2001 Mercedes-Benz E320 problems
The 2001 Mercedes-Benz E320 has 54 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (24%) concerns electrical system. Next are air bags (13%) and lighting (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 54 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 24% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 8 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 6 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 95,000 miles 32 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 2 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 2 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 6 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 3 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 4 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 1 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 6 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 3 |
What the data shows
Of the 32 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 95,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 110,000 miles (11 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 8 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 6 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 94% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2001 ranks 7th most-complained-about out of 12 model years of the Mercedes-Benz E320 with enough data (17 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Consumer's vehicle was rear ended and seat belt became disengaged. After taking vehicle to mechanic, consumer was told that all seat belts were disengaged. Consumer was injuried during accident. *nlm
Dt: the contact states his client had a defective clock spring that is part of the air bag system. There was a front end collision where the air bags did not deploy in the vehicle. The vehicle has been examined and it was determined that the clock spring was the reason the air bags did not deploy. The invoice number stating this is what caused the air bag to not deploy is #746530 dated april 21, 2005.
I was pulling into a parking stall at work and about to come to a stand still and all of a sudden the car accelerated jumped the curb and continued to accelerate despite application of the brakes until it crashed into a wall. The airbag deployed and there was leakage of radiator fluid on the ground. I had taken the car to the local mercedes dealer on 2 occasions because the check engine light came on .
Engine caught on fire while vehicle was idling in park in the driveway. Completely destroyed the vehicle in 10-15 minutes. Fire started under the hood. I believe that there was an electrical problem that induced the fire but unable to be sure. Photos are available if needed. The car was in good maintenance, no engine work had been done recently. Last repair was a transmission fluid replacement after repairing a transmission fluid leak in early december 2018
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercedes-benz e320. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the passenger's side air bag and side curtain air bags inadvertently deployed without warning or impact. The contact pulled off to the shoulder to inspect the vehicle and saw that there was no damage to the vehicle. A police report was not filed. The contact had not suffered injuries. The contact drove the vehicle home after the failure.