Mercedes Benz E500 Problems by Year
Mercedes Benz E500 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical E500 year: 2003, 2004, 2005. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2004 E500: 142 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2005 E500: 140 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2003 E500: 125 complaints, 3 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Mercedes Benz E500 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 157 | 7 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 84 | 4 | 5 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 82 | 4 | 0 |
| Suspension | 55 | 4 | 0 |
| Power Train | 25 | 4 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 20 | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 19 | 4 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 18 | 4 | 4 |
| Engine | 17 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Equipment | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Wheels | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Tires | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Mercedes Benz E500 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2005: fuel/propulsion system (55)
- 2004: fuel/propulsion system (56)
All Mercedes Benz E500 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 E500 | 1 | 0 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | |
| 2008 E500 | 1 | 0 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | |
| 2007 E500 | 1 | 0 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | |
| 2006 E500 | 50 | 4 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2005 E500 | 140 | 3 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 E500 | 142 | 3 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2003 E500 | 125 | 3 | — | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Mercedes Benz: all Mercedes Benz models · Mercedes Benz VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercedes Benz E500 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2003 (125), 2004 (142), 2005 (140) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical E500 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Mercedes Benz E500?
Fuel/propulsion System, with 157 complaints across 7 model years.
How many recalls does the Mercedes Benz E500 have?
4 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.