1999 Mercedes-Benz E320 problems & reliability
83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1999 Mercedes-Benz E320. 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.
6 complaints report injuries (6 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 18 | 22% |
| Air Bags | 17 | 20% |
| Power Train | 11 | 13% |
| Suspension | 10 | 12% |
| Electrical System | 8 | 10% |
| Visibility | 6 | 7% |
| Structure | 5 | 6% |
| Tires | 5 | 6% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 5% |
| Steering | 4 | 5% |
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 88,500 miles (middle 50% between 57,926 and 119,500 miles), based on 50 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mercedes-benz e320. While the contact was reversing the vehicle, the driver, passenger, ceiling, and both side air bags deployed without warning or an impact occurring. There were no injuries. The contact left a voice message with the manufacturer. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle…”
Air Bags · filed Aug 27, 2019
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mercedes-benz e320. While driving approximately 65 mph, the contact felt a vibration coming from the vehicle and the driver and passenger side curtain air bags and front driver side door air bag erroneously deployed. The driver sustained a concussion and injuries to the face, neck, and…”
Air Bags · filed Feb 1, 2019
“8/31/18 in motion on a city street, the cabin filled with smoke (from a fire but no flame was seen) I had to open all windows to breath and see. My home was within sight so I drove to the middle of my lawn away from any building, the key would not turn, the car would not shut down. I as quickly as posable disconnected…”
Electrical System · filed Oct 4, 2018
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
32 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1999 Mercedes-Benz E320. The 10 most recent:
NTG5.5: Incorrect time shown on instrument cluster, COMAND display, and analog clock
LI54.30-P-072145 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 10, 2020
Unmotivated Reaction from Park Assist - model series 213 facelift / 238 facelift with option code 235 (active par- king assist) and option code 501 (surround view system)
LI54.65-P-072065 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 9, 2020
If the customer brakes sharply from a speed of > 30mph, without ABS intervention, there is a single cracking noise from the area of the ESP hydraulic unit
LI42.47-P-067502 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 9, 2020
Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D or R
LI27.50-P-071658 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 30, 2020
Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D
LI27.50-P-049281 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 22, 2020
AIRMATIC Fault Message "Max 80 km/ h (50 mph) " In Instrument Cluster
LI32.22-P-071495 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 20, 2020
Seat belt extender toothed rack sluggish or makes noises
LI91 45-P-066075 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 23, 2018
Display of suspension setting in head unit implausible
LI54 30-P-068430 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 19, 2018
Liftgate intermittently does not open fully
LI72 20-P-068322 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 2, 2018
Enclosed for your information and pursuant to part 579.5, please find our latest Service and Warranty Bulletins for March, 2016
Reporting · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 4, 2016
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 1999 Mercedes-Benz E320 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 1999 Mercedes-Benz E320?
- · 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 88,500 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.