Total Complaints
12 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ E300 · model year
1997 MERCEDES-BENZ E300
12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997MERCEDES-BENZE300 carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, 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 1997 E300 is electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery with 1 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (1) and fuel system, gasoline (1). 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 1997 E300. 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.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160626ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE WIRE HARNESS IS BRITTLE AND THE INSULATION IS DISINTEGRATING, RESULTING IN SHORTS AND ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING UNEXPECTEDLY.
20070206EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES E300. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE REAR PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. RECALL#05V505000 RELATED TO THE 1999 SLK MERCEDES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *AK
Mileage: 89,000
20060504SUSPENSION:FRONT
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35MPH A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. AFTER HEARING THE NOISE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN HANDLING DIFFERENTLY AND WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHO DETERMINED THE SUSPENSION HAD COLLAPSED ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE SUSPENSION HOUSING WAS ENTIRELY REPLACED AND THE ATTACHMENT OF THE SPRING TO THE BODY WAS RE WELDED. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THE PROBLEM COULD OCCUR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER PARTIALLY COVERED THE REPAIR AND ASKED THE CONTACT TO SIGN A CONFIDENTIALLY WAIVER BECAUSE OF A RECENT INFLUX OF VEHICLES BEING REPAIRED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.
Mileage: 97,000
20040728ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
PROBLEMS WITH MERCEDES-BENZ E300 DIESEL.*MR THE CONSUMER HAS HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE HESITATING AND STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND HAS SPENT APPROX $3800.00 IN REPAIRS FOR DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. *CB
20040728POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
PROBLEMS WITH MERCEDES-BENZ E300 DIESEL.*MR THE CONSUMER HAS HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE HESITATING AND STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND HAS SPENT APPROX $3800.00 IN REPAIRS FOR DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. *CB
20020722SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ROTORS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THEY WERE MAKING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, AND THERE WAS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT ROTORS WERE ONLY SUPPOSE TO LAST 20000 MILES.*AK
20020722SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ROTORS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THEY WERE MAKING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, AND THERE WAS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT ROTORS WERE ONLY SUPPOSE TO LAST 20000 MILES.*AK
20020325ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE FIRST ENGINE OIL LEAK WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AT 8/25/2000 (48,523 MILES) AND THE REPLACEMENT GASKETS ARE LEAKING AGAIN ON 9/15/2001 (AT 58,500 MILES). *AK
20020325ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE FIRST ENGINE OIL LEAK WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AT 8/25/2000 (48,523 MILES) AND THE REPLACEMENT GASKETS ARE LEAKING AGAIN ON 9/15/2001 (AT 58,500 MILES). *AK
20011212POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, GEARS SHIFTED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN TWO GEARS; ACCELERATION AT 25-50 MPH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AT 40 MPH AND VEHICLE IS BUCKING, DEALER REPLACED RESONANCE FLAP, AND FUEL INJECTION PUMP, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, CONSUMER ALSO COMPLAINS OF POOR FUEL EFFICIENCY. *TT
20011212FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, GEARS SHIFTED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN TWO GEARS; ACCELERATION AT 25-50 MPH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AT 40 MPH AND VEHICLE IS BUCKING, DEALER REPLACED RESONANCE FLAP, AND FUEL INJECTION PUMP, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, CONSUMER ALSO COMPLAINS OF POOR FUEL EFFICIENCY. *TT
20011114ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
WHILE STARTING VEHICLE BATTERY UNDER REAR PASSENGER SEAT HAD EXPLODED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND WERE UNWILLING TO ASSIST. *AK CONSUMER STATES IN SPITE OF VARIOUS ATTEMPTS, A FOUL SMELL STILL REMAINS. *SLC
Compare 1997MERCEDES-BENZE300 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 have?▼
The 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ E300?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.