AI Damage1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 29% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 17% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 4% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 4% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 4% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 4% of all complaints
- Suspension: 7 complaints (29% of all).
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (4% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.2 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3 L · diesel · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 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 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
Vehicle was in park a child entered the vehicle, moved the gear from park to neutral, and vehicle rolled back, going through a fence and striking a tree. The child sustained no injuries.
Lots of warning lights - bas, asr, etc. I thought I blew a tire or hit some road damage. Surprisingly, just a little swerve in the left lane and I made it to the right shoulder after a 1/4 mile. I had heard of the spring perch failures from the user forums at www.mercedesshop.com.
Catalytic converter loose inside, rattling and not effective.
Tires overheat on dry pavement, causing decreased traction.
Driver side spring perch is rusted and peeling off due to manufacturing defect. Car is dangerous to drive the way it is due to this manufacturing defect. This is a known issue on many forums as well as previous http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforum/showthread.php3?t=95228.
Automatic transmission failure, stays on 1st. Gear (rough run). Took to authorized mbz repair station, they reset the "computer" and run approximately 450 miles ok and again the same problem.
It has come loose due to rust,which is a problem with these cars. These cars will rust on the body panels and on the suspension components. Please get mercedes to do something about this. Not only is it bad cosmetically, but the rusted spring perches can be catastrophic.
When the engine gets hot, it stalls . After it cools for some time, it re-starts. It happened to me on the highway (bumper-to-bumper traffic). Found out from the mercedez forum that it is a known problem due to cranshaft position sensor. It has happened to number of people.
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 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E Class has 19 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 24, above average.
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
- E Class 19937 sources
- E Class 199438 sources
- E Class 199521 sources
- E Class 199616 sources
- E Class 199738 sources
- E Class 199913 sources
- E Class 200034 sources
- E Class 200115 sources
- E Class 20028 sources
- E Class 200345 sources
- E Class 200415 sources
- E Class 20059 sources
- E Class 200610 sources
- E Class 20085 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (13%), loss of power / limp mode (8%), steering or power steering problems (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class?
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 Class 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.