1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class problems & reliability
24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class. 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.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class vehicles were involved in 7 fatal crashes with 9 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 7 | 29% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 17% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 17% |
| Power Train | 4 | 17% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 4% |
| Equipment | 1 | 4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 14 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I am writing regarding an investigation into mercedes benz e300 (w210 chassis) failures. While driving on the massachusetts turnpike, route 90 on monday, my spring perch failed, broke away from the vehicle and was lost on the highway. The perch let go with a very loud bang, then a pronounced bump (presumably as the…”
Suspension · filed Oct 29, 2008
“1998 mercedes benz e-320, speed <15 mph had the front drivers side coil spring ejected and housing completely separated from the vehicle making the front end drop down onto driver's side front tire without warning. The impingement of the body onto the tire and wheel and/or the spring itself precluded any steering…”
Suspension · filed Jun 2, 2007
“The main suspension spring from my right front tire fell out on the garage floor and the car came down on the tire. Two minutes before the car was being driving on the road at 60 mph and had it occurred two minutes earlier someone would have been killed. The poor design by mb caused excess rust and failure in the 1998…”
Suspension · filed Jul 31, 2006
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING EJECTION
Preliminary Evaluation PE07021 · opened Apr 19, 2007 · closed Aug 9, 2007
- ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE03058 · opened Dec 17, 2003 · closed Apr 22, 2004
Technical service bulletins
6 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class.
SENTEX gate operator with Clik Card Remote not compatible with Homelink
LI68.05-P-059193 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 20, 2014
Revised repair procedure and additional applicable models. Model 170, 202, 208 and 210 models. Front fog lamp(s) inoperative. Mercedes-benz. *tt model years: 1994-2004. Updated 09/09/08. *pe
8210196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 4, 2008
Trunk lid opens or closes too quickly while operating with remote trunk lid control button. *tt
885040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 5, 2005
Consumer shutoff displayed in instrument cluster while driving. *tt
5410117 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2004
Updated information to reflect additon of approved tires. *yc
PSIMBNA4020M · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 1998
Some vehicles may experience a engine rattle noise.
980420187-98 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 20, 1998
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
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
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 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class?
- · 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.