Mercedes Benz E550 years to avoid (and the best years)

177 NHTSA owner complaints and 9 recalls across 5 model years, 2010 to 2014. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.

177complaints
9recalls
4reported crashes
2reported fires
2reported injuries

Which Mercedes Benz E550 years should you avoid?

No Mercedes Benz E550 model year stands out from the others in NHTSA owner complaints. The typical Mercedes Benz E550 year has 17 complaints on file. The busiest years are the 2010 (67) and 2011 (61).

What are the best Mercedes Benz E550 years?

The Mercedes Benz E550 years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2014 (16), 2013 (16) and 2012 (17). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.

NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.

Every model year

Year	Complaints	vs typical year	Recalls	Crashes	Injuries	Our read	Most reported
2014	16	0.9×	4	0	0	Few red flags	Airbags
2013	16	0.9×	5	0	0	Few red flags	Airbags
2012	17	1.0×	4	1	1	Few red flags	Airbags
2011	61	3.6×	3	3	1	Some concerns to check	Airbags
2010	67	3.9×	3	0	0	Some concerns to check	Airbags

Most reported problem areas

Share of the 128 complaints sorted by system, all years together.

Airbags & seat belts57 (45%)
Steering, suspension & tires44 (34%)
Structure & body9 (7%)
Engine & powertrain6 (5%)
Other systems5 (4%)

Recalls (9)

Safety · 19V787000 · Nov 2019 · model years 2013, 2014
An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.
Airbags · 19V010000 · Jan 2019 · model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Airbags · 18V043000 · Jan 2018 · model years 2010, 2013
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Airbags · 17V627000 · Oct 2017 · model years 2012, 2013, 2014
If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.
Airbags · 17V017000 · Jan 2017 · model year 2012
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Airbags · 16V363000 · May 2016 · model year 2011
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Airbags · 16V081000 · Feb 2016 · model years 2010, 2011
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Structure · 15V088000 · Feb 2015 · model years 2013, 2014
If the rubber seal falls into the engine compartment, it may contact parts of the exhaust system, increasing the risk of a fire.
Airbags · 12V492000 · Oct 2012 · model year 2012
In the event of an accident necessitating the deployment of the right window curtain air bag, the improper stitching may cause it to deflate more quickly than intended, reducing the protection it may provide, resulting in an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.