What are the most common problems on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

Q: What are the most common problems on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

NHTSA has 54 owner complaint(s) on record for the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, cited in 11 of 54 filed complaints (20%).

Problems › Mercedes-Benz › 2019 E-Class

2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Problems & Owner Complaints

54 NHTSA owner complaints

4 crash 1 fire 5 injury

Age-normalised, this year draws ~6.8 complaints per year on the road — ranking 10 of 15 Mercedes-Benz E-Class years we track (1 = most complaints per year).

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What owners report

Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, cited in 11 of 54 filed complaints (20%).

Engine is next (9 complaints, 17%), followed by Seat Belts (9), Back Over Prevention (5), Power Train (4).

Across all complaints, 4 report a crash, 1 report a fire, 5 report injuries.

The most safety-critical cluster is Air Bags: 2 crash, 2 injury report(s).

Complaints by vehicle system

Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 54.

Electrical System 11 1 fire 1 injury

“I parked the vehicle in a parking lot. I walked away and it immediately started smoking. Shortly after that, flames appeared coming from the hood. Shortly after that, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames.”
NHTSA complaint #11726787, 2026 · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“I was driving about 30 mph and getting on to the highway. Once I got on a beep came on from the car and every single warning light came on the car. Check engine all warnings including emergency brake collision warning the list goes on and on. I immediately got off the highway and once I got to a complete stop the car was barely accelerating. I wasn’t able to shift gears from drive I was stuck in drive. Couldn’t park the car reverse or anything. I had to turn the car off. The car didn’t turn on and then after 5 minutes it turned back on. This is 1 week after me receiving the car back for the sa…”
NHTSA complaint #11668083, 2025

“The primary failure involved the electrical system and speed control, which posed a significant safety risk to myself and other drivers. The issue first presented itself when I noticed intermittent warning lights and error messages flashing on the dashboard, including indicators for the electronic stability program (ESP), steering assist, and lane tracking features. These malfunctions created erratic driving conditions, including unexpected acceleration delays and inconsistent cruise control behavior. Approximately one week before the vehicle was repossessed, I reported the issue to the deale…”
NHTSA complaint #11658594, 2025

Unknown Or Other 10 1 injury

“As I was entering the vehicle and getting into my seat, my right ring finger became caught in the passenger-side window as it was closing. The window failed to stop or reverse upon encountering my finger, which is a critical safety function designed to prevent exactly this type of injury. Instead, the window continued to close with full force, crushing my finger and holding it trapped. The pressure was so severe that it ripped my nail and nail bed out and caused a displaced fracture.”
NHTSA complaint #11732369, 2026 · 1 injury(ies)

“Report of Unresolved Recall Issue Dear NHTSA Team, I am writing to report an issue concerning an open safety recall on my 2019 Mercedes-Benz E300. I have received official notification that there is an active recall on this vehicle. However, when I brought the car to the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Harlingen, Texas, the dealership refused to perform the recall repair and instead attempted to charge me for it. As this is a safety matter, I wanted to bring it to your attention so that you can take any necessary steps on your end. I appreciate your assistance in ensuring that all safety recal…”
NHTSA complaint #11705557, 2025

“The rear backup camera failed. There are recalls on my vehicle year make and model but not my VIN number. I have the same issue as the recall.”
NHTSA complaint #11617047, 2024

Engine 9 1 fire 1 injury

“I brought my car in for routine service and was told I needed a rear main seal. I had the car inspected when I purchased it appx 13k miles ago because I saw online there was a lot of people having this issue with their vehicles. It’s a known manufacturer defect. At that time there was no issue. Now at 40k miles it began to leak. This is round about the mileage most people have experienced this issue. A car with 40k miles shouldn’t have a defect like this that could cause the vehicles oil to leak out the seal and destroy the motor. I believe MBUSA should be replacing all of these seals on all…”
NHTSA complaint #11708627, 2026

Seat Belts 9 1 crash 1 injury

“HIT ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AREA. PRESALE FAILED TO OPERATE. SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER OR PASSENGER. AIR BAGS DID NOT TRIGGER. DRIVER HIT STEERING WHEEL AND WAS INJURED. ENTERING INTERSECTION OF N. DRUID HILLS RD AND CLAIRMONT RD, ATLANTA, GA. MY VEHICLE WAS AT VERY LOW SPEED. OTHER VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT UNKNOWN SPEED. (SPEED LIMIT WAS 45 MPH.*DT AGENCY CASE NUMBER (XXX) INSURANCE POLICY (XXXXXX) DRIVER'S NUMBER (XXX) TAG NUMBER (XXXXXX) VIN (XXXXXX) DOB (XXXXX) ('PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FR…”
NHTSA complaint #11290820, 2019 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“The driver and passenger seat belts do not retract at all.”
NHTSA complaint #11605526, 2024

