2005 Mercedes-Benz E Class recalls and problems

The 2005 Mercedes-Benz E Class has 3 recalls and 9 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is fuel system.

How the 2005 compares

Low

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 8 E Class model years — 6th most.

3recalls

9complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

72,319median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

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3 recalls

Electrical System

Jul 7, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V303000 · 404 vehicles

Problem: Mercedes-Benz is recalling my 2006-2008 m-class, r-class, my 2005-2009 slk-class, my 2005-2008 c-class, my 2003-2004 and 2006-2008 clk-class, my 2003-2008 e-class, my 2004 and 2008 cl-class, my 2008 cls-class, my 2004 and 2007-2008 s-class, my 2003 g-class, and my 2003-2004, 2006 and 2009 sl-class vehicles. A software calibration number (scn) coding received on the affected vehicles during a recent workshop visit was incorrect. Depending on the model year and model affected, the results of an incorrect scn coding can affect a number of vehicle safety and emission functions including the following types of functions: (1) the fuel gauge readings May be incorrect; (2) a stuck fuel-level sensor May not be displayed in the instrument cluster; (3) the obd system May cause the check engine light to illuminate incorrectly; and, (4) the speedometer May be out of tolerance.

Original NHTSA wording

MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING MY 2006-2008 M-CLASS, R-CLASS, MY 2005-2009 SLK-CLASS, MY 2005-2008 C-CLASS, MY 2003-2004 AND 2006-2008 CLK-CLASS, MY 2003-2008 E-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2008 CL-CLASS, MY 2008 CLS-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2007-2008 S-CLASS, MY 2003 G-CLASS, AND MY 2003-2004, 2006 AND 2009 SL-CLASS VEHICLES. A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION NUMBER (SCN) CODING RECEIVED ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DURING A RECENT WORKSHOP VISIT WAS INCORRECT. DEPENDING ON THE MODEL YEAR AND MODEL AFFECTED, THE RESULTS OF AN INCORRECT SCN CODING CAN AFFECT A NUMBER OF VEHICLE SAFETY AND EMISSION FUNCTIONS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FUNCTIONS: (1) THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS MAY BE INCORRECT; (2) A STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; (3) THE OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND, (4) THE SPEEDOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE.

Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the electrical fuel pump May not receive a crash signal that is required for the fuel pump to disconnect and prevent future fuel delivery as designed.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP MAY NOT RECEIVE A CRASH SIGNAL THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUEL PUMP TO DISCONNECT AND PREVENT FUTURE FUEL DELIVERY AS DESIGNED.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will recode the scn free of charge. The recall began on August 30, 2008. Owners May contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Mercedes-Benz recall no. 2008 070001.customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Service Brakes

Apr 1, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V133000 · 204,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain vehicles, the sensotronic brake control (sbc) system May prematurely shift to the hydraulic back-up function mode, due to deterioration of the wiring harness connection, or due to premature failure of the hydraulic pump.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL (SBC) SYSTEM MAY PREMATURELY SHIFT TO THE HYDRAULIC BACK-UP FUNCTION MODE, DUE TO DETERIORATION OF THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTION, OR DUE TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP.

Risk: In the hydraulic back-up mode, the driver has braking power sufficient to stop the vehicle, although greater brake pedal pressure is required and the brake pedal travel will be noticeably longer.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THE HYDRAULIC BACK-UP MODE, THE DRIVER HAS BRAKING POWER SUFFICIENT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH GREATER BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE IS REQUIRED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL WILL BE NOTICEABLY LONGER.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install a bracket and replacement ground wire to the sbc pump unit on all vehicles free of charge. Additionally dealers will inspect and replace the sbc pump unit in sl vehicles produced during a limited production period. The recall began on August 8, 2005. Owners May contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Mercedes-Benz recall no. 2005070007 and 2005110001. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Service Brakes

Jun 22, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V296000 · 143,387 vehicles

Problem: On certain vehicles, the electronic monitoring system of the sensotronic brake control (sbc) is designed to monitor the pressure gradient within the high pressure line of the brake system. If an unacceptable pressure gradient is detected, the system will switch, as it is designed to do, into the hydraulic function mode.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING SYSTEM OF THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL (SBC) IS DESIGNED TO MONITOR THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WITHIN THE HIGH PRESSURE LINE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. IF AN UNACCEPTABLE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS DETECTED, THE SYSTEM WILL SWITCH, AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO, INTO THE HYDRAULIC FUNCTION MODE.

Risk: If vehicles are not routinely serviced and have extremely high mileage combined with a high number of brake actuations, or a high brake actuation frequency, the pump motor of the sbc May run out of permissible tolerances, thereby triggering the hydraulic function mode.

Original NHTSA wording

IF VEHICLES ARE NOT ROUTINELY SERVICED AND HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH MILEAGE COMBINED WITH A HIGH NUMBER OF BRAKE ACTUATIONS, OR A HIGH BRAKE ACTUATION FREQUENCY, THE PUMP MOTOR OF THE SBC MAY RUN OUT OF PERMISSIBLE TOLERANCES, THEREBY TRIGGERING THE HYDRAULIC FUNCTION MODE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the sbc hydraulic unit, replacing it if necessary. The recall began on October 21M 2004. Owners should contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Mercedes-Benz recall no. 2004 050014.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Unknown or other1

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Driver Air Bag Circuit High Resistance

PE10017 · opened May 14, 2010 · closed Nov 24, 2010

Summary

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) has reported a high number of warranty claims for air bag warning lamp illumination due to a diagnostic fault code 9103 or 9123 indicating a high resistance in the driver's frontal air bag firing circuit.MBUSA's testing and evaluation have shown that this condition is the result of a faulty connector (specifically, improper wire crimp) but that it will not prevent proper deployment of the driver's frontal air bag.The faulty connector can cause the air bag circuit resistance levels to exceed the threshold that illuminates the air bag warning lamp, but they do not exceed a higher limit at which proper deployment of the air bag may no longer occur.The agency believes that further expenditure of agency resources does not appear to be warranted at this time.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.The agency will monitor the issue and reserves the right to take future action if warranted by the circumstances.During the investigation, ODI learned that MBUSA will initiate a warranty extension program to address the faulty connectors in subject model year 2005 and 2006 E-Class and other MBUSA model/model year vehicles.This action will extend the warranty coverage for this issue to 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first.MBUSA will notify all affected vehicle owners of this action.A bulletin describing this program is available in the investigative file.

2005 vs. other Mercedes-Benz E Class years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2005. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2005 Mercedes-Benz E Class have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Mercedes-Benz E Class, the latest from Jul 7, 2008 (electrical system). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Mercedes-Benz E Class?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention fuel system (5), electrical system (1), engine (1). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.