1996 Mercedes Benz E320
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Mercedes Benz › E320 › 1996
These records cover every 1996 Mercedes Benz E320. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
45 complaints6 involved a crash3 involved a fire2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Suspension
TL* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes-benz E320. While driving approximately 60 mph, the front end of the vehicle suddenly shook and vibrated before collapsing. During the incident, the front driver side suspension spring separated from the vehicle and caused a puncture to the fuel tank. The vehicle…
TL* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes-benz E320. While driving approximately 60 mph, the front end of the vehicle suddenly shook and vibrated before collapsing. During the incident, the front driver side suspension spring separated from the vehicle and caused a puncture to the fuel tank. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was 60,000.
- Air bags
TL* the contact owned a 1996 mercedes benz E320. While driving 65 mph, the air bags failed to deploy after the contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle. The driver sustained knee, back, neck, and chest injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,000.
- Air bags · Seat belts
When you replace the battery on these vehicles the safety restraint system malfunctions rendering the safety equipment useless ie. Air bags the automobile should have a recall whereby mercedes fixes the defective system. *tr
- Engine · Fuel/propulsion system
After filling up on gas just two days ago, there was a very peculiar smell. It smelled of gas fumes. Just today, I noticed that my gas gauge was going down quite fast and it wasn't until just now that my gas tank IS leaking.
- Suspension
Spring perch snapped and spring shot out on front passenger side while wife and children were in the car. Thank god they were less the 200 feet from the house and only traveling about 5 mph. *tr
- Electrical system · Steering
My vehicle was parked in front of store allowing a 93 year old lady to go shopping,as I was parked there I was sideswiped, I immediately took it to the auto shop to have it repaired, after doing this I discovered that the key can't start the car because the ignition IS jammed or key will not turn, so the car won't start. I called a locksmith and discovered that the ignition IS defected. *tr
- Electrical system
TL* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes benz E320. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the starter would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired…
TL* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes benz E320. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the starter would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the wiring harness had began to dry rot and was to deteriorating. The vehicle was repaired. The failure and current mileage was 48,000. ..Updated 07-01-13 *bf
- Fuel/propulsion system
TL* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes-benz e 320. The contact stated that fuel was leaking from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The technician stated that the sending unit was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 102,000.
- Tires
TL* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes-benz E320 equipped with yokohama yk580 tires, size 215/55/r16. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, there was an abnormal feeling from the tires. The contact moved off the roadway and discovered that the rear passenger side tire had…
TL* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes-benz E320 equipped with yokohama yk580 tires, size 215/55/r16. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, there was an abnormal feeling from the tires. The contact moved off the roadway and discovered that the rear passenger side tire had become shredded. The contact installed the spare tire as a temporary remedy. The contact later went to the dealer where they advised him that the tire inflation was too low so they would not replace the tire at their expense. The tire failure mileage was approximately 7,000 and the vehicle failure mileage was 159,000. The vin was unavailable.
- Electrical system
This vehicle (1996 mercedes E320) has had a history of electrical problems over the past several years. many repairs have been made to the vehicle electrical systems at great expense! this time the vehicle would not start and I was investigating the cause myself. troubleshooting revealed a…
This vehicle (1996 mercedes E320) has had a history of electrical problems over the past several years. many repairs have been made to the vehicle electrical systems at great expense! this time the vehicle would not start and I was investigating the cause myself. troubleshooting revealed a defective wiring harness assembly from the electrical system connection in the left front of the engine compartment to the park/neutral safety switch on the transmission and to the starter. This harness also includes connections to the starter and sensors on the transmission. All wires in the entire harness have crumbled insulation and have shorted together. This caused shorting and burning of the wires and damage to other system components. I have been a mechanic for 15+ years and it IS obvious that the harness assemblies on this vehicle are of poor quality and subject to failure. The insulation on all wires IS inferior and will fail and crack over short periods of time. further investigation of the other harnesses on the vehicle has revealed the same problems. This could have caused a major fire and personal injury. luckily the damage was small and contained to this one harness, however all harness on the vehicle must be replaced. *tr
- Suspension
I was driving down a back road in my 1996 mercedes E320 when I heard a bang and the passenger front side dropped. The front coil spring had popped out. If I had been going any faster I would have lost control of the car. I have heard that the front coil spring mounts in this model corrode due to improper undercoating. *tr
- Suspension
TL* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes E320. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the front end suspension springs fractured, causing the contact to loose control of the vehicle. The contact crashed into the side rail on the highway. The contact spoke with a mechanic who stated that he had…
TL* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes E320. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the front end suspension springs fractured, causing the contact to loose control of the vehicle. The contact crashed into the side rail on the highway. The contact spoke with a mechanic who stated that he had never experienced the type of failure described. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 67,000.
