2006 Mercedes Benz E: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
30,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 1 | 100.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
2011: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10377998 · 2011-01-20 (January 20, 2011)
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS: YESTERDAY 1/19/11 WHILE DRIVING ~35-40MPH AND PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, MY 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 SUDDENLY &RAPIDLY DECELERATED WHILE MAKING A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE AUTO GAVE THE MESSAGE THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE DEACTIVATED BY THE CAR. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR ME HAD I BEEN ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY. I TOOK THE AUTO TO THE DEALERSHIP- MERCEDES BENZ HONOLULU AND THEY OFFERED VERY LITTLE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE DEFECTIVENESS OF THE AUTO AND WOULDN'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. ANOTHER MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IS A COUP…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10377998 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
08V006000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel
Reported: 2008-01-09 (January 9, 2008)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DIESEL ENGINES, THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR COULD FAIL DUE TO SEPARATION OF BOND WIRES FROM THE LEAD FRAME IN THE SENSOR. THIS RESULTS IN AN INTERRUPTION IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IN THE CHIP HOUSING OF THE SENSOR.
Consequence: WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE MAY LOSE POWER RATHER THAN ENTER A LIMP-HOME MODE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE RESTARTED AFTER FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IN THE SENSOR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 4, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 150.0%ODI 10432494 · 75,000 miI CURRENTLY DRIVE A 2004 MERCEDES E500 4MATIC WITH 78,000 MILES CURRENTLY ON IT. RECENTLY, AFTER REFUELING THE CAR I HAVE NOTICED A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. AFTER HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AFTER FILLING MY TANK ABOUT 3 TIMES I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE ISSUE. WITH NOT MUCH SEARCHING I FOUND A FLOOD OF COMPLAINTS FROM MERCEDES OWNERS CLAIMING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES. FROM WHAT I HAVE GATHERED IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS A SAFETY CONCERN AND IS A DESIGN FLAW. *TR | 360.0%ODI 10562603 · 33,130 miAFTER FILLING UP THE FUEL TANK WITH GASOLINE, I SMELL AN ODOR OF GAS UNTIL THE TANK IS DOWN TO ABOUT 3/4 FULL. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10451777REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE12001 EVERY TIME I FILL MY TANK THERE IS A STRONG FUEL SMELL, WHICH LASTS UNTIL IT THE TANK LEVEL DECREASES. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 10263035 · 14,000 miTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ 350E. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM 35 TO 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AS IF IT ENGAGED INTO THE NEUTRAL GEAR. AFTER THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN FULL POWER AND DRIVE TO THE DEALER. UPON INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE COMPONENT AND THE ASSOCIATED PART NUMBER WAS 14027008-61. THERE HAD NO… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 330.0%ODI 10356174 · 100 mi2011 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS-THIS VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRONIC SHIFTER JUST BEHIND STEERING WHEEL. IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL IF IT GOES INTO PARK OR NOT. MY WIFE HAD ENGINE RUNNING, GOT OUT OF CAR TO CHECK THE TRUNK AND THOUGHT SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK. IT STARTED TO MOVE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO JUMP INSIDE AND HIT THE BRAKE. LATER THAT MORNING I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT AND THOUGHT I HIT THE PARK. I GOT OUT LEAVING THE ENGINE RUNNING WITH MY WIFE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ON THE PHONE. WHEN FINISHED SHE SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND THE CAR STARTED TO R… |
| Tires | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 10238909 · 6,000 miI HAVE A NEW 2008 E350 MERCEDES WITH CONTINENTAL CONTIPRO CONTACT 265/35 R 18.97V TIRES. AT 6000 I NOTICED A BULGE ON THE SIDEWALL. I WAS TOLD I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD & IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW AT 7000 MILES I NOTICED YESTERDAY 2 MORE BULGES ON THE SIDEWALL OF 2 ADDITIONAL TIRES. I WAS FORCED TO BUY A REPLACEMENT TIRE AT $300. NOW I AM TRYING TO GET COMPENSATION FROM CONTINENTAL OR SOMEONE TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM. BY THE WAY, THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE WHEELS SO THIS HAS GOT TO BE A DEFECT FROM THE TIRE COMPANY. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 330.0%ODI 104404875 MONTHS INTO MY 2011 MB E350 BLUETECH LEASE THE FRONT LEFT TIRE BLOWS ON A HIGHWAY. THE TIRES ARE RUNFLAT BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL400-02 MOEXTENDED 245/45R17 95H. STOPPED THE CAR AND SAW THE RIM MADE A CUT IN A SIDEWALL. NOT REPAIRABLE, HAD IT REPLACED. 45 DAYS LATER ANOTHER FRONT TIRE IS AGAIN BLOWN ON A HIGHWAY THE SAME WAY. PUT ON A SPARE AND ORDERED REPLACEMENT. 2 DAYS LATER - THIRD TIRE BLOWS THE SAME EXACT WAY. ALL INCIDENTS ARE ON THE ROADS I TRAVEL FOR 10 YEARS AND NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH MY PREVIOUS CARS. COMPLAINED TO LOCAL D… |