“On May 23, 2023, the audible and visual seat belt alerts activated to notify me that the driver and/or passenger that the seat belt was not properly secured. However, both the driver and/or the passenger had the seat belt on at all times the car was moving. We tried unbuckling then re-buckling to the seat belts to see whether this would affect the alerts, but it did not. We took the car to the Mercedes-Benz dealership on May 31, 2023, but they could not replicate the problem and it resolved on its own. At the time of this first occurrence, our car had 25,053 miles. Our car now has about 32,000…”
NHTSA complaint #11569998, 2023

Back Over Prevention 5

“I have a 2019 Mercedes E300. My backup camera is cutting out while still in reverse. There is an open saftey recall for that specific year, make and model. Campaign #2022060007. Mercedes has told me there is no open recall for my vin even though I am experiencing the same saftey issue. The Issue has been diagnosed by an independent shop. It is a software update not a part that needs to be replaced. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police or others. There has never been a warning light on for this issue.”
NHTSA complaint #11676232, 2025

“The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. In addition, the screen occasionally turned off, compromising the back over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and refer…”
NHTSA complaint #11669516, 2025

“The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz E450. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera failed to display an image of the rear of the vehicle, compromising the back over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rearview camera display. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V232000 (Back Over Prevention), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure m…”
NHTSA complaint #11651738, 2025

Power Train 4

“Backgroud: Recall #26V216 recalls classes of Mercedes vehicles for U-Joint failures. My vehicle - 2019 E460 4Matic Wagon is included in this class under the notice (Vehicle #6 [XXX] ) Issue: I took my vehicle to the dealer on Monday, 5/11 because of a hard knocking sound when I de/accelerate. Dealer inspected and noted that my Ujoint has failed. The estimate is $8100 for repairs. MB and dealer have both indicated that my VIN is not covered by the recall but have not explained why. My car is currently unsafe to drive and therefore non-operational. I have not approved repairs because of th…”
NHTSA complaint #11738092, 2026

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Service Brakes 4 1 crash 1 injury

“While traveling at highway speeds with adaptive cruise control safety systems engaged, the vehicle failed to detect a hazard immediately ahead in its lane. The Forward Collision Warning failed to alert the driver, and the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) failed to initiate automated emergency deceleration. Manual emergency braking was attempted by the driver in the final milliseconds, but the vehicle's braking system failed to sufficiently decelerate the vehicle, resulting in a high-energy frontal collision. Despite severe structural deformation concentrated entirely on the front fascia and c…”
NHTSA complaint #11741091, 2026 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“The car will apply electronic parking brake when put into park. If the brake is wet due to rain and the car sits overnight or for 12 hours or more, the brake sticks to the rotor. The brake will not release unless you press down on the accelerator creating a safety hazard as the car will jerk forward or in reverse. I've raised this with the MB dealer and service technician and they confirm the this Amy happen and that there is no fix. This situation creates a serious hazard.”
NHTSA complaint #11536999, 2023

“1.BOTH FRONT SEATS BECOME EXTREMELY HOT AFTER 1-2 HOURS OF DRIVING, EVEN WITH COLD SEAT MODE ON. METAL BECOMES SO HOT UNDERNEATH SEAT, ALMOST COULD BURN HAND BY TOUCHING METAL PARTS. 2.STEERING WHEEL ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS LOOSENS AND STARTS RAPIDLY MOVING RIGHT AND LEFT PROMPTING ALERT ASSIST WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEED WITHOUT ME DOING THIS OR NO LANES ARE CROSSED , IT FEELS LIKE CAR IS REMOTELY CONTROLLED. 3.CAR TRIES TO ACCELERATE AS I AM ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN FOR TRAFFIC LIGHT IN THE CITY PRODUCING SEVERE TRANSMISSION JERKS. 4. ENGINE TURNS OFF AND ON WITHOUT ME DOING IT…”
NHTSA complaint #11416729, 2021

Wheels 4 1 crash 1 injury

“There is no spare tire and during our drive to Las Vegas the run flat tires blew out and the tire ripped off the rim. We couldn't even travel one mile on the run flat tires. We were stuck in the hot desert for over 2 1/2 hours before the towing car came. Mercedes did not let us know that due to run flat tires there was no spare tire but unfortunately the run flats don't work and cannot be driven not even 1 mile. Our lives were in danger and thank God we had water in the 100 degree heat in the desert.”
NHTSA complaint #11460199, 2021 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“The car was purchased as CPO warrantied and within 2 months of purchase, showed low tire pressure on front passenger tire. Brought the car to a tire shop for what I thought was a nail, turned out was a cracked rim. Read online forums to find out this is a common issue. Mercedes underwent a class action lawsuit for sub-par quality wheels. Mercedes benz does not cover rim under warranty and replacement cost is very high. It is a hazard for safety considering the rim may disintegrate while highway driving.”
NHTSA complaint #11535459, 2023