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system · Engine and engine cooling › Engine · Fuel system, gasoline · Steering
Engine and engine cooling:engine the drive belt pulley on the engine IS develop fatigue cracks in the metal and break. The drive pulley breaks, the car would not have engine cooling, battery charging, and/or power steering. Consequence: loss of these systems can cause the car to over heat, lose…
Engine and engine cooling:engine the drive belt pulley on the engine IS develop fatigue cracks in the metal and break. The drive pulley breaks, the car would not have engine cooling, battery charging, and/or power steering. Consequence: loss of these systems can cause the car to over heat, lose power from the battery, and loss of control of the car increasing the potential for a vehicle accident I took it to the dealership, and they said that there IS no recall on the car and they can not help me so nothing was done to correct the failure. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 mercedes e 320. The contact was driving approximately 10 mph, black smoke circulated throughout the air vents inside the vehicle. The contact shifted the gear into park and exited the vehicle. Immediately, the vehicle engulfed into flames and was completely destroyed.…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 mercedes e 320. The contact was driving approximately 10 mph, black smoke circulated throughout the air vents inside the vehicle. The contact shifted the gear into park and exited the vehicle. Immediately, the vehicle engulfed into flames and was completely destroyed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The manufacturer was notified and sent an investigator to inspect the vehicle. The investigator stated "there was no product defect regarding the fire". The contact requested the incident report of the investigation and the manufacturer had not provided the information at the time of the complaint. The contact stated the cause of failure was electrical; and life threatening. The failure mileage was 95,000.
- Electrical system
Our low mileage 1996 E320 mercedes check engine light keeps going and remaining on.(for years now) the code comes up advising that a switch on the automatic trans.is faulty. Had mb replace it and a week later it came up with the same code. Mb has looked at it numerous times, the last time I was…
Our low mileage 1996 E320 mercedes check engine light keeps going and remaining on.(for years now) the code comes up advising that a switch on the automatic trans.is faulty. Had mb replace it and a week later it came up with the same code. Mb has looked at it numerous times, the last time I was charged. I have had to replace the ignition switch at 55,000 miles (mb-$650.) they charged me for another hour as they said that the wiring harness was damaged. I told them that this was a one owner car serviced at mb and nothing in the dash had ever been taken apart before. They claim it had been . Not true. after this repair, the right side automatic daytime running lights, including the right tail light only works if I use the light switch. They deny that the ignition switch repair has anything to do with it. Unlike the us , mb canada IS a cartel and their attitude has a lot to be desired. There are four mercedes benz dealerships in vancouver bc and all are mb canada owned and operated.as in all other canadian cities. *Tr
- Suspension › Front
I recently heard a loud pop from the front of my car while traveling at highway speed. I stopped to inspect the noise and found that the car was slightly leaning to the right. not seeing anything on the roadside, I drove it home slowly to inspect further. information I read online informed me of…
I recently heard a loud pop from the front of my car while traveling at highway speed. I stopped to inspect the noise and found that the car was slightly leaning to the right. not seeing anything on the roadside, I drove it home slowly to inspect further. information I read online informed me of a design flaw involving the failure of spot welds that attach the front, top coil spring perch to the chassis. upon deeper inspection I found my r side spring perch welds were 80% failed and the force of the coil spring had bent the spring perch up 45 deg. From normal. evidently the noise I heard were the welds breaking! the coil spring was bulging outward, about to pop out. thankfully, the spot welds did not fully let go on this curvy road. if they had fully failed at highway speeds the car most certainly would have lost control and death could have been the result. I called the dealership and they offered to weld a new spring perch in for $440. the l side had already been corrected by a previous owner. I have photos and the failed part in my possession. I was totally unaware of this problem when I bought the car. I had it inspected but the defect was missed. at a minimum, owners of this make, year and model should be contacted and warned of this problem. the manufacturer should recall and repair at no charge. *Tr
- Structure · Suspension › Front
Front spring perches must have been rusted at the welding seam. When I was driving at 35 mph I heard a big snap and the front of the car hit the ground at which point I lost steering control. the front perches must have dislodged and almost caused accident while I was driving. This IS a vital part…
