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2013 Mercedes-Benz E350Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 164 owner complaints about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-638 the manufacturer reports only 46% of affected cars repaired.

2013 Mercedes-Benz E350
50
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.0× the E350 median · #6 of 13 years by complaints
Safety recalls6Lowest repair rate 46%Owner complaints16430 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage50kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 16, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 has problems

164 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 bags472
Service brakes301
Structure184
Engine153
Suspension133
Electrical system122
Steering102
Vehicle speed control96
Wheels83
12 other systems394

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

6 recalls

2013 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 →

78%repaired · 2021 Q1

Communication

Recall 19V-787 · Nov 1, 2019 · 24,226 vehicles · 18,993 repaired

Risk. An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

74%repaired · 2026 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-043 · Jan 10, 2018 · 132,167 vehicles · 97,355 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver 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 →

Show 2 more recalls
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 →

93%repaired · 2016 Q2

Body: hood

Recall 15V-088 · Feb 13, 2015 · 147,224 vehicles · 137,020 repaired

Risk. If the rubber seal falls into the engine compartment, it may contact parts of the exhaust system, increasing the risk of a fire.

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

2013 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 2013 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 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V017000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the recall notification stated mobile repair service was available however, the contact…
Complaint 11613811 · Sep 10, 2024
Contacted Mercedes because Dealer said it was a common problem. Airbag light was on. I was told that airbags could unsafely deploy as driving the vehicle and the issue was connected to the steering column. After looking online, I found that there are several drivers that could be in unsafe…
Complaint 11595435 · Jun 20, 2024
JAN 18,2019 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER2019010001 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER19V010 RECALL STATUSRECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE MERCEDES BENZ ALERTED ME OF THE PROBLEM 2 YEARS AGO AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE NOR PROVIDED THE TIMING TO DO SO. I OWN A LUXURY, VERY EXPENSIVE MODEL.…
Complaint 11406353 · Apr 4, 2021

Own a 2013 E350?

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