NHTSA vehicle safety data

2001 Mercedes Benz E320 Recalls & Complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 2001 Mercedes Benz E320 right now, so this page doesn't state a recall count — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for current campaigns. 38 owner complaints are on file.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2001 Mercedes Benz E320.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2001 Mercedes Benz E320 owner complaints

Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Mercedes Benz E320, describing incidents dated June 1, 2001 to April 2, 2022.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 13 complaints
Air Bags 7 complaints
Power Train 6 complaints
Exterior Lighting 5 complaints
Engine 4 complaints
Steering 3 complaints

Of the 38 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 38 complaints, owners report 5 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11459312 · Filed April 2, 2022
Unknown, the car filled with smoke from within the dashboard on driver side.
ODI #11389752 · Filed January 25, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG AND SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO…
ODI #11377432 · Filed December 2, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF SEAL DISINTEGRATED AND CAUSED WATER TO LEAK INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS 2008 MODEL VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY) HOWEVER, THE 2001 VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE…

Read all 38 complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 2001 Mercedes Benz E320 right now — this is not a confirmed "no recalls". Check the VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls for the official status.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2001 Mercedes Benz E320. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

38 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2001 Mercedes Benz E320.

Electrical System; Exterior Lighting

ODI #11459312

Fire

Incident: April 2, 2022 · Filed: April 2, 2022

Unknown, the car filled with smoke from within the dashboard on driver side.

Air Bags

ODI #11389752

Incident: January 23, 2021 · Filed: January 25, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG AND SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SUFFERED INJURIES. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AFTER THE FAILURE. MERCEDES-BENZ OF BELLEVUE (11850 BEL-RED RD, BELLEVUE, WA 98005) WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD CONTACT HIM TO DISCUSS THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 231,000.

Visibility

ODI #11377432

Incident: December 1, 2015 · Filed: December 2, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF SEAL DISINTEGRATED AND CAUSED WATER TO LEAK INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS 2008 MODEL VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY) HOWEVER, THE 2001 VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT CONTACTED MERCEDES-BENZ OF FORT LAUDERDALE LOCATED AT 2411 S FEDERAL HWY, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33316; (954) 949-0623) AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS THE SAME HOWEVER, THE 2001 MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 360,000.*LN*JB

Air Bags

ODI #11183309

Incident: December 26, 2018 · Filed: February 28, 2019

SRS LIGHT APPEARS ON DASHBOARD. CAR WAS CHECKED IN A REPAIR SHOP. DIAGNOSTICS INDICATE A CODE WHICH HAD RECALL ISSUES. I CALLED A MERCEDES DEALER TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM BUT WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALLS ON THIS. WHAT IS TO BE DONE WHEN AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS? THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE!!

Electrical System; Engine

ODI #11174621

Fire

Incident: January 26, 2019 · Filed: February 5, 2019

ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS IDLING IN PARK IN THE DRIVEWAY. COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE VEHICLE IN 10-15 MINUTES. FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT INDUCED THE FIRE BUT UNABLE TO BE SURE. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. THE CAR WAS IN GOOD MAINTENANCE, NO ENGINE WORK HAD BEEN DONE RECENTLY. LAST REPAIR WAS A TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACEMENT AFTER REPAIRING A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK IN EARLY DECEMBER 2018

Steering; Electrical System; Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ODI #10915715

Incident: October 7, 2016 · Filed: October 13, 2016

IGNITION AND KEY DEFECTS CAUSES CAR TO STOP RUNNING AND STALL. STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION.

Unknown or Other; Engine

ODI #10824424

Incident: February 4, 2016 · Filed: February 5, 2016

WHEN VEH. IS STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR JUST IN A PARKING LOT, IT STALLS OR WILL NOT START RIGHT AWAY. EVENTUALLY IT STARTS AND AWAY WE GO. NEVER A WARNING WHATSOEVER. ALL FLUIDS ARE FULL AND BATTERY IS GOOD. REC. FUEL(GAS) IS ALWAYS USED.

Electrical System

ODI #10749075

Incident: August 17, 2015 · Filed: August 17, 2015

DEFECTIVE INSULATION ON THE WIRING FOR THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING. IT APPEARS THIS PROBLEM IS CATALYZED BY HEAT. INSULATION CRUMBLES AND LEAVE BARE WIRE EXPOSED, CAUSING SHORTAGE AND FAILURE/MELTING OF LIGHT SOCKET. OBVIOUSLY, MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA REALIZED ISSUE BUT S NOT COMPELLED TO MAKE REPAIRS!

Electrical System

ODI #10583902

Incident: February 4, 2010 · Filed: April 21, 2014

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR WATER FROM A CUP IN THE CUPHOLDER DIRECTLY ABOVE THE CENTER CONSOLE WHERE THE GEAR SHIFTER IS LOCATED SPILLED AND SEEPED DOWN INTO AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BOARD THAT WAS LOCATED BENEATH THE CUP HOLDER. THE CAR CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP AND WAS INOPERABLE. THE CIRCUIT BOARD SHORT CIRCUITED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED WHERE LIQUID WAS SPILLED AND SEEPED INTO THE CIRCUIT BOARD. I SUSPECT THAT THE LOCATION OF THE CIRCUIT WOULD BE THE SAME FOR SEVERAL MODEL YEARS AND IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT IT MAKES NO SENSE TO LOCATE A CIRCUIT BOARD IN A PLACE WHERE LIQUID IS LIKELY TO BE SPILLED AND CAN CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT RENDERS THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT LEFT THE CAR INOPERABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A 3 LANE HIGHWAY. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WERE EXPOSED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CAR BEING STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY OR STRUCK BY A VEHICLE TRYING TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE AND SEEK SAFETY ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. *TR

Electrical System; Exterior Lighting

ODI #10563714

Incident: February 10, 2014 · Filed: February 10, 2014

THE PLASTIC COATING ON THE WIRING FOR THE HEADLIGHTS IS COMING OFF LEAVING EXPOSED COPPER WIRES THAT SHORT OUT CAUSING HEADLIGHTS, ETC. TO FAIL. *TR

Other Mercedes Benz E320 model years

Check your 2001 Mercedes Benz E320 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mercedes Benz E320 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Mercedes Benz VIN