AI Damage2012 Mercedes-Benz E550: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 filed 17 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 17
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 47% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 24% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 24% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 12% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 6% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 6% of all complaints
- Air bags: 8 complaints (47% of all).
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (24% of all).
- Steering: 4 complaints (24% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (12% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (6% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 17 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
The contact was unsure whether there was a warning light illuminated. The air bags deployed. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the air bags. Both the contact and her husband immediately exited the vehicle. The contact's husband did not sustain any injuries.
The Electronic Steering Lock (ESL) will fail and cause the vehicle to become disabled. The failure of this part will leave the owner strained and unable to use any functions of the car. You canât even put the vehicle into neutral to move the vehicle. Everything is locked.
There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the fuel sender unit was cracked, and that fuel was leaking into the rear seats of the vehicle. The contact was informed that the fuel sender unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
My car will not start and I get a message stating "Remove key from ignition" every time I insert the key to try to start the car. It appears that the ESL has failed. I have visited several MB forums and it appears that this is a common issue, regardless of car mileage.
I was backing the car when the steering became stiff and a message stating 'power steering malfunction see owners manual' appeared. I turned the car off and restarted an hour later and the same message appeared. Steering was very difficult. Thankfully, it didn't happen at a high speed or turning.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz e550. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v010000 (air bags) however, the part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
I am now officially on my 3rd set of wheels, 16 flat tires, and now had to replace every single component in the air suspension almost 8k into the repairs
Takata recall I have received a recall notice jan 2017 still no date on parts and repair the can not be re sold by a mercedes dealer with open recall car has lost approx 10,000 dollar in value or this issue. Just spoke with local dealer no update could be months or years was there update.
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 8,823 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 24% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E550 has 20 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 17, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, steering. Total complaints: 17. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (12%), steering or power steering problems (12%), warning lights, check engine (12%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550?
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 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 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 2012 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.