2002 Mercedes Benz E320 Problems and Recalls (23 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2002 Mercedes Benz E320 is Engine (17% of 23 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 23 complaints · 0 recalls

What problems show up on the 2002 Mercedes Benz E320?

4 of 23 filings named Engine (17% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Airbags (3 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 2001 has 38 reports on file; this year has 23. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2002 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 4 complaints · 17.4% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 1
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 1
  • 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 4 of 23 owner complaints (17.4%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 4 complaints, 17.4% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 4 · 17.4% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 3 complaints, 13.0% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 crash reports 3 · 13.0% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 3 complaints, 13.0% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 · 13.0% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 3 complaints, 13.0% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 3 · 13.0% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 8.7% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 2 · 8.7% Steering (STEERING): 2 complaints, 8.7% of reports Steering (STEERING) 2 · 8.7% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 1 complaints, 4.4% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 · 4.4% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 4.4% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 · 4.4% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 1 complaints, 4.4% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 · 4.4% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 10 complaints, 43.5% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 10 · 43.5% 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) 4 17.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 3 13.0% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 13.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 3 13.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 8.7% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Steering (STEERING) 2 8.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 4.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 4.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 4.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 10 43.5% 0 crashes · 0 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 Apr 2002. 2002-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2015-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 2002 Jul 2020
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2002-Q2 Owner reports 1
2002-Q4 Owner reports 1
2003-Q3 Owner reports 1
2003-Q4 Owner reports 1
2004-Q4 Owner reports 1
2007-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 5
2015-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2018-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
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 9 of 23 complaints · page 1 of 1
2020-09-03VISIBILITYUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11352956
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF WAS UNABLE TO BE OPENED AND THAT THE SUN ROOF GLASS HAD BECOME INDENTED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY) FOR ANOTHER MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLE WHICH SHE LINKED TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000. *BF*JB
2018-07-09Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11110169
CrashFireInjuryDeath
SRS LIGHT IS ON
2016-05-09Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 10863864
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ON APRIL 25, 2016, I NOTICED THAT A WHITE BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AT ABOUT 10 MPH IN TRAFFIC. DESPITE THE WHITE WARNING LIGHT, THE FOOT BRAKES STILL HELD. IT SAID "SERVICE BRAKES , VISIT WORKSHOP". I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO THE SOLE AUTHORISED AGENT IN TRINIDAD, WHO RAN SOME DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE CAR. THEY INDICATED THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE SBC UNIT AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF USD 3,000.00 PLUS USD 365.00 FOR LABOR. THIS, I COULD NOT AFFORD AS THE TOTAL COST IS QUITE EXORBITANT AND SURPRISING. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP AND TOWARDS DRIVING HOME, THE RED BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR NOW LIT UP AND I HEARD A LOUD WARNING SIGNAL. THE WARNING SIGN SAID TO STOP THE CAR, WHICH I IMMEDIATELY DID AND MANAGED TO PARK THE CAR AT A FRIEND'S HOME AS I COULD NOT REACH MY HOME. THE CAR NOW HAD VERY LITTLE OR NO FOOT BRAKES AND I HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL RIGHT DOWN IN ORDER TO STOP THE CAR. I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 10MPH IN CITY TRAFFIC AND THIS "NO BRAKES" SITUATION RESULTED IN EXTREME DANGER TO BOTH ME, MY WIFE, PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER TRAFFIC. I WAS LATER INFORMED THAT THESE SBC UNITS WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AND WERE PREVIOUSLY RECALLED BY MERCEDES BENZ, BUT I AS AN OWNER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. IN ADDITION, THE SOLE AGENTS IN TRINIDAD FOR MERCEDES BENZ IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE RECALL AND CHANGE THE SBC UNIT FREE OF CHARGE. I NEED URGENT ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER EITHER FROM MERCEDES BENZ USA OR MERCEDES BENZ GERMANY AS I AM A HAPLESS VICTIM OF THIS MERCEDES BENZ SBC RECALL. PLEASE NOTE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN SEPTEMBER 2005, IT HAS BARELY COMPLETED 58,000 MILES. SINCE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT, IT HAS ONLY BEEN MAINTAINED AND SERVICED BY THE SOLE MERCEDES BENZ AGENT IN TRINIDAD.MERCEDES BENZ RECALL NUMBER [redacted] AND [redacted] AND/OR [redacted]
2015-12-22Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10811702
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUSE BOX AND THE COMPUTER BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
2015-05-20Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10717564
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHILE DECELERATING ONTO HIGHWAY FROM ON RAMP, THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. IT'S IS A SCARY SITUATION TO LOSE POWER AS YOU MERGE INTO HIGHWAY. I COASTED TO BRAKE DOWN LANE. I SHIFTED BACK INTO PARK GEAR TO RESET, THEN BACK INTO DRIVE GEAR TO RESUME TRAVEL. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES SINCE. CAN BE A DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ROADWAYS.
2014-12-31Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10669287
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A GASOLINE FUEL ODOR EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
2014-11-26SUSPENSION
NHTSA ODI 10661030
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE CAR STARTED HAVING VERY STRONG VIBRATIONS AT IDLE SPEED WHEN CAR IS IN REVERSE OR DRIVE AND STOPPED AT A STANDSTILL WITH BRAKE. TOOK IT TO SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLES MOTOR MOUNTS WERE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT, TO THE TUNE OF OVER 600.00. ONCE AGAIN I HAVE READ A SIMILAR COMPLAINT IN THE DATABASE AND REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHY MERCEDES HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE FACT THAT THIS IS A TREND IN THE VEHICLES AND COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF RECALL OR FIX FOR THE SITUATION... MAYBE MOST OWNERS JUST UNBEGRUDGINGLY PAY WHATEVER NECESSARY TO HAVE THEIR CARS FIXED OBLIVIOUS TO THE FACT THAT MERCEDES CLAIM TO FAME IS QUALITY,RELIABILITY AND LONGEVITY. I FOR ONE DO NOT THINK THAT A CAR COSTING OVER 60,000.00 SHOULD BE PLAGUED BY SO MANY DEFICIENT MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS. *TR
2014-11-26Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 10661028
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE TEMPERATURE LED HAS COMPLETELY GONE OUT AND THE CLOCK/GEAR SELECTION LED IS UNREADABLE... I BELIEVE SEEING ANOTHER COMPLAINT OF THE SAME TYPE IN THE DATABASE, DON'T REMEMBER THE MODEL BUT WAS WONDERING WHY IF THIS IS A TREND DOES MERCEDES NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THE SITUATION. I REALIZE THAT THE WARRANTY IS ONLY GOOD FOR SO LONG BUT IF OTHER CARS ALL HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IT SEEMS AS IF MERCEDES WOULD WANT TO PROTECT THE REPUTATION OF QUALITY DURABILITY AND EXCELLENCE BEHIND THEIR NAME. *TR
2014-11-26Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10661023
CrashFireInjuryDeath
EXACT DATE OF INCIDENT NOT KNOWN I AM THIRD OWNER OF CAR AND HAVE KNOWN THE SECOND OWNER THE ENTIRE TIME OF HER OWNERSHIP. THE SRS LIGHT ON THE DASH STAYS LIT AT ALL TIMES, AS DOES THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR. WAS WONDERING IF THIS WAS A ONE INCIDENT TYPE OR IF THIS IS A TREND AMONG OLDER E320'S THAT ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2002 Mercedes Benz E320?

Owners named Engine most often — 4 of 23 reports (17%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2002 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 2002 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