Front spring perches must have been rusted at the welding seam. When I was driving at 35 mph I heard a big snap and the front of the car hit the ground at which point I lost steering control. the front perches must have dislodged and almost caused accident while I was driving. This IS a vital part of the suspension/steering system and should be recalled. The dealership would not help out replacing this part. This IS clearly a manufacturing issue and should be recalled. luckily I was driving on a local road, or it could have caused an accident or death, at which point they would have had a lawsuit on their hands. I also had 2 additional passengers at the time of the occurrence. this event could have been prevented by a recall as I've also heard the same issues from other owners. the car IS a mercedes benz 1996 E320 with 134,000 miles on it. *tr
- Electrical system
Up until about 6 months ago, the only problems to my vehicle had been due to routine maintenance. About that time, my 1996 mercedes benz E320 began running rough. I took my vehicle to a reputable (mercedes benz only) shop who replaced 2 coils. although the vehicle ran good for a few days, it soon…
Up until about 6 months ago, the only problems to my vehicle had been due to routine maintenance. About that time, my 1996 mercedes benz E320 began running rough. I took my vehicle to a reputable (mercedes benz only) shop who replaced 2 coils. although the vehicle ran good for a few days, it soon began running rough. a follow up visit led c & g mercedes, in houston, texas, to find that the problem was related to it's wiring harness, that resulted from a common problem to this and other models, due to premature corrosion of the insulation of the wires. from what I understand this can cause the problems I have described and can results in fires too. I also understand that this occurs in 1990 -1996 models. the correction IS a $1,000.00 replacement part. *Tr
- Suspension › Front
Mercedes have a front suspension problem. consumer states that the front driver side dropped and wants to know why there IS not a recall for this. *nj the technicians found the problem to be the perch, which had to do with the front suspension letting go, which caused the frame to drop. *Jb
- Electrical system
The wiring on the car IS disintegrating harness wires every wire was a great car wiring causing various problems cost more to fix then its worth help me! *tr
- Structure
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 mercedes benz E320. the vehicle was at the dealer to have the bumper repainted due to a crash. the dealer noticed rust on the trunk of the vehicle. The failure mileage was 111,896 and current mileage was 116,772. updated 07/29/08 *bf the consumer stated there was rust on the vehicle in 3 placed. Updated 07/29/08
- Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
I purchased both l & r outer tie rod ends (karlyn ind inc.) from autohauz az recently for my wife's W210 mercedes E320. I noticed while installing the parts that the threaded end of the centre tie rod, when assembled to the replacement part was sloppy and appeared to be far from a compatible…
I purchased both l & r outer tie rod ends (karlyn ind inc.) from autohauz az recently for my wife's W210 mercedes E320. I noticed while installing the parts that the threaded end of the centre tie rod, when assembled to the replacement part was sloppy and appeared to be far from a compatible specification. It was as if one was metric thread and the other was imperial. It did snug with the locking nut...which IS not the purpose of that nut however, and I did reluctantly install them.....they haven't even lasted a week before one has failed at the ball joint. The sale of such inferior quality merchandise put's at risk innocent consumers. If the ball joint was to fail or the tie rod seperate at highway speeds there would be an event thst could easily leak to a loss of life. Part was purchased from autohaus az on invoice #176606 and manufactured by karylyn industries inc, southfields, ny 10975. *tr
- Electrical system
My car seem not to be starting all the time when I turn the ignition key on. mercedes service informed me that the wire harness needs to be replace and there are bare wire exposed and this could be causing the problem. the informed me that the material was made with biodegradable material and…
My car seem not to be starting all the time when I turn the ignition key on. mercedes service informed me that the wire harness needs to be replace and there are bare wire exposed and this could be causing the problem. the informed me that the material was made with biodegradable material and that's why this IS occurred. I informed the dealer that this IS a safety hazard and should be fixed by mercedes as a campaign rather than charge the owner 1,500 dollars to fix. the dealer said to not touch the wire harness and eventually the car will stop running. this IS totally unacceptable for a 50K plus car and not to have the manufacturer to stand behind their poor design. I am reporting this before I have a failure which could cause an accident due to engine failure and brake failure due to lack of power. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling · Fuel system, gasoline
When I found out that my dear wife was dying from advanced kidney failure, I went out and bought a beautiful 1996 e 320 (from its original owner). however, when he decided to advertise the car, he carefully pressure-washed the engine compartment, etc., so it would look its best. after which, he…
