MERCEDES-BENZ E550 · model year

2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550

20 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2014MERCEDES-BENZE550 carries 20 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 2014 E550 is air bags with 9 filings, followed by service brakes (3) and electrical 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 15 investigation files overlapping the 2014 E550. 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.

20
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

20 filings

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

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS9
SERVICE BRAKES3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
VISIBILITY/WIPER2
STEERING1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
ENGINE1
STRUCTURE:BODY1

Recent Complaints

20241129SERVICE BRAKES

Dealer reports that, in addition to the dangerous corrosion on rear subframe covered by the extended warranty program, the rear brake lines are dangerously corroded and may fail at any time. I inquired about how this is even possible as I am accustomed to vehicles with cupronickel brake lines that do not corrode. I was told they are merely enameled steel on this model and prone to premature corrosion where they are mounted to the chassis with plastic clips that wear off the enamel and allow premature corrosion and eventually catastrophic failure. I was also told the replacement parts are now cupronickel, indicating Mercedes understands the original design was defective. I believe this should have been covered under the same program as the rear subframe, not be used as an upsell tool to customers affected by that issue. I also believe steel brake lines should just be banned outright for all vehicles, the risk of rupture due to corrosion leading to brake failure is far too high.

20240430AIR BAGS

Both driver and front passenger headrest airbags have deployed for no cause. This is is the second time this has occurred on both sides. No collision occurred in both incidents. First time it occurred under warranty and Mercedes fixed the issue. This time it occurred again and the car is not in warranty. Without functional headrest airbags the safety is greatly compromised for the occupants of the car and can lead to fatal incidents. It seems like a recurring problem with this model as it has occurred twice over 9+ years and both times there was no collision etc.

20221201SERVICE BRAKES

Parking brake pedal assembly failed. Yes it's available for inspection. My home is on a hill, a functioning parking brake is required to prevent the vehicle from rolling. Personal mechanic identified issue and replaced part. There were no warning lights or lamps indicating an issue.

20220328FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I was driving in the Dallas area at highway speed (approx 70mph) during rush-hour traffic when a crackling sound presented in the dashboard area from what appeared to be the sound system (Harmon Kardon surround system). This was immediately followed by the unmistakable smell of burning plastic or something similar. Smoke coming from the center speaker in the dashboard followed subjecting car occupants to potentially hazardous smoke and chemicals resulting from the fire.All signs suggested an electrical fire which was alarming considering this occurred at highway speed. Turning off the sound system did not stop the issue. My safety and that of others on the highway were put at risk because a fire of unknown origin occurred while driving at highway speeds. No accident occurred. Further exploration of the issue from a safe area off of the highway confirmed the following: 1) possible electrical fire emanating from the center speaker of the dashboard 2) center speaker was damaged and appea

20201211AIR BAGS

MERCEDES HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE TAKATA AIRBAG SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2019 MAKING DIFFERENT EXCUSES WHY THEY CAN'T REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WITH KNOWLEDGE THAT IF ACCIDENT CAN BE LIFE THREATENING.

20200110AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL- THE CONTACT OWNS A2014 MERCEDES BENZ E550. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 19V01000 (AIR BAGS). AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTHLAKE (10725 NORTHLAKE AUTO PLAZA BLVD, CHARLOTTE NC) AND THE MANUFACTURER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20190917STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SPEAKER AND WINDOW BEGAN TO SMOKE. THERE WAS ALSO AN ABNORMAL RUBBER AND BURNING ODOR AND A CRACKING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED MERCEDES-BENZ OF DENVER (940 S COLORADO BLVD, DENVER, CO 80246, (303) 953-4581), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,950.

Mileage: 61,950

20190917VISIBILITY/WIPER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SPEAKER AND WINDOW BEGAN TO SMOKE. THERE WAS ALSO AN ABNORMAL RUBBER AND BURNING ODOR AND A CRACKING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED MERCEDES-BENZ OF DENVER (940 S COLORADO BLVD, DENVER, CO 80246, (303) 953-4581), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,950.

