2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 problems & reliability
70 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 40 | 57% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 27 | 39% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 4% |
| Engine | 2 | 3% |
| Power Train | 2 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 3% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% |
| Seats | 1 | 1% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 74,297 miles (middle 50% between 57,371 and 95,250 miles), based on 60 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he smelled an abnormal gasoline odor inside of the vehicle. After a visual inspection of the rear seats, the contact observed gasoline pooling underneath the rear seats. No warning lights were illuminated. The…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Dec 4, 2023
“The Alternator died after just over two years from being replaced by Mercedes part and labor causing a loss of electrical power and a loss of brake in the car.”
Electrical System · filed Apr 26, 2023
“While the vehicle was on the highway on a long road trip, there was an increasingly large rattle when the vehicle was under load. Eventually the rattle stopped. Then when I tried to fill up the car with gas, it leaked everywhere causing a massive fire hazard. While this was put under extended warranty for 15 years by…”
Power Train · filed Aug 19, 2020
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Fuel Leakage From The Fuel Tank
Engineering Analysis EA13003 · opened Mar 15, 2013 · closed Dec 19, 2014
- Fuel System (Tank/Sender) Leakage
Preliminary Evaluation PE12001 · opened Jan 23, 2012 · closed Mar 18, 2013
Technical service bulletins
60 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55. The 10 most recent:
Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in attachment Cause…
LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2026
Complaint There are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance: A: Wiper blades squeaking, chattering, shuddering B: The windshield is not wiped completely (streaking) C: During…
LI82.30-P-059239 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged. Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2026
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Note: Sound file in…
LI33.30-P-056665 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2025
Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging does not result in a…
LI82.10-P-078896 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly…
LI82.70-P-077433 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 5, 2025
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in…
LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 15, 2025
Complaint Washer fluid system leaks Cause Various possible causes: 1. Washer fluid reservoir itself. 2. Seal on washer fluid pump/washer fluid reservoir. 3. Washer fluid pump. 3.1. Distributor housing leaks. 3.2. Pump…
LI82.35-P-078467 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 23, 2024
Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly…
LI82.70-P-077433 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 28, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 74,297 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.