MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS · model year

2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS

11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2006MERCEDES-BENZE CLASS carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2006 E CLASS is fuel system, gasoline with 3 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (3) and air bags (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2006 E CLASS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

11
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

11 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM3
AIR BAGS2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
WHEELS1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recent Complaints

20140323SERVICE BRAKES

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 25 MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COMPLETELY LOST THE BRAKE FUNCTION, THE CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I STEERED THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND IT TOOK IT ANOTHER 200 TO 300 FEET TO STOP. THE DASH TURNED RED AND HAD A WARNING STOP REDUCED BRAKING POWER DEPRESS BRAKE FULLY SBC WARNING I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT, EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL, BRAKE PADS, LEAKS ...BUT FOUND NONE. *TR

Mileage: 168,000

20140307FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

2006 MERCEDES E350 PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2007. CURRENT MILEAGE LESS THAN 90K. IN MARCH 2012 I ENTERED MY GARAGE AND SMELLED A HEAVY SCENT OF GASOLINE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO MERCEDES BENZ OF BUCKHEAD. ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH FUEL LEAKING UNDER BACK PASSENGER SEAT. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. REPAIR COST $965.63. *TR

20140111FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

WHENEVER MY CAR FILLED UP (NOT OVER FILL) WITH GASOLINE, THE STRONG GASOLINE SMELL WILL LAST A FEW DAYS. THE CAR WAS INVESTIGATED BY MERCEDES DEALER, THEY FOUND FUEL PUDDLED AT SENDER UNDERNEATH THE REAR SEAT ON LEFT SIDE. THEY STATED THAT THE CAR IS NOT SAFE FOR USE AT THIS TIME DUE TO FIRE HAZARD. HOWEVER, THEY WON'T FIX IT AS MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND WOULD CHARGE ME FOR $1,300.00 AND I DIDN'T REPAIR IT SINCE IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE. I ALSO THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IS NOT THE PART THAT NEED REGULAR SERVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE WARE OUT. MERCEDES BENZ NEED TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 73,410

20131126FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

EACH TIME AFTER FILL UP THE GASOLINE (NO OVER FILL), I HAVE TO SMELL THE FUEL SMELL FOR ONE OR TWO DAYS. I HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2009, BUT THE ODOR IS GETTING EXTREMELY STRONG. I WENT TO A LOCAL MERCEDES DEAL FOR INSPECTION,THEY CHARGED ME $175 AND INSISTED THAT IT IS NOT RECALL ITEM. THE INSPECTION SHOWS: 73412 FUEL SENDER LEAKING FUEL, VEHICLE NOT SAFE FOR USE AT THIS TIME DUE TO FIRE HAZARD, INSPECTED VEHICLE FOUND GASOLINE LEAKING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE, REMOVED REAR SEAT AND INSPECTION COVER FOR FUEL SENDER, FOUND FUEL PUDDLED AT SENDER. I THINK THE LEAKING IS CAUSED BY DEFECTED PARTS WHICH SUPPOSE TO LAST LIFE TIME LONG. MERCEDES SHOULD RECALL THIS ITEM. *TR

Mileage: 73,410

20130711CrashAIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES E280. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF HIS VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE STOMACH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE WAS REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND AFTER INSPECTING IMAGES FROM THE CRASH SCENE, RULED THAT THE IMPACT DID NOT WARRANT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000. ## VIN PASSED ## MERCEDES E280 2006 ## *TR

