Total Complaints
11 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ E350 · model year
11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2017MERCEDES-BENZE350 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, 3 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 2017 E350 is unknown or other with 3 filings, followed by engine (2) and fuel/propulsion system (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 1 investigation file overlapping the 2017 E350. 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.
Total Complaints
11 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE CABIN WHEN I START THE CAR IN THE MORNING. I'M SEEING THIS AS A COMMON ISSUE IN THREADS ONLINE. CAR OUT OF WARRANTY SO NEED HELP MAKING THIS A RECALL ITEM GIVEN THE DANGER OF FUEL LEAKS. SOLUTIONS POSTED ARE BELOW: 1) QUOTE FROM MY INVOICE: CONFIRMED FUEL LEAK WAS COMING FROM LINE TO HIGH PRESSURE PUMP. REMOVED LOWER PANEL OF TRANSMISSION TO GAIN ACCESS TO LINES. REMOVED HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP COVERS, REMOVED AND INSTALLED FUEL LINES, AND INSTALLED IN REVERSE ORDER TO CORRECT. RAN ENGINE TO VERIFY NO LARGE FUEL LEAKS. FOUND GOOD AT THIS TIME. 2) HAVE YOUR DEALER REPLACE THE TWO FLEXIBLE FUEL LINES FROM THE FUEL FEED LINE TO THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP.THERE IS NO OFFICIAL BULLETIN ON THIS BUT THIS IS THE FIX.
Mileage: 35,000
I AM IN AN MBFOURM AND I AM STARTING TO HEAR OF ENGINE FAILURE AT AN EARLY AGE. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS, YET. BUT, FROM WHAT I AM READING IN THE FORUMS, A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MODEL ENGINE I HAVE IN MY 2017 MERCEDES E300 ARE HAVING ISSUES WHERE THE PISTON CRACKS AND THEY NEED A NEW ENGINE. MERCEDES ISN'T PAYING FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENTS AND IT IS ALL OUT OF POCKET COST. I AM WORRIED THAT ONCE MY WARRANTY IS OVER AND MY ENGINE BLOWS BECAUSE OF MERCEDES DESIGNS FLAW, I WILL END UP SPENDING 9-10K FOR A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW. HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FORUM: HTTPS://MBWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/E-CLASS-W213/798120-2018-MERCEDES-W213-E300-NEEDS-NEW-ENGINE-23K-MILES.HTML HTTPS://MBWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/C-CLASS-W205/731642-W205-C300-STAY-AWAY-PISTON-CRACKED-65-K-MILES.HTML
ON SUNDAY 9/13 DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT AND THEN GLASS JUST FELL ON ME FROM EVERYWHERE CAUSING ME TO SWERVE ALL OVER THE ROAD AND I THOUGHT IT HAD TO BE SOMETHING I FELL OFF THE 18 WHEELER TRACTOR TRAILER NEAR ME AND I CHASED HIM DOWN AND HE ALMOST RAN ME OFF THE ROAD AND KILLED ME WE GOT INTO AN ALTERCATION ONLY TO FIND OUT IS A DEFECT FROM MERCEDES. IF SOMEONE COULD PLEASE CALL ME [XXX]OR EMAIL ME AT [XXX]. THANK YOU INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
AT AROUND 2.15 PM CST, I WAS DRIVING MY MERCEDES WESTBOUND ON I-694 TOWARDS MINNEAPOLIS AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY E300 STALLED AND BY THE TIME I COULD FIGURE WHAT WAS WRONG, I LOST ALL POWER IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MERCEDES BRAKE ASSIST TRIGGERED A HARD BRAKE AND MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON THE FREEWAY. THE CAR BEHIND ME NEARLY MISSED ME AND AT THIS POINT EVERY LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD LIT UP (I HAVE ATTACHED THE PICTURE BELOW). I TRIED HITTING ON THE IGNITION MULTIPLE TIMES BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT, I DECIDED NOT TO SIT IN THE CAR SINCE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS WITH FAST ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE A MATTER OF TIME THAT SOMEONE WOULD REAR END ME. I STEPPED OUT OF MY CAR AND WHILE MULTIPLE CARS WERE APPROACHING ME AT HIGH SPEED FROM BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT LANES I FOUND A VERY SMALL WINDOW OF TIME (2-3 SECONDS) TO SPRINT FROM THE MIDDLE LANE OF I-694 TO THE SHOULDER. MY WORRY WAS STILL FAR FROM OVER AS MY CAR WAS STILL SITTING IN MIDDLE OF TH
