Summary
The Mercedes-Benz E Class has 43 recalls spanning 1992 through 2025, with the most serious recent issue affecting 2025 AMG E 53 hybrid models where a transmission wiring harness that is too short can contact the front driveshaft, wear through, and cut power to the wheels while driving.
The 2022 model year has a fire risk on 4Matic all-wheel drive variants: an incorrectly routed transmission wiring harness can allow water into a connector, short-circuit, and start a fire even with the vehicle parked. The 2024 model year has a software defect that can disable the automatic cross-traffic braking function when reversing out of a parking space. On 2021 models, the fuel delivery module can fail and cause rough running or a sudden loss of engine power while driving.
The 2019 model year carries several issues. Turbocharger oil line fittings that were not fully tightened can leak oil onto hot engine surfaces and cause a fire. On AMG E 53 and E 63 S variants, the front passenger seat may lack an adjustment limiter, allowing the seat to be too close to the dashboard airbag, and an incorrect driver airbag may also have been installed. A separate 2019 wiring issue involves the 4Matic transmission harness routing, and a prior dealer repair for that problem was found to be incomplete, requiring a second fix. Also on 2019 models, the 12-volt trunk battery can shift in a crash and disconnect, disabling post-crash systems like emergency calling, hazard lights, and automatic door unlocking, and the emergency calling SIM card can disable itself independently.
The 2018 model year has the broadest recall cluster in recent production. A steering coupling that was not confirmed locked during assembly can loosen and cause complete loss of steering. Plastic underbody paneling on 6-cylinder all-wheel drive variants sits too close to the exhaust and can melt and ignite. On AMG E 63 S variants, a starter power cable attached against the housing can short-circuit and cause a stall or fire. Other 2018 issues include an incorrectly covered battery terminal that can arc in a crash, a child seat lower anchor incorrectly installed in convertible models, front seatbelt buckles that false-trigger warnings and can suppress airbag and pretensioner function, and an undersized battery cover that may expose the positive cable.
The 2017 model year has its own cluster: a firewall rubber seal can fall loose onto the exhaust and ignite, rear seat wiring can be damaged by the seat frame and disable the fuel pump or fuel gauge, front seatbacks on coupe and cabriolet models may not fully lock and can allow rear cargo to move forward in a crash, pelvis and passenger frontal airbags may not deploy correctly, the airbag control unit may have been incorrectly programmed, the passenger seat occupancy sensor may misclassify a seated occupant, the column shift module can fail internally and prevent gear selection, the trunk spoiler can detach at speed, LED headlamps may be aimed outside required tolerances, and the instrument cluster software may show incorrect displays.
Going further back, 2015 models have a rear center seatbelt buckle that can release in a severe frontal crash. The 2013 model has a firewall seal that can fall onto the exhaust. The 2012 E Class Coupe has a right-side curtain airbag that can deflate too quickly after deploying. On
