshaft KNOWN DEFECT rendering the car unusable at only 100K miles.
The contact owned a 2018 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, another vehicle leaving the parking lot pulled in front of the contact's vehicle, and the contact's vehicle crashed into the side of the other vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact's face and…
The car did not give any warning before this issue came about. A matter of fact when I took it to the mechanic they were unable to do a diagnostic test because there were no error messages and check engine light never came on. After taking it to the dealership they were able to check the history…
Sunroof shattered.
Other Mercedes-Benz E 300 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 E 300 | 29 | 8 |
| 2018 | 32 | 7 |
| 2017 E 300 | 132 | 16 |
| 2016 E 300 | 1 | 1 |
| 2009 E 300 | 2 | 0 |
| 2002 E 300 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 E 300 | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 E 300 | 13 | 0 |
| 1998 E 300 | 9 | 0 |
| 1997 E 300 | 8 | 0 |
| 1996 E 300 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 E 300 | 6 | 0 |
See all Mercedes-Benz E 300 problems by year, every Mercedes-Benz model, or the Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300?
Owners most often report engine, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 9 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E 300 model years, the 2018 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.