| Air Bags | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 10216419 · 4,000 miTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE DECELERATING TO 50 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT END OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SLID UNDERNEATH THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT HAD TO BE RESCUED FROM THE VEHICLE WITH THE JAWS OF LIFE BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AND REAR DOORS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS BACK, ANKLE, NECK, SHOULDER, AND RIGHT HAND. HE IS STILL UNDERGOING MEDICAL TREATMENT. A POLICE REPOR… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 110.0%ODI 10419189 · 7,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ E-350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END CRASH. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAGS BUT HAD NOT YET RECEIVED A RETURN CALL. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT HAD THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SEVERE REDUCTION IN THE INJURIES S… |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 150.0%ODI 10469732 · 68,311 miAFTER FUELING UP COMPLETELY, THERE WAS A STRONG RAW GASOLINE SMELL IN MY GARAGE. IT WAS COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WELL. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF WHERE THE FUEL FILL CAP IS! THERE WERE NO VISIBLE PUDDLES ON MY FLOOR, BUT IT SMELLED AS IF THERE SHOULD BE. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A LITTLE BIT, HOWEVER, IT DOES THIS NOW EVERY TIME I FILL UP THE CAR AND IT IS HOT OUTSIDE. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10460971 · 50,384 miSTRONG FUEL ODOR AFTER FILLING TANK. RETURNED TO DEALER 3 TIMES ODOR REMAINS AFTER SUPPOSED REPAIRS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *JS | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10465601 · 14,800 miFUEL LEAK AT LEFT HAND FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT, PUDDLE OF FUEL ON TOP OF SENDER, LEAKING ONTO GROUND. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10263139 · 2,000 miI PURCHASED A 2009 MERCEDES E320 BLUETEC VEHICLE ON DECEMBER 10, 2008 WITH 18 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. JANUARY, 2009 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON AND THE DEALER REPLACED AN OXYGEN SENSOR. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES. AT 5000 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. THE DEALER INFORMS AFTER ANOTHER DIAGNOSIS THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE SOFTWARE AND A PATCH HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED FOR THE 2009 MODELS. AT THIS TIME THEY CAN DETERMINED WHEN A FIX WILL BE READY. THEY SAY THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 220.0%ODI 10394295 · 10 miMERCEDES 2011 E550 HAS A SPEEDOMETER THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO READ AND REQUIRES EYE DIVERSION FROM THE ROAD TO AN UNSAFE EXTENT TO VIEW YOUR DRIVING SPEED. *TR |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10377998 · 30,000 miEXTREMELY DANGEROUS: YESTERDAY 1/19/11 WHILE DRIVING ~35-40MPH AND PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, MY 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 SUDDENLY &RAPIDLY DECELERATED WHILE MAKING A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE AUTO GAVE THE MESSAGE THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE DEACTIVATED BY THE CAR. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR ME HAD I BEEN ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY. I TOOK THE AUTO TO THE DEALERSHIP- MERCEDES BENZ HONOLULU AND THEY OFFERED VERY LITTLE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE DEFECTIVENESS OF THE AUTO AND WOULDN'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. ANOTHER MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IS A COUP… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | Too few reports for a range | 30,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10377998 · 30,000 miEXTREMELY DANGEROUS: YESTERDAY 1/19/11 WHILE DRIVING ~35-40MPH AND PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, MY 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 SUDDENLY &RAPIDLY DECELERATED WHILE MAKING A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE AUTO GAVE THE MESSAGE THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE DEACTIVATED BY THE CAR. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR ME HAD I BEEN ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY. I TOOK THE AUTO TO THE DEALERSHIP- MERCEDES BENZ HONOLULU AND THEY OFFERED VERY LITTLE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE DEFECTIVENESS OF THE AUTO AND WOULDN'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. ANOTHER MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IS A COUP… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2010: 1 complaints · 2011: 6 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Air Bags:Frontal |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.