2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 problems & reliability
217 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350, alongside 7 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 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 components.
5 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags → | 84 | 39% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 27 | 12% |
| Engine → | 20 | 9% |
| Electrical System → | 19 | 9% |
| Service Brakes → | 19 | 9% |
| Unknown / Other | 17 | 8% |
| Suspension → | 14 | 6% |
| Power Train → | 10 | 5% |
| Steering | 9 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 8 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 23 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 66 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 70,000 miles (middle 50% between 45,250 and 99,892 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The vehicle was parked when the steering wheel locked , and the headrest. The electrical for my headlight driver side low beam gave me a warning lamp message.”
Seats · filed Sep 16, 2026
“The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-350. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed crankshaft sensor. The contact stated that the crankshaft sensor was replaced…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Aug 31, 2026
“The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal odor coming from the inside of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a fuel leak. The vehicle was not…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Jun 22, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
- Rear brake line failure
Defect Petition DP20004 · opened Apr 24, 2020 · closed Oct 9, 2020
Technical service bulletins
149 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350. The 10 most recent:
Complaint A popup is seen on the HU with the message "data connection temporarily not available". Potentially affected functionalities in NTG4.5, NTG5 1.Weather 2.Local Search 3.IP Radio 4.Send2Car 5.Speech Detection…
LI82.85-P-079087 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2026
Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the noise continues to occur even with the door trim…
LI82.62-P-078631 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2026
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
Dear Mercedes-Benz USA Dealers, The part numbers listed in the chart below should no longer be installed, and any existing stock must be returned to your facing PDC. The deadline for all dealer returns is no later than…
PSL-NCU Return Parts 6/12 · Other · issued Jun 13, 2026
Complaint The underfloor paneling is loose or sags (picture 1). Cause Mounting clips broken or not correctly engaged. Remedy Replace all mounting clips with collar nuts with shims (picture 2): Adapter set (203 589 02 31…
LI61.25-P-047933 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 2, 2026
Complaint After successful commissioning of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) with XENTRY Diagnosis DVD 03/2026, the message "SOS - service not activated" appears on the instrument cluster. In addition, the following two…
LI82.85-P-080507 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 26, 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 Potential corrosion on the rear axle carrier Cause Due to market-specific conditions such as moisture, ingress of dirt and/or environmental influences, corrosion can occur on the rear axle carrier Remedy In…
LI35.10-P-078931 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 13, 2026
The part numbers listed in the chart below should no longer be installed, and any existing stock must be returned to your facing PDC. The deadline for all dealer returns is no later than Thursday, May 14, 2026. After…
PSL-NCU Return Parts 4/24 · Other · issued Apr 25, 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
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 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 has 7 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350?
- · 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.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 70,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.