Mileage: 61,950

20190730AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550C. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V010000 (AIR BAGS). MERCEDES-BENZ OF SEATTLE (2025 AIRPORT WAY S, SEATTLE, WA 98134, (206) 467-9999) WAS INFORMED OF THE RECALL AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE PART BECAME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20190319AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO PROVIDE THE REMEDY AND PART WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME CONCERNING NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V010000 (AIR BAGS). MERCEDES-BENZ OF HUNT VALLEY (9800 YORK RD #2, COCKEYSVILLE, MD 21030, 1-(410) 306-7080) WAS WAITING ON THE MANUFACTURER TO PROVIDE THE REMEDY AND PART. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO ADDRESS PART AVAILABILITY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20190305AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V010000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED FLETCHER JONES MOTORCARS (3300 JAMBOREE RD, NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660, (949) 718-3000) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20190213AIR BAGS

PURSUANT TO LAW 49 U.S.C. CHAPTER 301, I AM SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT THAT NHTSA RECALL #17V627 IS NOT BEING REMEDIED WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME BY MY MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER. I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE NOVEMBER 2017 RECALL WAS ISSUED AND AS OF TODAY (02.13.2019) THEY STILL DO NOT HAVE THE PART NOR DO THEY HAVE ANY ESTIMATED TIMELINE OF WHEN THEY WILL HAVE THE PART. I AM JUST TOLD TO CALL BACK.

20190213AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550A. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN UNKNOWN RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR THE (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. MERCEDES-BENZ OF SAN JOSE (3000 E CAPITOL EXPY, SAN JOSE, CA 95148, (408) 214-3009) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20190103ENGINE

CUSTOMER RAN CAR OUT OF OIL DESTROYING ENGINE AND TURBO'S TOTAL COST OF REPAIR IS 25,000

Mileage: 60,240

20181016AIR BAGS

IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION ON A WET ROAD, THE CAN BUS FAILED, DISABLING ALL OR NEARLY ALL SAFETY SYSTEMS. AT THE TIME, NUMEROUS WARNING MESSAGES AND LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH FOR SRS, ABS, SEATBELT PRETENSIONER, ETC. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OFF USING THE START-STOP BUTTON, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE. ACCORDING THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER, A REAR BLIND SPOT RADAR SENSOR IS CORRODED, AND CAUSED A SHORT IN THE CAN BUS. THIS EXACT FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WITH AT LEAST ONE OTHER VEHICLE, DOCUMENTED HERE: HTTPS://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/W212-E-CLASS/2911098-LANE-ASSIST-RADAR-SENSOR-FAILURE-CAUSES.HTML IT APPEARS THAT WHILE CORRODED RADAR SENSORS ARE FAIRLY COMMON, WATER FROM THE ROAD CAN SOMETIMES CAUSE THE SENSOR TO SHORT THE ENTIRE CAN BUS. I CAN PROVIDE THE EXTENDED PRINTOUT OF STORED CAN FAILURE MESSAGES IF NECESSARY.

Mileage: 84,000

20181016SERVICE BRAKES

IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION ON A WET ROAD, THE CAN BUS FAILED, DISABLING ALL OR NEARLY ALL SAFETY SYSTEMS. AT THE TIME, NUMEROUS WARNING MESSAGES AND LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH FOR SRS, ABS, SEATBELT PRETENSIONER, ETC. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OFF USING THE START-STOP BUTTON, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE. ACCORDING THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER, A REAR BLIND SPOT RADAR SENSOR IS CORRODED, AND CAUSED A SHORT IN THE CAN BUS. THIS EXACT FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WITH AT LEAST ONE OTHER VEHICLE, DOCUMENTED HERE: HTTPS://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/W212-E-CLASS/2911098-LANE-ASSIST-RADAR-SENSOR-FAILURE-CAUSES.HTML IT APPEARS THAT WHILE CORRODED RADAR SENSORS ARE FAIRLY COMMON, WATER FROM THE ROAD CAN SOMETIMES CAUSE THE SENSOR TO SHORT THE ENTIRE CAN BUS. I CAN PROVIDE THE EXTENDED PRINTOUT OF STORED CAN FAILURE MESSAGES IF NECESSARY.

