AI Damage1998 Mercedes-Benz E320: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E320 filed 37 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 37
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 22% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 19% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 14% of all complaints
- 4 Equipment 11% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 11% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 8% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 5% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 8 complaints (22% of all).
- Suspension: 7 complaints (19% of all).
- Structure: 5 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Equipment: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Visibility: 4 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 37 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 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 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 contact owns a 1998 mercedes e320. While driving approximately 15 mph, the contact crashed into a tree on the front driver side of her vehicle. The vehicle was completely destroyed and none of the air bags deployed. There were no air bag failures prior to the crash.
Mercedes e-320 1998, sudden acceleration, ref. Odi 10113529. The consumer experienced sudden acceleration, jumping the curb and crashed into a wooden fence. Prior to this incident, the consumer experienced irregular speed. The consumers foot was on the brakes the entire time. Mercedes found no problem.
The rear left door opened on impact. The car was hit mostly on the driver's door towards the center column and the rear door opened. My 5-year-old son was sitting next to that door and could have been ejected from the car.
I have primewell valera touring 2 tires and the front driver's side developed a sidewall bulge when I was reversing into my driveway. The same family of tires have a recall, and while my set are not included in the recall, I have the same or similar problems.
Your web site states "invalid request" when I place vin number in. Correct characters were used.
As I pressed the brake pedal, there was a loud bang and grinding sound from the front end that ended with a loud clank on the ground. After which I saw the spring from my driver's side on the road behind me in my rear view mirror. Driving was not affected, not was steering.
While driving 30 mph, the contact was informed by another motorist that the rear driver side tail light was not working. The contact also stated that the braking power diminished and required a lot more pressure to stop the vehicle.
Restarted and abnormal noises were heard during the next mile and while stopped at a traffic light, there was a large explosion under the hood, producing lots of black smoke but no extended fire. Local police helped in removing the car from traffic and later loading the car on a wrecker.
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 6,176 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E320 has 73 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 37, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, suspension, structure. Total complaints: 37. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (14%), rust, corrosion (11%), A/C or heater (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E320?
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 E320 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.