AI Damage2002 Mercedes-Benz E320: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 23
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 17% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 9% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 9% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 4% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 23 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes benz e320. While driving approximately 10 mph, another vehicle crashed into the rear passenger side door of the contact's vehicle. The air bags deployed and metal shavings came out of the air bags. The contact was injured and required medical attention. A police report was filed.
The contact stated that the sun roof was unable to be opened and that the sun roof glass had become indented. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure.
On april 25, 2016, I noticed that a white brake system indicator light came on while the engine was running. I was driving on a city street at about 10 mph in traffic. Despite the white warning light, the foot brakes still held. It said "service brakes , visit workshop".
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes benz e320. The contact stated that the fuse box and the computer burned. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The vin was not provided. The failure mileage was 83,000.
While decelerating onto highway from on ramp, the transmission seems to slip out of gear. This has happened several times. It's is a scary situation to lose power as you merge into highway. I coasted to brake down lane. I shifted back into park gear to reset, then back into drive gear to resume travel.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes benz e320. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a gasoline fuel odor emitting from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vin was unavailable. The failure mileage was unknown.
The srs light on the dash stays lit at all times, as does the passenger side airbag off indicator. Was wondering if this was a one incident type or if this is a trend among older e320's that are out of warranty.
The temperature led has completely gone out and the clock/gear selection led is unreadable... I believe seeing another complaint of the same type in the database, don't remember the model but was wondering why if this is a trend does mercedes not have a fix for the situation.
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 7,735 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E320 has 73 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 23, below average.
What to check before buying
- 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.
- 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.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Mercedes-Benz E320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, air bags. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (13%), airbag warning light (9%), knocking, grinding or other noise (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 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 2002 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 2002 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.