2003 Mercedes Benz E500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other E500 years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 125 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mercedes Benz E500. That ranks 3rd out of 7 E500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (29 complaints, 23%), typically at around 111,569 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 6 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 125owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Mercedes Benz E500 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 | 29 | 23% | 111,569 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 27 | 22% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 19 | 15% | 76,358 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 14 | 11% | 102,350 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 8% | 81,777 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 6% | 76,015 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 6% | 90,600 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 4% | 113,240 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 3% | 83,025 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 3% | 61,975 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 2% | 45,158 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 2% | 152,801 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 2% | 80,950 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 65,600 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 67,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Mercedes Benz E500 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 22V-954. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024120001/2/3.
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall expands NHTSA recall number 19V-918. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023010004, 2023010005, and 2023010006.
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly resulting in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V918-4126.pdf
Risk: A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding roof, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 10, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020040011.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel Leakage From The Fuel Tank (EA13003) — opened Mar 15, 2013, closed Dec 19, 2014.
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 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed but the pedal was stiff. The vehicle was taken to two dealers where it was diagnosed that the brake pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…
Air suspension in the rear suddenly failed making it impossible to drive, also triggered a red warning of "stop, car too low"
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated that there was leakage coming from the driverâs and the passengerâs side sunroof. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer. The contact was informed that the only warranty would be for the module. The contact…
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the air bags on the driverâs side of the vehicle inadvertently deployed without warning. After the air bags were deployed, a message showing an air bag malfunction was displayed on the instrument panel. The…
I OWN A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR ABOUT 25 MPH .SHE PUT ON THE BRAKES AND A BRIGHT RED SIGNAL APPEARED ON THE SCREEN AND THE CAR BRAKES FAILED .TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT ,MY WIFE DROVE INTO AN UPHILL PARKING LOT WHERE THE CAR CAME TO A STOP WITHOUT THE CARS BRAKES HELP .AFTER…
Other Mercedes Benz E500 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 E500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 E500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 E500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 E500 | 50 | 4 |
| 2005 E500 | 140 | 3 |
| 2004 E500 | 142 | 3 |
| 2003 | 125 | 3 |
See all Mercedes Benz E500 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 E500?
Owners most often report service brakes, fuel/propulsion system, suspension problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 29 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mercedes Benz E500?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Mercedes Benz E500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E500 model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.