AI Damage2011 Mercedes-Benz E: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and tires. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 10
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 30% of all complaints
- 2 Tires 30% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 10% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (30% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Tires: 3 complaints (30% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (20% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 10 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 mercedes benz e-350. The contact was driving 60 mph when the contact was involved in a rear-end crash. As a result, the contact crashed into the guardrail. None of the air bags deployed and the vehicle was destroyed. The contact sustained injuries to the neck and back.
2011 mercedes benz e class-this vehicle has an electronic shifter just behind steering wheel. It is difficult to tell if it goes into park or not. My wife had engine running, got out of car to check the trunk and thought she put the vehicle in park. It started to move and she was able to jump inside and hit the brake.
Tire tread is separating from tire on back of tire. All four tires on vehicle display tread separation approximately half circumference of tire is affected.
All four tires on 2011 mercedes e550 have tread separation. Tread separation is occurring on the back side of the tire and is unknown until the tire begins to lose tire pressure. Tires are original equipment michelin radial x tires. Failure between 38,000-40,000 miles.
5 months into my 2011 mb e350 bluetech lease the front left tire blows on a highway. The tires are runflat bridgestone turanza el400-02 moextended 245/45r17 95h. Stopped the car and saw the rim made a cut in a sidewall. Not repairable, had it replaced.
I recently purchased a mercedes 2011 e550. I found the speedometer very difficult to read during daylight conditions it is not lighted. My eyesight is 20/20). This is a safety problem because it takes your eyes off the road too long to read the very dim speedometer.
Mercedes 2011 e550 has a speedometer that is very difficult to read and requires eye diversion from the road to an unsafe extent to view your driving speed.
E 350 2011 mercedes benz I own has problems with gear shifting while driving uphill.
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 10,921 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E has 3 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 10, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, tires, electrical system. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: tires: bulges, blowouts (20%), steering or power steering problems (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E?
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 2011 Mercedes-Benz E 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 2011 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.