AI Damage2014 Mercedes-Benz E550: common problems
Owners of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E550 filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 16
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 56% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 19% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 4 Visibility 13% of all complaints
- 5 Electronic stability control 6% of all complaints
- 6 Engine 6% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 6% of all complaints
- Air bags: 9 complaints (56% of all).
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (19% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Visibility: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (6% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 16 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 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
Dealer reports that, in addition to the dangerous corrosion on rear subframe covered by the extended warranty program, the rear brake lines are dangerously corroded and may fail at any time. I inquired about how this is even possible as I am accustomed to vehicles with cupronickel brake lines that do not corrode.
Both driver and front passenger headrest airbags have deployed for no cause. This is is the second time this has occurred on both sides. No collision occurred in both incidents. First time it occurred under warranty and Mercedes fixed the issue. This time it occurred again and the car is not in warranty.
Parking brake pedal assembly failed. Yes it's available for inspection. My home is on a hill, a functioning parking brake is required to prevent the vehicle from rolling. Personal mechanic identified issue and replaced part. There were no warning lights or lamps indicating an issue.
This was immediately followed by the unmistakable smell of burning plastic or something similar. Smoke coming from the center speaker in the dashboard followed subjecting car occupants to potentially hazardous smoke and chemicals resulting from the fire.All signs suggested an electrical fire which was alarming…
Mercedes has refused to replace defective takata airbag since february of 2019 making different excuses why they can't replace the passenger side airbag with knowledge that if accident can be life threatening.
While driving at low speeds, the rear passenger side speaker and window began to smoke. There was also an abnormal rubber and burning odor and a cracking noise emerging from the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated.
Customer ran car out of oil destroying engine and turbo's total cost of repair is 25,000
At the time, numerous warning messages and lights appeared on the dash for srs, abs, seatbelt pretensioner, etc. The engine would not turn off using the start-stop button, and the vehicle would not shift out of drive.
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 9,042 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the E550 has 20 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 16, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (13%), smoke, burning smell, fire (13%), warning lights, check engine (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2014 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 2014 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 2014 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.