AI Damage1998 Mercedes-Benz E 300: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E 300 filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 44% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 22% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 22% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 11% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 11% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (44% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 1 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 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 and cooling | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I was driving in the middle lane of a 3 lane eastbound interstate 10 in gulfport, ms in a light rain ( it had been heavy 2 hours before ) with cruise control on at 65 mph.
Unintended sudden acceleration resulting in crash, resulting from oil into intake from seal on turbo charger. Car had been routinely serviced 5 days prior, with error message on air mass sensor. Part was replaced. This error message also occurred 15 months before, and was also replaced then.
The front driver side coil spring ejected out while driving, causing the front of the car to dive down on the driver side. I do have the parts that came out. Luckily I had just got off of the freeway and was only going around 10 mph when it happened and no one was hurt.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 mercedes benz 300e. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, he heard a loud noise. After inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the top front spring mount fractured and detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer.
While traveling at any speed vehicle stalled, consumer lost control of the vehicle. Manufacturer failed to provide a suggestive remedy, and the dealer was not able to duplicate problem. This has been going on for several years.
Tire on left rear of vehicle blew out. Tire was less then one year old and had only 25,000 miles on it. Michelin insisted it was a road hazard even though tire was left rear. (tiresize: 215/55r-16)
Certain new mercedes have headlights with a blue tint which causes a safety hazard to other drivers because of the brightness and glare.
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 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E 300 has 20 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 9, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E 300?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, exterior lighting, suspension. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (22%), seat belts (11%), stalls while driving (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E 300?
NHTSA lists 0 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 1998 Mercedes-Benz E 300 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 1998 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 2026-11-05.