“The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the TPMS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front passenger's side and the front driver's side rims were fractured. The dealer replaced the rims. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light was illuminated while driving on another occasion. The vehicle was taken to a tire dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear passenger's side rim was fractured. The tire dealer welded the rim. The contact stated that the failure recurred…”
NHTSA complaint #11578920, 2022

Air Bags 3 2 crash 2 injury

“THE CAR DOES NOT DETECT A PROPERLY FASTENED SEATBELT SOMETIMES AND THE SEATBELT WILL NOT ADJUST AUTOMATICALLY EVEN WHEN PROPERLY FASTENED. INTERMITTENT ISSUE. LOOKS LIKE OTHER MODELS HAVE HAD RECALLS RELATED TO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. HTTPS://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS/MERCEDES-BENZ-VEHICLES-WITH-SEATBELT-ISSUE-RECALLED-121018.HTML”
NHTSA complaint #11175184, 2019

Forward Collision Avoidance 3 1 crash 1 injury

“Central digital driver cluster and lighting behind all speedo/tachometer randomly turns off while driving unexpectedly then fades back on. - can not see control indicators for adaptive cruise control when display fades out - can not see what gear the transmission is in when display fades out - at night can not see speedo, tach, or any items on the display when it fades out Dealership said they could not duplicate and didn't want to replace the cluster, because they have to send the part back to mercedes engineering and if the part wasn't faulty, the dealership would have to absorb the cost o…”
NHTSA complaint #11433288, 2021

“I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO DEALERSHIP UNDER RECALL 2019080007 AND SUPPOSEDLY HAD PROBLEM CORRECTED BUT THE BRAKES CONTINUE TO PERIODICALLY ENGAGE FOR NO APPARENT REASON.”
NHTSA complaint #11390030, 2021

Fuel/Propulsion System 3 1 crash 1 fire 1 injury

“I DROVE IN AND PARKED BEHIND A CHILD CARE CENTER. I WAS STOPPED AND SUDDENLY THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD CRASHING THROUGH A WOOD FENCE AND WAS ONLY STOPPED BY SOME PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. BREAKING DID NOT STOP IT.”
NHTSA complaint #11235084, 2019 · crash

“High pressure fuel line is weeping gas and making the cabin smell like fuel when heat is on. Smell is strong and is a safety concern.”
NHTSA complaint #11704063, 2025

Lane Departure 3 1 crash 1 injury

“THE RIGHT SIDE BLIND ASSIST TURNS ON WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND ALSO GIVES FALSE WARNING LIGHT AND SOUND WHEN THERE'S NO CAR. THE RUN FLAT TIRES BLEW OUT AND DIDN'T WORK. THERE'S NO SPARE TIRE SO I CALLED MB SOS. I HAD TO CALL THEM 4 TIMES TO GET THEM TO SEND THE TOWING TRUCK. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE 45 MINUTES BUT IT TOOK OVER 2.5 HOURS IN THE DESERT SUN OUTSIDE OF LAS VEGAS.”
NHTSA complaint #11414852, 2021

“AUTOMATIC STEERING FOLLOWED RANDOM STRIPE ON I 20 MAKING THE CAR LUNG TO THE LEFT LANE AND ALMOST GOING INTO THE MEDIAN IWAS WAS GOING 75 IN RAIN COULD HAVE WRECKED IF I DID NOT CORRECT IN SECONDS!”
NHTSA complaint #11171517, 2019

Steering 3

“THE POWER STEERING BECAME DISABLED DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED. STEERING MALFUNCTION. INCREASE PHYSICAL EFFORT. ETC. IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE”
NHTSA complaint #11405456, 2021

Engine And Engine Cooling 2

“The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle began to shake and lost motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle shuddered and failed to accelerate as needed. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had driven the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the camshaft adjusters and crankshaft position sensors had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileag…”
NHTSA complaint #11480992, 2022

“The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz E450. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. Additionally, the contact stated that the transmission was slipping. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an unknown dealer, the check engine warning light turned on while the dealer was moving the vehicle into a parking space. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times however, the dealer diagnosed that no issues were found. The vehicle was taken to a sec…”
NHTSA complaint #11519233, 2020

Communication 1

“The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V365000 (Electrical System, Communication) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
NHTSA complaint #11491068, 2022

Exterior Lighting 1

Seats 1

Structure 1

“While loading the car's truck, the automatic power trunk lid closed on the user's head with force.”
NHTSA complaint #11424869, 2021

Tires 1

“Tire size: 245 40 19R While driving the side wall blew out and got less than 1 mile bring a run flat tire before the tire came off the rim.”
NHTSA complaint #11460198, 2022

Vehicle Speed Control 1

How we read this (methodology)

How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class draws about 6.8 complaints per year on the road, ranking 10 of 15 among the Mercedes-Benz E-Class model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).

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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.