AI Damage2003 Mercedes-Benz E320: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Mercedes-Benz E320 filed 214 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and fuel/propulsion system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 214
- involving a crash
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 36% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 33% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 5% of all complaints
- 8 Electronic stability control 3% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 77 complaints (36% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 71 complaints (33% of all).
- Electrical system: 21 complaints (10% of all).
- Air bags: 19 complaints (9% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 18 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 214 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 77 | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 71 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 19 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 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.
The front end was severely damaged, but the air bag did not deploy. The driver sustained chest and torso injuries, which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified.
Brakes just when out on it and they have a recall but is good for just 10 they need to be respons for this problem making cars with no brakes is a deith wish I hope you guys do something about it is not safe at all
He was driving 35mph on 12-15-05 when the brakes failed and a crash occurred which severely injured his shoulder. A police report was filed and the contact was given a citation. The contact noticed a yellow brake warning light prior to the failure on the instrument panel.
The vehicle sustained considerable damage to the front bumper, hood, head lights. The front doors were jammed causing the driver to use the passenger doors for exiting the vehicle. There was burning smell (but no smoke) in the car soon after the impact.
Suddenly there was a loud noise followed by a thick plume of white smoke which rapidly engulfed the vehicle. The consumer's foot deeply depressed the brakes and the vehicle simply did not stop until it collided into the back of another vehicle. The consumer was informed that nothing was wrong with the vehicle.
The seat belt failed to hold the consumer. The consumer received head injuries and was transported to the local hospital.
The vehicle's air bags did not deploy properly upon impact. On aug 2004 the consumer was involved in an auto accident and the vehicle slid under the rear of a ford excursion. The consumers stomach hit the steering wheel branding her stomach with the mercedes emblem scalding her left arm.
About a month ago while driving it, I noticed a strong smell of gasoline in the cabin of the vehicle. The odor is strong just after filling the tank, and then it disappears at appox. 3 quarters of a tank. This issue has been physically challenging for me, making me dizzy and giving me migraines.
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 1,905 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E320 has 73 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 214, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- 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 2003 Mercedes-Benz E320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system. Total complaints: 214. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (21%), warning lights, check engine (14%), brake failure (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 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 2003 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 2003 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.