AI Damage1999 Mercedes-Benz E320: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mercedes-Benz E320 filed 83 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 83
- involving a crash
- 12
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 22% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 20% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 12% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 7% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 6% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 18 complaints (22% of all).
- Air bags: 17 complaints (20% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 11 complaints (13% of all).
- Suspension: 10 complaints (12% of all).
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 83 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 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 17 | 8 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 70 mph the rear left tire had a blow out ,causing the vehicle to collide into a guard rail. The service dealer and tire manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance company. A police report was taken.
While attempting to make a right hand turn the vehicle experienced sudden acceleration and crossed the medium into incoming traffic, the vehicle stopped after it crossed the sidewalk, causing damage to the undercarriage of the vehicle. Mh .
Upon impact, side air bags did not deploy. Consumer sustained minor injuries. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.
While driving, power steering fluid leaked. This would cause the vehicle to lose power steering.
When the consumer attempted to apply the brakes they locked up and caused the vehicle to experience extended stopping distance. The dealer was notified. The traction controlsystem applies to the left front brake when making right turns.
Airbags did not deploy. Device known as "etr" activated on left front and rear restaint and on right rear restraint. No passengers in these seats. Fire occurred in "c" post on left side. Origin in area of "etr" unit. Fire cause not verified. I am fire investigator not owner of vehicle.
Consumer had a seat belt tensioner that didn't lock. Consumer pushed the seat back trying to prepare for air baga which the didn't deploy. Vehicle was totaled. Mercedes benz dealer stated air bags acted as designed.
8/31/18 in motion on a city street, the cabin filled with smoke (from a fire but no flame was seen) I had to open all windows to breath and see. My home was within sight so I drove to the middle of my lawn away from any building, the key would not turn, the car would not shut down.
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 3,991 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E320 has 73 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 83, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mercedes-Benz E320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, air bags, powertrain. Total complaints: 83. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (10%), steering or power steering problems (7%), windows, sunroof (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 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 2026-11-05.