Mileage: 84,000

20181016ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION ON A WET ROAD, THE CAN BUS FAILED, DISABLING ALL OR NEARLY ALL SAFETY SYSTEMS. AT THE TIME, NUMEROUS WARNING MESSAGES AND LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH FOR SRS, ABS, SEATBELT PRETENSIONER, ETC. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OFF USING THE START-STOP BUTTON, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE. ACCORDING THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER, A REAR BLIND SPOT RADAR SENSOR IS CORRODED, AND CAUSED A SHORT IN THE CAN BUS. THIS EXACT FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WITH AT LEAST ONE OTHER VEHICLE, DOCUMENTED HERE: HTTPS://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/W212-E-CLASS/2911098-LANE-ASSIST-RADAR-SENSOR-FAILURE-CAUSES.HTML IT APPEARS THAT WHILE CORRODED RADAR SENSORS ARE FAIRLY COMMON, WATER FROM THE ROAD CAN SOMETIMES CAUSE THE SENSOR TO SHORT THE ENTIRE CAN BUS. I CAN PROVIDE THE EXTENDED PRINTOUT OF STORED CAN FAILURE MESSAGES IF NECESSARY.

Mileage: 84,000

20170709VISIBILITY/WIPER

MY VEHICLE HAS THE DISTRONIC WITH LANE SENSING. THE OTHER DAY, THE AREA OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AROUND THE CAMERAS SPONTANEOUSLY BEGAN TO CRACK IN A CIRCULAR MANNER. NO OTHER CHIPS OR DINGS WERE PRESENT. WHEN I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I AM FINDING IT TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE. IT APPEARS IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND WITH REPLACEMENT GLASS AS WELL. MINE CRACKED ON A 95 DEGREE F DAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

20140807STEERING

STARTED IGNITION, IDLE FOR ABOUT 3 MINS WARMING UP THE ENGINE. PREPED TO LEAVE TO CURRENT DESIGNATION. REVERSE, PULLING OUT TO THE RIGHT I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT, CAR SHUTS OFF, ALL LIGHTS APPEAR ON THE DASH. TURN OFF AND RESTARTED. AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE IN REVERSE REPEATING THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT... CAR STALLS AGAIN.... I FINALLY MAKE IT HOME BECAUSE I WAS NOT SURE IF THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. I PARKED, TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT MADE A WEIRD IDLE NOISE MAYBE 4X LOUDER THEN STANDARD BUT DEEPER. AND BOOM STALLS. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER SHIP AS THEY WILL PLAY GAMES WITH MY PREVIOUS CAR THEY MADE ME PAY FOR THE RECALL I NEVER KNEW ABOUT! IF ANY ONE ELSE HAS THIS PROBLEM DON'T MAKE FULL RIGHT TURNS ON THE STEERING. *TR

Mileage: 3,260

20140807ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

STARTED IGNITION, IDLE FOR ABOUT 3 MINS WARMING UP THE ENGINE. PREPED TO LEAVE TO CURRENT DESIGNATION. REVERSE, PULLING OUT TO THE RIGHT I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT, CAR SHUTS OFF, ALL LIGHTS APPEAR ON THE DASH. TURN OFF AND RESTARTED. AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE IN REVERSE REPEATING THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT... CAR STALLS AGAIN.... I FINALLY MAKE IT HOME BECAUSE I WAS NOT SURE IF THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. I PARKED, TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT MADE A WEIRD IDLE NOISE MAYBE 4X LOUDER THEN STANDARD BUT DEEPER. AND BOOM STALLS. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER SHIP AS THEY WILL PLAY GAMES WITH MY PREVIOUS CAR THEY MADE ME PAY FOR THE RECALL I NEVER KNEW ABOUT! IF ANY ONE ELSE HAS THIS PROBLEM DON'T MAKE FULL RIGHT TURNS ON THE STEERING. *TR

Mileage: 3,260

Compare 2014MERCEDES-BENZE550 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550 have?
The 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550 has 20 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550?
The most-complained component for the 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550 is AIR BAGS with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E550 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.