Menu

2012 Mercedes-Benz E350Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 217 owner complaints about the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-638 the manufacturer reports only 46% of affected cars repaired.

2012 Mercedes-Benz E350
48
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the E350 median · #5 of 13 years by complaints
Safety recalls7Lowest repair rate 46%Owner complaints21712 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage50kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 16, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: DestinationFearFan, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 has problems

217 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags843
Fuel/propulsion system270
Engine203
Electrical system190
Service brakes190
Suspension140
Power train103
Steering90
Fuel system, gasoline80
13 other systems371

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

7 recalls

2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

46%repaired · 2023 Q2

Air bags: frontal

Recall 21V-638 · Aug 13, 2021 · 205 vehicles · 95 repaired

Risk. An incorrect air bag may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

82%repaired · 2026 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 19V-010 · Jan 9, 2019 · 288,779 vehicles · 237,356 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

81%repaired · 2019 Q4

Air bags: frontal

Recall 17V-627 · Oct 6, 2017 · 495,290 vehicles · 402,593 repaired

Risk. If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

86%repaired · 2018 Q3

Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive

Recall 17V-177 · Mar 14, 2017 · 51 vehicles · 44 repaired

Risk. If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 3 more recalls
71%repaired · 2026 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 17V-017 · Jan 10, 2017 · 104,119 vehicles · 73,436 repaired

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Fuel system, gasoline

Recall 12V-557 · Dec 3, 2012 · 5,800 vehicles

Risk. If the fuel filter flange cracks, it will leak fuel which may lead to a fire if an external ignition source is present.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Air bags: side/window

Recall 12V-492 · Oct 9, 2012 · 499 vehicles

Risk. In the event of an accident necessitating the deployment of the right window curtain air bag, the improper stitching may cause it to deflate more quickly than…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mercedes-Benz.

Best & worst years

2012 vs. every other E350 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the E350 median. How we score

'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Rear brake line failureDP20004 · closed Oct 9, 2020
    No recall
  2. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
In owners' words

What E350 owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that the front driver's side and passenger's side air bags warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headrest deployed inadvertently. No further information was…
Complaint 11617281 · Sep 30, 2024 · 105,000 miles
Stopped at a stop sign and the passenger side seat headrest deployed. Luckily no one was sitting in the seat at the time. This car has the Neck Pro Active Front Head Restraints. The plastic that holds the headrest in place fails after time. There is a class action lawsuit against Mercedes and the…
Complaint 11438555 · Oct 28, 2021
There was a recall on my front passenger air bag that was replaced around February 2020, based on a recall. The other day my Front Right Passenger Air Bag Malfunction Warning Signal appeared on the dash board. After bringing it into Mercedes Benz - I was notified that my Passenger Right Side Air…
Complaint 11430444 · Aug 25, 2021

Own a 2012 E350?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.