AI Damage1999 Mercedes-Benz E 300: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mercedes-Benz E 300 filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 31% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 15% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 8% of all complaints
- Suspension: 4 complaints (31% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 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.
While driving with the cruise control set to 72 mph consumer attempted to disengage the cruise control and vehicle took off like a jet. As a result, vehicle jumped the median on the highway, damaging the under carriage of the vehicle.
The front right coil spring perch failed due to rust which caused the suspension to drop to the ground on that side. The coil spring fell out and rolled down the street. I had the car towed to a welder and fixed the perch.
The wiring insulation inside of the headlight has degraded and crumbled leaving only the bare copper wire showing. These wires have shorted going over bumps causing a loss of light to occur.
When the consumer removed the tire and examined the vehicle, he could see the left front spring perch was ripped loose where the spot welding was weakened by rust. He could also see that the spring, together with any related hardware, was missing.
Looking at the design, the material has no corrosion allowance for a part that is located in an area that is subject to a damp environment. It is extremely thin and the method of attachment encourages rusting, exacerbating the problem. For me, the consequences were inconvenience and financial loss.
The brake light came on that said brake fluid is below minimal check . I checked and added brake fluid. The next day while driving the light came on again. I contacted atlanta classic cars, had the vehicle towed. I was told that the abs/asr hydraulic unit was leaking.
While attempting to put the vehicle into gear, she heard a grinding noise. She pulled over and tried to shift into reverse and was unsuccessful. After turning the vehicle off she was able to shift into reverse; however, the grinding noise continued and the vehicle was towed to an authorized service mechanic and then…
Engine failure during normal driving in traffic in my 1999 mercedes e300 turbo diesel. Both in independent repair shop and dealer in ft. Myers can not find and fix this problem. This is a serious safety problem and traffic hazard.
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 9,846 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E 300 has 20 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 13, below average.
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mercedes-Benz E 300?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, powertrain, service brakes. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (23%), engine failure or replacement (8%), headlights and tail lights (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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.