Mercedes-Benz E350 Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 2,116 NHTSA complaints, the Mercedes-Benz E350 years to avoid are 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017 — the worst logged up to 3.5× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 226 | 165 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2009 | 85 | 63 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2010 | 256 | 81 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2011 | 295 | 92 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 233 | 97 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 185 | 89 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 300 | 161 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 57 | 22 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2016 | 88 | 30 | 5 | CAUTION |
| 2017 | 165 | 107 | 0 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 66 | 32 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2019 | 54 | 23 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2020 | 20 | 11 | 0 | BEST |
| 2021 | 19 | 11 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2022 | 20 | 11 | 1 | BEST |
| 2023 | 23 | 14 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2024 | 24 | 10 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Mercedes-Benz E350. Full methodology.
Why these years stand out
2008 Mercedes-Benz E350: 226 owner complaints on federal record, 165 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mercedes-Benz E350.
2010 Mercedes-Benz E350: 256 owner complaints on federal record, 81 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mercedes-Benz E350.
2011 Mercedes-Benz E350: 295 owner complaints on federal record, 92 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mercedes-Benz E350.
2012 Mercedes-Benz E350: 233 owner complaints on federal record, 97 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mercedes-Benz E350.
2013 Mercedes-Benz E350: 185 owner complaints on federal record, 89 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mercedes-Benz E350.
2014 Mercedes-Benz E350: 300 owner complaints on federal record, 161 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mercedes-Benz E350.
2017 Mercedes-Benz E350: 165 owner complaints on federal record, 107 of them severe — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mercedes-Benz E350.
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FAQ
What years of the Mercedes-Benz E350 should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Mercedes-Benz E350 years to avoid are 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Mercedes-Benz E350?
The 2020 and 2022 Mercedes-Benz E350 show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Mercedes-Benz E350 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Mercedes-Benz E350's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Mercedes-Benz E350 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Mercedes-Benz E350 reliable?
The Mercedes-Benz E350's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 2,116 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017 rate "avoid", while 2020 and 2022 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Mercedes-Benz E350?
Owner complaints for the Mercedes-Benz E350 are spread across components without a single dominant failure; see the year-by-year table and known-issue cards above for the federal record.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Mercedes-Benz E350 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Mercedes-Benz E350, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.