Mileage: 18,700
AT AROUND 2.15 PM CST, I WAS DRIVING MY MERCEDES WESTBOUND ON I-694 TOWARDS MINNEAPOLIS AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY E300 STALLED AND BY THE TIME I COULD FIGURE WHAT WAS WRONG, I LOST ALL POWER IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MERCEDES BRAKE ASSIST TRIGGERED A HARD BRAKE AND MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON THE FREEWAY. THE CAR BEHIND ME NEARLY MISSED ME AND AT THIS POINT EVERY LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD LIT UP (I HAVE ATTACHED THE PICTURE BELOW). I TRIED HITTING ON THE IGNITION MULTIPLE TIMES BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT, I DECIDED NOT TO SIT IN THE CAR SINCE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS WITH FAST ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE A MATTER OF TIME THAT SOMEONE WOULD REAR END ME. I STEPPED OUT OF MY CAR AND WHILE MULTIPLE CARS WERE APPROACHING ME AT HIGH SPEED FROM BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT LANES I FOUND A VERY SMALL WINDOW OF TIME (2-3 SECONDS) TO SPRINT FROM THE MIDDLE LANE OF I-694 TO THE SHOULDER. MY WORRY WAS STILL FAR FROM OVER AS MY CAR WAS STILL SITTING IN MIDDLE OF TH
Mileage: 18,700
AT AROUND 2.15 PM CST, I WAS DRIVING MY MERCEDES WESTBOUND ON I-694 TOWARDS MINNEAPOLIS AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY E300 STALLED AND BY THE TIME I COULD FIGURE WHAT WAS WRONG, I LOST ALL POWER IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MERCEDES BRAKE ASSIST TRIGGERED A HARD BRAKE AND MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON THE FREEWAY. THE CAR BEHIND ME NEARLY MISSED ME AND AT THIS POINT EVERY LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD LIT UP (I HAVE ATTACHED THE PICTURE BELOW). I TRIED HITTING ON THE IGNITION MULTIPLE TIMES BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT, I DECIDED NOT TO SIT IN THE CAR SINCE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS WITH FAST ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE A MATTER OF TIME THAT SOMEONE WOULD REAR END ME. I STEPPED OUT OF MY CAR AND WHILE MULTIPLE CARS WERE APPROACHING ME AT HIGH SPEED FROM BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT LANES I FOUND A VERY SMALL WINDOW OF TIME (2-3 SECONDS) TO SPRINT FROM THE MIDDLE LANE OF I-694 TO THE SHOULDER. MY WORRY WAS STILL FAR FROM OVER AS MY CAR WAS STILL SITTING IN MIDDLE OF TH
Mileage: 18,700
CAR SHIMMERING ABOVE 5/60 MPH. AFTER MANY VISITS I WAS CHARGED $839.39 TO REPLACE THE ROTORS. CONTACTED MB CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME BUT TO DOCUMENT MY ISSUE. MB FACTORY WOULD NEED TO ISSUE A RECALL.I EXPLAINED THAT THERE A A LOT OF OTHER CUSTOMERS AROUND THE WORLD ON A MB FORUM AND THEY SAIT THEY WOULD NEED TO REPORT THE ISSUE AS WELL PROBLEM PERSIST AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TIRES I PURCHASED FROM COSTCO. RETURNED THE TIRES TO COSTCO AND PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES ON 12/30/19 AND ISSUE STILL PERSIST
WHEN STARTING THE CAR, IN THE FIRST 20 MINUETS THE CAR HAS A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN CAUSING DIFFICULTY BREATHING AND EYE IRRITATION, I NEED TO LEAVE THE CAR RUNNING FOR 20 MINUTES WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN BEFORE I CAN GET IN AND DRIVE, I WENT TO THE DEALER AND WAS DISMISSED AS IF EVERYTHING IS GOOD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT.
Mileage: 20,000
CAR CAUGHT FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE PARKED. A TOTAL LOSS.
CAR CAUGHT FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE PARKED. A TOTAL LOSS.
CAR CAUGHT FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE PARKED. A TOTAL LOSS.
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.