When I found out that my dear wife was dying from advanced kidney failure, I went out and bought a beautiful 1996 e 320 (from its original owner). however, when he decided to advertise the car, he carefully pressure-washed the engine compartment, etc., so it would look its best. after which, he could not get the engine to fire again, so he had it towed to the local dealer, who charged him almost $800 to "dry off the spark plug wires, & replace the spark plug boots"!!! (nothing was mentioned about "cracked wiring, etc.) I took possession of the car right after this fiasco, and never gave it a second thought until the car began to sputter and die, right in the midst of traffic, etc.! on at least 3 other occasions, the car has simply shut off, just like turning the ignition off! the orig. Owner says it has never done this for him! so I stumbled onto the huge list of consumer complaints on the deteriorating wiring harness issues, which have not been recalled by mb. I have always held mb in highest regards, but for them to know about this, yet not fix it, IS unforgivable! my wife's aid must use this car to drive her to her routine doctor appointments, and I can only say that they'd better not get hurt in this vehicle because it stalls out with them! they will have a lawsuit on their hands for sure! I only expect that such blatant faulty wiring problems should be fixed...no questions asked! I believe any american manufacturer would do so, and I expect mb to be held accountable to fix this horrific well-documented problem! please use whatever power you can muster, to help convince them to rectify this defect! (i no longer believe the dealer mechanic who told me that he had never heard of this car doing such a thing, and it must be a drop of condensation in the gastank"! I was instructed to "run a can of injector cleaner thru, and it should fix the stalling problem". ha! not!!!! *tr
- Electrical system
Wiring harness defect, needs to be recalled and replaced. *ak
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Front suspension coil spring ejection
Odi has focused this investigation on assessing the risks posed by a separated spring as (1) a road hazard and (2) the potential for vehicle control to be compromised after the front coil spring has been ejected from its intended position in the vehicle.both risks are associated with corrosion, flexing, and fracture…
Odi has focused this investigation on assessing the risks posed by a separated spring as (1) a road hazard and (2) the potential for vehicle control to be compromised after the front coil spring has been ejected from its intended position in the vehicle.both risks are associated with corrosion, flexing, and fracture of the upper front suspension mounting bracket.time-in-service failure rates are notably higher in salt belt states since corrosion IS a primary contributor to the failure mode.since a number of incidents have occurred while the vehicle was being operated, odi IS skeptical that owners can always detect the subtle side to side difference in ride height and/or inspect or notice that the upper suspension bracket has been compromised by corrosion.(1) road hazard - although the (approx. 7 lb.) front suspension spring that may be ejected at highway speeds could pose a serious road hazard to pedestrians and other vehicles, the occurrence rate has been low (.03% based on 51 reported incidents occurring and an initial population of 172,781 vehicles after 9 - 12 years of use / exposure) and there are no known injuries, fatalities, or property damage reports due to an ejected spring.also, many of the 51 incidents occurred at low speed or while the vehicle was stopped or parked.(2) vehicle control - vehicle handling and control could be affected by the fracture of the upper suspension mount and/or the associated spring ejection.odi first identified its concern about corrosion in the upper suspension bracket of subject vehicles in 2002, at which time mercedes provided a video that showed that a vehicle could be steered, stopped, and controlled through various maneuvers at high speeds with a front coil spring completely missing from the vehicle. During pe07-021, in addition to reviewing the 2002 video-tape, odi engineers drove an exemplar vehicle with the spring removed and simulated various combinations of steering angles to assess whether there were any possible conditions / displacements in which the separated spring might interfere with the wheels. In a vehicle with the front spring removed, the top of the wheel can lightly contact the bottom area of the wheel fender during high angle turns typically associated with slower speed maneuvers such as city driving. The light tire contact generated an obvious grinding noise and would likely abrade or bend the edge of the fender with continued use.however, the extent of the interference was not sufficient to affect vehicle steering and does not occur at smaller turning angles associated with highway driving.odi has not identified a safety related defect trend at this time.further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation IS closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety related defect does not exist.the agency reserves the right to take further action if future circumstances warrant.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10235972Enclosed for your information and pursuant to part 579.5, please find our latest Service and Warranty Bulletins for March, 2016
- 10186142Unmotivated 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)
- 10186141NTG5.5: Incorrect time shown on instrument cluster, COMAND display, and analog clock
- 10186135If 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
- 10181124Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D or R
- 10181123Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D
- 10179951AIRMATIC Fault Message "Max 80 km/ h (50 mph) " In Instrument Cluster
- 10167553Combination message: "Clean fuel filter" is displayed. The fault code 162500 (water level message - Bosch) or P226997 (water level message - Delphi) or 171600 (filter load - Bosch) is stored in the engine control unit.
