2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Reliability Report

A PCV valve fault that sets code P052E and turns on the check engine light is a recurring complaint. Rear main seal oil leaks also appear, and owners describe the repair as expensive and call the leak a known defect. More serious reports include a stall in the middle of a highway, with the timing chain suspected, and a variable timing valve failure that sent metal shavings into the engine and caused engine failure.

The rearview camera cuts out, distorts or shows nothing while the car is in reverse, usually with no warning light. In one report the camera door does not open, which blocks the camera. Fixes vary: one dealer repaired the display, one independent shop called it a software issue, and another mechanic found no cause. Some owners say their symptoms match a recall they read about, but the manufacturer told them their car was not included.

Cracked rims are a repeat problem. A low tire pressure warning turns out to be a fractured wheel, sometimes on more than one corner, and some cracks come back after repair. Owners say rims are not covered under warranty. Run-flat tires have blown out and torn off the rim within a mile, and with no spare, drivers waited hours for a tow. One of these blowouts is tied to a crash with an injury. A separate report describes false blind spot warnings.

The car slows sharply at highway speed without warning, or every warning light comes on at once and the transmission locks in drive. Drivers then cannot shift, park or reverse until they restart the car. ESP, steering assist and lane tracking warnings appear along with erratic cruise control and delayed acceleration. Problems return after dealer visits. One report puts the onset at 7200 miles on a car two years old.

Power steering assist cuts out at freeway speed. Warning lights flash and the wheel suddenly takes much more effort to turn. Lane-keeping steering has followed stray road markings and pulled the car toward another lane or the median at speed. In other reports the wheel moves rapidly left and right on its own. All of these happen on highways and carry a real risk of losing control.

In one crash report, a stopped car lurched forward on its own and went through a fence despite braking. The other complaint describes a high-pressure fuel line weeping gasoline, which leaves a strong fuel smell in the cabin when the heat is on. Both involve serious safety risk, though each pattern rests on a single report.

One crash report with an injury says the airbags did not deploy and the seat belts did not restrain the driver or passenger in a side impact. The other complaint repeats the seat belt detection fault: the car sometimes does not sense a fastened belt and the belt does not tighten. Owners link that fault to concerns about how the restraints work in a crash.