1999 Mercedes Benz E320 Problems and Recalls (82 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1999 Mercedes Benz E320 is Engine (18% of 82 owner reports). There are 0 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 82 complaints · 0 recalls

What problems show up on the 1999 Mercedes Benz E320?

15 of 82 filings named Engine (18% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Airbags (14 reports).

This snapshot lists no safety recalls for this year. That is not a clean bill of health. Still check the VIN at nhtsa.gov.

The previous year is not published here. Use the year list to jump around.

What to check before you buy a 1999 Mercedes Benz E320

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov even if this page lists none.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 15 complaints · 18.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 11
  • Fires 6
  • Injuries 5
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 15 of 82 owner complaints (18.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 15 complaints, 18.3% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 15 · 18.3% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 14 complaints, 17.1% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 8 crash reports 1 fire reports 14 · 17.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 8 complaints, 9.8% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 8 · 9.8% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 8 complaints, 9.8% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 8 · 9.8% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 5 complaints, 6.1% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 5 · 6.1% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 5 complaints, 6.1% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 5 · 6.1% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 4 complaints, 4.9% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 fire reports 4 · 4.9% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 4 complaints, 4.9% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 4 · 4.9% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 4 complaints, 4.9% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 crash reports 4 · 4.9% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 50 complaints, 61.0% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 9 crash reports 1 fire reports 50 · 61.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Engine (ENGINE) 15 18.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 14 17.1% 8 crashes · 1 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 8 9.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 8 9.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 5 6.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 5 6.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 4 4.9% 0 crashes · 3 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 4 4.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 4 4.9% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 50 61.0% 9 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2000. 2000-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2000-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2002-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2002-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2002-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2002-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2004-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2004-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2000 Jul 2019 Investigation PE03058 ● Investigation PE03058 Investigation PE07021 ● Investigation PE07021
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2000-Q1 Owner reports 2
2000-Q4 Owner reports 1
2001-Q1 Owner reports 1
2001-Q2 Owner reports 1
2001-Q3 Owner reports 1
2001-Q4 Owner reports 3
2002-Q1 Owner reports 2
2002-Q2 Owner reports 3
2002-Q3 Owner reports 2
2002-Q4 Owner reports 2
2003-Q1 Owner reports 4
2003-Q2 Owner reports 2
2003-Q3 Owner reports 4
2003-Q4 Owner reports 2
2004-Q1 Owner reports 3
2004-Q2 Owner reports 6
2004-Q3 Owner reports 4
2005-Q1 Owner reports 1
2005-Q2 Owner reports 1
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2006-Q1 Owner reports 2
2006-Q3 Owner reports 2
2007-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 2
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2011-Q1 Owner reports 4
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2011-Q3 Owner reports 2
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q1 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q2 Owner reports 1
2014-Q3 Owner reports 2
2015-Q1 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q2 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
Defect investigation 1 PE03058
Defect investigation 1 PE07021
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (0)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

No safety recalls are on file for this model year in this snapshot.

