2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 68 owner complaints about the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, or 7.7 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.19, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 76 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #12 of 76 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Mercedes-Benz models its rate is 22% lower; against other Luxury sedans it is 58% higher.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2018-01-12 and 2026-09-21. Median delay from incident to filing: 10 days.
Analysis
The following model year (2019) drew 6.9 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2018 model collected 15 complaints, 83% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (19.1% of complaints), followed by Electrical (16.2%) and Transmission / powertrain (10.3%). 5 reports (7.4%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 3 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 52 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (46% of incidents). 8 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.19
- vs. other Mercedes-Benz models0.78
- vs. other 2018 models0.16
- vs. other Luxury sedans1.58
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (15)0.17
- #12 of 76 · 2018Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Problem areas: Electrical · Engine
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 2
- Fires reported: 3
- Injuries: 3
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 52 months
What owners report
The contact owned a 2018 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, another vehicle leaving the parking lot pulled in front of the contact's vehicle, and the contact's vehicle crashed into the side of the other vehicle.
1) Car pushed forward while parking @ 3-4 miles/per hour Car was totaled 2) Air bags did not deploy 3) Problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by dealer 4) Component was not confirmed by manufacturer.
I am filing this complaint regarding NHTSA Recall 26V216 for my 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 400 4MATIC, VIN [XXX]. On XXX, the recalled driveshaft/universal-joint component failed, rendering the vehicle undriveable.
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 400. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V216000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted.
Variable Valve Timing Camshaft KNOWN DEFECT rendering the car unusable at only 100K miles.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2018 · Luxury sedans
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Lexus ES | 15 | 1.7 | 0.04 |
| 2018 Audi A4 | 51 | 5.8 | 0.14 |
| 2018 BMW 3 Series | 59 | 6.7 | 0.17 |
| 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 68 | 7.7 | 0.19 |
| 2018 BMW 5 Series | 80 | 9.1 | 0.23 |
| 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 130 | 14.8 | 0.37 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.