- 10167525Apple products (iPhone or iPod) are not charged via the serial USB interface of the COMAND Online control unit (A40/3) in the stowage compartment of the center console.
- 10167000Surface damage on steering wheel trim
- 10166976Message in instrument cluster "DISTRONIC PLUSCurrently Unavailable - See Owner's Manual"
- 10166090Possible complaints: 1. Memory function of electric seat fore/aft adjustment not functioning. 2. Seat fore/aft adjustment with easy entry/exit feature not functioning. 3. Head restraint presetting not functioning. 4. Seat fore/aft adjustment can only be adjusted for 2 sec with the seat adjustment switch (seat can only be adjusted in longitudinal direction in fits and starts). 5. Function "Collision avoidance when folding down the rear seat backrest" not functioning (seat fails to move forward when the rear seat backrest is folded down).
- 10151959Seat belt extender toothed rack sluggish or makes noises
- 10151948Display of suspension setting in head unit implausible
- 10151924Liftgate intermittently does not open fully
- 10136031Engine noises (rattling) after engine start
- 10135628iPhone mobile phone: Various complaints after software update to iOS8
- 10135598Engine diagnosis warning lamp lights up in instrument cluster, fault code U145400: "Implausible data were received from the ethanol sensor"
- 10044222Mercedes benz: front or rear seat belt does not roll up correctly. Dirt deposits on the seat belt guide due to soiled seat belt. Also included models 169, f cell, 246, and 231. No model years given.
- 10044181Xentry: rattling/thumping noises from the area of the steering on rough roads or when driving over road undulations. No model years given. Also included models 168 and 172.
- 10044180Xentry: 'airmatic- service required' or 'elc- service required' in display- 'fc5151- B22/3 (rear axle sensor): signal implausible' stored.
- 10033070Xentry (mercedes): engine warning lamp IS currently on or was on and a delay fault of the camshaft adjust to current or stored in the engine control unit. Models 171, 203, 209, 211, 219, 221, 216, 230, 164, 251, and 403. No model years listed.
- 10033067Mercedes benz: tailgate does not open fully in cold weather. The tailgate not opening fully in cold weather, do not replace the struts.
- 10032709Mercedes: cracking/creaking noises from front axle when vehicle IS subject to torsion or when steering wheel IS turned. This IS mainly heard when the vehicle IS stationary or when the vehicle IS moving slowly. Relative movement between the frame type integral support and steering plate can cause the plate to make contact with the frame type integral support of the front axle, which in turn causes noises.
- 10029105Mercedes benz: fuel loss at pressure regulator valve and/or poor engine running characteristics (shakes, knocks, surges, changes to lip home mode, poor output, poor fuel economy, combustion noise, vehicle stalls). May be caused by malfunction at pressure regulator valve (prv) due to improper installation.
- 10028686Mercedes: air matic visit workshop displayed within instrument cluster. Models 164, 211, 219, 221 and 251. Included 4matic, AMG (compressor) AMG, bluetec and wagon. Model years unknown. Updated 9/18/09.
- 10028649Mercedes: srs indicator lamp on. The srs light IS illuminated and diagnostic fault code(s) b9223 and/or b9243 are stored in the srs ecu. The resistance of the ignition squib circuit for the sidebag may be too high. Model 211. All model years.
- 10025663Slow acceleration with gas pedal hesitation. Models 164.122/8ss (ML 320 and gl320); 211.022 (E320); 251.122 (4320). Years unknown.
- 10025649Water entry at a-pillar on model 211.026, 065, 070, 076, 082, 083, 265, 282, 283 (E320 cdi; E320; e500;e55amg; E320 4matic; E500 4matic; E320 wagon; 320 4matic). Unknown years.
- 10020460Play in the rack and pinion steering system. Models 203, 209, 210, 211, 215, 220, 230. Mercedes benz. Updated 5/13/09.
- 10010912Steering wheel heater not operating correctly or inoperative at cold temperatures. Mercedes benz model 211. Model year unknown. Model 211 (e series). Update 8/8/2008.
Every Mercedes Benz E320 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.