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 82 complaints · page 1 of 4
2019-08-27Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11246612
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS REVERSING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER, PASSENGER, CEILING, AND BOTH SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT OCCURRING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT LEFT A VOICE MESSAGE WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
2019-02-01Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11173568
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS AND FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR AIR BAG ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND INJURIES TO THE FACE, NECK, AND SHOULDERS, WHICH REQUIRED HOSPITALIZATION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THERE WAS NO CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY THE MANUFACTURER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT UNIVERSAL JOINT AND DRIVESHAFT FRACTURED, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAG SENSOR TO ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATE AND DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF GREENWICH, 261 WEST PUTNAM AVE, GREENWICH, CT) WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
2018-10-04Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11133310
CrashFireInjuryDeath
8/31/18 IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET, THE CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE (FROM A FIRE BUT NO FLAME WAS SEEN) I HAD TO OPEN ALL WINDOWS TO BREATH AND SEE. MY HOME WAS WITHIN SIGHT SO I DROVE TO THE MIDDLE OF MY LAWN AWAY FROM ANY BUILDING, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHUT DOWN. I AS QUICKLY AS POSABLE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO SHUT DOWN.
2018-04-03EXTERIOR LIGHTING
NHTSA ODI 11083130
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL SRS LIGHT ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT
2017-07-03Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11002894
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL AND THE SMELL OF THE GAS IS REALLY BAD FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. BASED ON THE ANALYSIS OF FUEL TANK LEAKS ON MODEL YEAR 2003-08 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS VEHICLES SHOWS ME THAT THE E-CALLS HAS THIS ISSUE BUT MY CAR IS A 1999. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WAS THE YEAR BASED SOLELY ON THE 15 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY OR OTHER FACTS ALSO.
2015-10-12Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 10781492
CrashFireInjuryDeath
1999 E320 RIGHT FRONT UPPER COIL SPRING MOUNT ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY FROM FRAME. THIS PROBLEM IS FREQUENT ON THIS MODEL AND CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL UNDER A FAILURE CONDITION. THE LEFT COIL SPRING CAP IS FINE, AS IT IS IN MOST CASES I'VE RESEARCHED. - I FOUND THIS PROBLEM JUST BEFORE IT BROKE WHILE REPLACING THE FRONT BRAKES, AND THIS PARTS FAILURE REQUIRES REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE AFFECTED AREA AND PARTS. THE REPAIR IS ~$550.00 AND IS A MUST TO USE THE CAR SAFELY. - MERCEDES BENZ CERTAINLY KNOWS ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS FAILED TO AT LEAST NOTIFY OWNERS OF THIS MODEL THAT USERS EXPECT TO LAST FOR DECADES. THIS IS NOT A "NORMAL" PROBLEM.
2015-01-03Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10669889
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, GOING ~5 MPH, WHEN I SMELLED SOMETHING, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION BY MY HEAD AND THE AIR CURTAINS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SELF-DEPLOYED. AFTER THAT MY HUSBAND, A MECHANIC, DEACTIVATED THE SRS USING THE SWITCH ON THE CONSOLE OF THE CAR. HOWEVER, APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER, THE AIR CURTAINS AND AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SELF-DEPLOYED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING THE CAR. THEN ON OR ABOUT JULY 31, 2014, A CLEAR DAY, AROUND 8:30 A.M. WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, HE HEARD AN EXPLOSION, THE SEATBELT RETRACTED WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT CAUSED A PAINFUL BLOW TO HIS CHEST AND PINNED HIM INTO THE CAR. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. AT FIRST HE THOUGHT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SHOT BECAUSE OF THE NOISE FROM THE EXPLOSION, IT WAS HARD TO BREATHE AND PAINFUL. HOWEVER, AFTER A FEW MINUTES, HE REALIZED IT WAS THE SEATBELT AND STRUGGLED TO RELEASE IT. THE SEATBELT PUT A GASH IN HIS LEFT SHOULDER THROUGH HIS CLOTHES. (WE HAVE PICTURES OF THE GASH.) IN ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS, WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, ROAD CONDITIONS WERE GOOD, WE HAVE NOT BEEN SPEEDING, AND, THEREFORE, DID NOT CALL THE POLICE. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR OFF OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT NO LONGER WORKS, AND DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT THE SEAT BELT WOULD VIOLATE A NEW JERSEY STATUTE. WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE MORE AIRBAGS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF SPONTANEOUSLY SELF-DEPLOYING WHILE THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN. WE'VE CONTACTED MERCEDES AND WERE TOLD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALER AND PAY FOR A DIAGNOSIS. WE FEEL THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED BY MERCEDES BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR
2014-09-11Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10632475
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK UNDER THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT NEAR THE REAR TIRE. I HAD IT FIXED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED. I CURRENTLY HAVE A FUEL LEAK AT THE SAME PLACE. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 141,000 MILES. *TR

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1999 Mercedes Benz E320?

Owners named Engine most often — 15 of 82 reports (18%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1999 Mercedes Benz E320?

NHTSA lists 0 safety recall campaigns. This snapshot lists none, which is not a clean bill of health. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1999 Mercedes Benz E320?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources