AI Damage2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 15
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 53% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 20% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Seat belts 7% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 7% of all complaints
- Air bags: 8 complaints (53% of all).
- Visibility: 3 complaints (20% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (7% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (7% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 15 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 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
Rear seatbelts randomly get stuck retracted all the way or partially out and become unusable for the ( middle row) rear passengers. This malfunction was noticed on or around 8/30/2014 and has progressively gotten worse to its current state of uselessness !
I have been receiving safety recall notices from mercedes benz several time in the past 6 months. Each time that I call mercedes benz of south bay in torrance, ca, they tell me that they don't have the part. Since the safety recall is about the air bags, it is really important that they get fixed.
At that point, the contact realized that the sunroof had exploded without impact. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician informed the contact the failure had never been seen before. The dealer was not contacted and made aware of this failure.
In 4 separate incidents since I purchased my vehicle in 2012, I have run out of gas but the gas gauge shows more than 1/4 tank of fuel available. Most recently, on feb 12,2018, my car stopped while traveling 65 mph on I-270 in columbus oh in heavy traffic with no warning and 1/3 tank of gas showing on the gauge.
Received letter telling me to contact you for a free airbag replacement. These airbags inflators are defected on my vehicle. Please contact me as soon as possible and provide dealer that can handle this issue near my hometown.
No warning light, both while parked and while driving. Fender nearly touches the tire, vehicle leans and becomes unstable. No visual evidence of cracked or deterioration .
My family and I were driving home from vacation on interstate 95 north. There was a heavy downpour of rain, and in the midst of all that rain, the windshield wipers cease to operate. We began to panic because the rain was so heavy. I began to turn the switch to the windshield wiper off and on.
Once car stopped couldn't get out since door locks would not open. Terrified it was electrical and we were trapped inside. Called 911 and officer asked me where iwas and I didn't know and was so panicked thinking trapped inside car.
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 8,768 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the R350 has 34 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 15, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- 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.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mercedes-Benz R350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, visibility, electrical system. Total complaints: 15. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: battery drain (7%), A/C or heater (7%), door locks, latches, handles (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz R350?
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 2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 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 2009 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.