2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 233 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
233
Complaints
0
Recalls
7
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
6
Injuries
35.2
Severity index
Severity index 35.2 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class ranks 106 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 18% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 92 | 39.5% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 28 | 12.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 22 | 9.4% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 21 | 9.0% |
| ENGINE | 20 | 8.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 17 | 7.3% |
| SUSPENSION | 15 | 6.4% |
| STEERING | 12 | 5.2% |
The single most-reported system is AIR BAGS, cited in 92 of 233 complaints (39.5%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 41 |
| 2018 | 22 |
| 2019 | 39 |
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 21 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 20 |
| 2025 | 17 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 6 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.