Mileage: 65,000

20130204FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I'M WRITING TO LODGE A COMPLAINT CONCERNING A DANGEROUS FUEL LEAK INTO THE CABIN OF MY PARENTS' 2006 MERCEDES BENZ E 350 (VIN [XXX]), WHICH HAS RESULTED IN GAS SOAKING THE REAR INSULATION PAD, SOUND PAD, & REAR SEAT CUSHION, ALL OF WHICH ARE "SOAKED" IN GAS (PER THE REPAIR RECOMMENDATION FROM MB OF SAN DIEGO). I SHOULD ADD THAT THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 55K MILES. MY MOM IS 76 AND MY DAD IS 82. THEY DON'T DRIVE MUCH-- JUST LOCAL ERRANDS. THE ONLY REASON MY MOM CAUGHT THIS ONE WAS THE STRONG GAS SMELL IN THE CABIN. I AM WRITING TO YOU DIRECTLY FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1.THIS RELATES TO YOUR ON-GOING INVESTIGATION #PE12-001. 2.THE FUEL LEAK PRESENTS A DANGEROUS RISK OF FIRE AND RISK OF GAS FUME INHALATION TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. 3.THE FUEL FROM THE LEAK DOES IN FACT SOAK INTO REAR INSULATION PAD, SOUND PAD, & REAR SEAT CUSHION, DESPITE THE INCORRECT DENIAL OF THAT FACT BY MB-USA TO THE NHTSA. (SEE LETTER FROM MB-USA TO YOU.) 4.THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT MB OF SAN DIEGO TOLD ME

Mileage: 55,000

20120512FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL SMELL WHEN VEHICLE IS FILLED UP ...FUEL LEAKING AT TOP OF FUEL TANK ...THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE W211 E CLASS CARS FROM 2003 TO 2009 DEALER WANTS 2000.00 TO REPAIR THIS FLAW IN THE FUEL SYSTEM MERCEDES WILL NOT HELP AT ALL WITH THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

20120502FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THIS ISN'T A COMPLAINT, IT IS A REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION OF OR ASSISTANCE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE GASOLINE TANK FOR MY VEHICLE. WHEN I TOOK OWNERSHIP FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER, THE FIRST TIME I FILLED UP THE GAS TANK, THE VEHICLE WAS EMITTING A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MERCEDES BENZ CERTIFIED SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE HERE BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE PREVIOUS OWNER ALWAYS HAD THIS VEHICLE SERVICED. THERE WERE NO RECORDS SHOWING THIS PROBLEM BEING LOOKED INTO, AND WHEN I ASKED THE PREVIOUS OWNER, HE SAID HE NEVER FILLED UP THE GASOLINE TANK, ALWAYS PUTTING IN $15 - $20 OR SO AT A TIME, THEREFORE HE NEVER SMELLED THE GASOLINE ODOR. THE MERCEDES BENZ CERTIFIED SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ME THAT THIS MODEL ALONG WITH 2005 AND 2007 MODELS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE GASOLINE TANKS. I THEN TOOK IT TO OUR MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP HERE AND TALKED WITH A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. HE WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND TOLD ME THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH TH

Mileage: 146,000

20111205WHEELS

AUTO HAS LOW PROFILE MAG WHEELS. TWO RIGHT WHEELS CRACKED WHEN HIT A CURB IN SEPT 2009. TWO WHEELS AND 4 TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED SEPT 10, 2009. THE FOLLOWING JUNE ONE OF THE REPLACED WHEELS DEVELOPED A CRACK. NOT KNOWN WHY CRACK DEVELOPED AS I DID NOT HIT ANY POTHOLES OR ANYTHING ELSE. THEN JUST THIS YEAR IN OCTOBER RIGHT FRONT WHEEL DEVELOPED A HAIRLINE CRACK CAUSING THE TIRE TO SLOWLY LOSE AIR. WHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. TOTAL: 4 WHEELS REPLACED IN 2 YEARS, INCLUDING FOUR TIRES. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

20091230ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MERCEDES BENZ 2006 E350. THE STEERING WHEEL ELECTRICAL HARNESS IS TO SHORT AND COMES APART DISABLING ALL AIRBAGS. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THE COMPANY WON'T PAY TO CORRECT IT. THE REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVE AT $715.00 THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY DEFECT!! *TR

Mileage: 21,670

20091230AIR BAGS

MERCEDES BENZ 2006 E350. THE STEERING WHEEL ELECTRICAL HARNESS IS TO SHORT AND COMES APART DISABLING ALL AIRBAGS. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THE COMPANY WON'T PAY TO CORRECT IT. THE REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVE AT $715.00 THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY DEFECT!! *TR

Mileage: 21,670

Compare 2006MERCEDES-BENZE CLASS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS have?
The 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS has 11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS?
The most-complained component for the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM and AIR BAGS.
Is the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.