2003 Mercedes Benz E Class Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other E Class years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mercedes Benz E Class. That is the most of any E Class model year in the database (13 years). The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (13 complaints, 29%), typically at around 14,180 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 45owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Mercedes Benz E Class 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 29% | 14,180 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 20% | 2,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 11% | 95,950 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 11% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 9% | 2,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 9% | 2,894 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 9% | 4,003 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 7% | 2,494 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 7% | 2,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 4% | 2 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 4% | 104,450 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 4% | 7,501 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4% | 2 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 4% | 500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | 1 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 2% | 2 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | 500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Mercedes Benz E Class recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system
Problem: Mercedes-benz is recalling my 2006-2008 m-class, r-class, my 2005-2009 slk-class, my 2005-2008 c-class, my 2003-2004 and 2006-2008 clk-class, my 2003-2008 e-class, my 2004 and 2008 cl-class, my 2008 cls-class, my 2004 and 2007-2008 s-class, my 2003 g-class, and my 2003-2004, 2006 and 2009 sl-class vehicles. A software calibration number (scn) coding received on the affected vehicles during a recent workshop visit was incorrect. Depending on the model year and model affected, the results of an incorrect scn coding can affect a number of vehicle safety and emission functions including the following types of functions: (1) the fuel gauge readings may be incorrect; (2) a stuck fuel-level sensor may not be displayed in the instrument cluster; (3) the obd system may cause the check engine light to illuminate incorrectly; and, (4) the speedometer may be out of tolerance.
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the electrical fuel pump may not receive a crash signal that is required for the fuel pump to disconnect and prevent future fuel delivery as designed.
Fix: Dealers will recode the scn free of charge. The recall began on august 30, 2008. Owners may contact mercedes-benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Problem: On certain vehicles, the sensotronic brake control (sbc) system may prematurely shift to the hydraulic back-up function mode, due to deterioration of the wiring harness connection, or due to premature failure of the hydraulic pump.
Risk: In the hydraulic back-up mode, the driver has braking power sufficient to stop the vehicle, although greater brake pedal pressure is required and the brake pedal travel will be noticeably longer.
Fix: Dealers will install a bracket and replacement ground wire to the sbc pump unit on all vehicles free of charge. Additionally dealers will inspect and replace the sbc pump unit in sl vehicles produced during a limited production period. The recall began on august 8, 2005. Owners may contact mercedes-benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Problem: On certain vehicles, the electronic monitoring system of the sensotronic brake control (sbc) is designed to monitor the pressure gradient within the high pressure line of the brake system. If an unacceptable pressure gradient is detected, the system will switch, as it is designed to do, into the hydraulic function mode.
Risk: If vehicles are not routinely serviced and have extremely high mileage combined with a high number of brake actuations, or a high brake actuation frequency, the pump motor of the sbc may run out of permissible tolerances, thereby triggering the hydraulic function mode.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the sbc hydraulic unit, replacing it if necessary. The recall began on october 21m 2004. Owners should contact mercedes-benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Steering
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the nut on the bolt which connects the steering gear to the steering coupling may not be tightened correctly.
Risk: The loosening of the nut could result in a slipping of the connection over time, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles and tighten the nut on the bolt if necessary. Owner notification began august 21, 2003. Owners should contact mercedes-benz 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.
My whole garage smells like gasoline whenever we fill up the gas tank. The smell will remain until we drive the car for a few days, consuming perhaps 1/4 of the tank. This has been on-going only for the last year. *js
I started smelling gas in the car cabin. There was gas on my driveway as well. The gas sign started to flash on my dash and the check engine light came on. Went to the dealership and they said there was a major leak in the purge system. They quoted me $3066.88. They should take responsibility and…
Strong odor of gasoline evident after fill up. This coincided with accuracy issues of the fuel gauge, where vehicle now runs out of gas when gauge indicates 1/4 tank. The strong smell of gas happens now repeatedly with every fill up, which seems to indicate some form of leakage at or near the top…
I purchased the mercedes in april 2013 of this year and less than 30 days of purchasing the car i had major repairs done to the car. I slightly smelled fuel vapors when i purchased the car however i thought that it was just a possible after effect of me refueling the car. Over the course of two…
The warning light of brakes failure came on at highway exit at 65mph and the brake paddle hit the floor with no brakes. Pulled over and took the car to the dealer in mid march and was told by the dealer that this is the sbc pump that failed which would have been covered by mercedes benz under…
Other Mercedes Benz E Class years
← 2002 E Class · 2004 E Class →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 E Class | 5 | 0 |
| 2006 E Class | 10 | 1 |
| 2005 E Class | 9 | 3 |
| 2004 E Class | 15 | 4 |
| 2003 | 45 | 4 |
| 2002 E Class | 8 | 0 |
| 2001 E Class | 15 | 0 |
| 2000 E Class | 34 | 0 |
| 1999 E Class | 13 | 1 |
| 1998 E Class | 24 | 0 |
| 1997 E Class | 38 | 1 |
| 1996 E Class | 16 | 1 |
| 1995 E Class | 21 | 1 |
See all Mercedes Benz E Class problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.
Similar Mercedes Benz models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mercedes Benz E Class?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 13 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mercedes Benz E Class?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Mercedes Benz E Class a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E Class model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.