AI Damage2016 Mercedes-Benz B 250E: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz B 250E filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and air bags. The maker issued 36 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 36
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 50% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 50% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- Engine: 2 complaints (50% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Air bags: 2 complaints (50% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 9.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 4 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Powertrain | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Lane departure | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Seats | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tires | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My air bag light went on , and my car is displaying a fault on the drivers side air bag . I took the car to an authorized Mercedes dealer and they say they claim I need a new part . Please see RCMN-17V627 . The recall affects nearly 500,000 Mercedes-Benz vehicles from model years 2012 to 2018.
Complaint submitted to Transport Canada: âThe Eco Start function on the Mercedes Benz B250 does not work and so intermittently shuts off the car without warning. Very very dangerous. When stopped at a stop light, unless the eco smart button is turned off the car engine will suddenly shut off.
Constituent stated that the coolant seeped into the engine causing engine failure.
Mercedes notified me via letter of a safety problem with my leased 2016 b250e in november 2017 but says parts aren't available until october 2018. So I am driving an unsafe vehicle until then?
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,524 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the B 250E has 6 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- 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 removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and…
- Complaint Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE
Although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily noticeable that it is distinctly different if it happens at all times or only while braking. Cause Although the cause of the vibration…
- 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 Service 6.Navigation 7.iHeartRadio 8.Traffic Cams Cause MB Apps is sundowned for all vehicles with…
- 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 If the complaint is eliminated by experimentally loosening the outboard collar nut (by 1 turn), the…
- Dear Mercedes-Benz USA Dealers, The part numbers listed in the chart below should no longer be installed,…
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…
- Complaint After successful commissioning of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) with XENTRY Diagnosis DVD…
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…
- Complaint The customer requests deactivation of the N112/9 HERMES communication module Note
Deactivation of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) is not supported for gray-market vehicles. Cause Before deactivating the HERMES control unit (N112/9), it must be clarified by the legal department of the respective MPC…
- 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 the downward movement water is pulled back onto the windshield from the A-pillar (Figure 1) D: After…
- 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 headlamp. If a pressure compensation diaphragm is fitted in…
- Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon,…
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…
- Complaint Customer states the AC either does not cool/has poor performance or heat is insufficient
Cause Many possible root causes Remedy *Note - This Li does not apply if there are other Li's that apply to your concern OR you have a fault and/or guided test that leads to a root cause. AC Diagnosis (General) Initial…
- Complaint Customer states the AC either does not cool/has poor performance or heat is insufficient
Cause Many possible root causes Remedy AC Diagnosis (General) Initial Steps Verify Customer Concern • Confirm the issue reported by the customer. Compare to Like Vehicle • Determine if the behavior is normal by…
NHTSA lists 36 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Mercedes-Benz B 250E?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (25%), engine failure or replacement (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz B 250E?
NHTSA lists 36 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Mercedes-Benz B 250E from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.