Mercedes-Benz E350 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 196 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Mercedes-Benz E350 across 15 model years. The 2006 model year has the most (50). The words owners use most often: “balance shaft” (9% of reports).
- 196engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $5,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 36%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Balance shaft: mentioned in 17 of 196 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the Mercedes-Benz E350 at $5,550, and half of them between $2,600 and $9,700.
Based on 22 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 121 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 196 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 7 an injury.
Mercedes-Benz E350 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 E350 | 1 | 50% | — |
| 2021 E350 | 4 | 31% | — |
| 2020 E350 | 3 | 38% | — |
| 2017 E350 | 2 | 29% | — |
| 2016 E350 | 5 | 10% | 41,500 |
| 2015 E350 | 2 | 6% | 50 |
| 2014 E350 | 20 | 7% | 23,650 |
| 2013 E350 | 15 | 9% | 39,536 |
| 2012 E350 | 20 | 9% | 61,781 |
| 2011 E350 | 13 | 6% | 90,000 |
| 2010 E350 | 15 | 8% | 59,948 |
| 2009 E350 | 5 | 8% | 45,000 |
| 2008 E350 | 13 | 8% | 115,500 |
| 2007 E350 | 28 | 8% | 93,623 |
| 2006 E350 | 50 | 13% | 111,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Exterior lighting:lighting control module:software; engine and engine cooling:engine:engine control module (ecu/ecm):software; electronic stability control (esc):control module:software
Model years: 2010
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2010 E350, 2014 G550, 2008-2009 C300, 2008 C350, 2009 CLK550, 2007 SL550, SLK280, and 2008 SLK350 vehicles. Various control units may have been updated with incorrect software configuration during a service repair. This can result in various system failures, such as loss of drive power, reduced exterior lighting, or loss of dynamic control functions, including stability and traction control.
Risk: Various system failures, such as loss of drive power, reduced exterior lighting, or loss of dynamic control functions including stability and traction control, can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the software configuration on the affected control units, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 3, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022040003.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Model years: 2020
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020 C300, E350, and GLC300 vehicles equipped with turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engines. The screws that retain the turbocharger oil feed and return lines may not have been properly tightened, possibly resulting in an oil leak.
Risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger oil lines and tighten them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 17, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020070017.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2016
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016 Mercedes Benz E350, E400, E400 4Matic, E63 4M S AMG, E350 4Matic, E63-4M S AMG, 2015 CLS400, CLS400 4Matic, CLS550, CLS63-4M "P" AMG, and CLS550 4Matic vehicles manufactured April 16, 2015, to April 22, 2015. The integral steel cable that secures the rubber seal to the bulkhead might have been damaged due to the supplier rework of the rubber seal. In the event the rubber seal is not properly secured around the engine compartment, it is possible for the rubber seal to temporarily stick to the hood when it is opened and then may fall into the engine bay when the hood is closed.
Risk: If the rubber seal falls into the engine compartment, it may contact parts of the engine or exhaust system, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rubber seal, in the engine compartment, free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2015. MBUSA's number is 2015080001. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-201-573-5339.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Last April, during our routine oil change our mechanic pointed out that our Cam sensors were wicking oil into the harness and making its way to the ECM. This is the first we had ever heard of this issue and the repair was $2400 or so. After researching the problem we wrote to MB USA and never got…
Issue with fuel injection for Benz E350 2014 2014 Mercedes-Benz E350 fuel injection issues often stem from faulty injectors causing misfires, often on Cylinder 5, or a recalled fuel feed line. Symptoms include rough idling, reduced gas mileage, stalling, and check engine lights (P0300-P0306 codes).
The AC compressor failed in traffic causing the engine to lock up and not restart.
Engine keeps having a misfire that Mercedes put a TSB out for and once the misfire happen I cause the vehicle to go in a limp mode which causes the vehicle to loose power happened to me in the freeway. The car had 54K miles and Mercedes refused to repair the issue as the engine part failure isnât…
Car difficult to control found to have corroded sub frame and rear break lines. Very unsafe to drive brought to independent dealer who had car towed back to Mercedes. No warning lamps, or other symptoms prior to failure. Scary situation.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Mercedes-Benz E350s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 196 owner complaints about engine for the Mercedes-Benz E350. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Mercedes-Benz E350 engine?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the Mercedes-Benz E350?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,550 (half paid between $2,600 and $9,700), from 22 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Mercedes-Benz E350?
The most frequent phrase is “balance shaft”, in 17 of 196 complaints.
Other Mercedes-Benz E350 problems
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (537)
- Air Bags problems (396)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (227)
- Service Brakes problems (186)
- Electrical System problems (179)
- Power Train problems (130)
- Suspension problems (117)
- Structure problems (106)
See all Mercedes-Benz E350 problems.