Used Mercedes E-Class Estate 2016-2023 reliability

A lot of E-Classes have done high mileages, so watch out for those. Be sure to check the car has a full service history, with maintenance carried out at scheduled intervals.

As with any used car, be sure to check the bodywork for any scuffs picked up in supermarket car parks, and the alloy wheels for damage. Also make sure the car's electrics work as they should.

When viewing a used car, always follow our used car buying checklist.

At the time of writing, the Mercedes E-Class Estate has eleven recall notices. If you want to check whether any of the recalls have been carried out, you can contact your local Mercedes dealer. You will not need to pay for anything involving the recall.

Reason for recall

It has been identified that the pins within the electric power assisted steering control unit may not have been contact welded correctly. This can result in an open circuit which will lead to a loss of power steering assistance and possible loss of control of the vehicle.

How the manufacturer will repair: Recall all affected vehicles and replace electric power assisted steering.

Number of affected vehicles: 14

Date of recall: 20/02/2017

Reason for recall

It has been identified that the front passenger seat occupancy weight sensing system control unit may have been incorrectly installed during assembly. If the passenger seat is placed in the rear/lower position range then it can cause the pressure hose to become kinked which will reclassify the occupant as being a child seat. This will result in the front passenger airbag being deactivated and place the occupant at a higher risk of injury if the vehicle is involved in a frontal collision.

How the manufacturer will repair: Recall all affected vehicles to inspect the pressure pipe. If found to be kinked then the dealer is to contact Mercedes-Benz Technical Department to establish the rectification process.

Number of affected vehicles: 7494

Date of recall: 13/03/2017

Reason for recall

It has been identified that the lever used to select the drive range on the steering column switch module may become inoperative due to possible damage of a circuit board. In the event this fault occurs, then manual selection of the drive range (D R N P) would no longer be possible. The Auto-P function as well as the automatic parking brake will still be available as intended. During manoeuvring the vehicle may not change the drive range as intended by the driver when operating the selector lever during standstill. This could result in an increased risk of a collision/accident.

How the manufacturer will repair: Recall all affected vehicles to replace the steering column switch module.

Number of affected vehicles: 3

Date of recall: 15/03/2025

Reason for recall

Where a control unit coding was updated in a workshop between 3 December 2016 and 5 December 2016 the coding may not correspond to the specification and may trigger unplanned action in the vehicle. The safety and emissions systems may not react as design intent.

How the manufacturer will repair: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and update the software in the corresponding control units.

Number of affected vehicles: 42

Date of recall: 19/04/2017

Reason for recall

Contacts inside the electric power steering motor may not have been correctly formed. Failure of these contacts would cause the loss of power steering assistance. If this happens a warning lamp will illuminate

How the manufacturer will repair: Replace the electric power steering motor on affected vehicles.

Number of affected vehicles: 16

Date of recall: 08/06/2017

Reason for recall

Where the car incurs severe engine damage resulting in the engine failing to turn over (engine seizure) and if the driver repeatedly attempts to start the engine despite the engine not cranking the very high electrical current could lead to overheating of the starting current limiter and the potential for a fire.

How the manufacturer will repair: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and install an additional fuse in the electrical line to the starter.

Number of affected vehicles: 74,444

Date of recall: 20/06/2017

Reason for recall

The propellant mixing ratio in the igniters of the front passenger airbag assembly may not meet specification. If the airbag is required and activated it might not deploy or not completely deploy. This could increase the risk of injury to the occupants.

How the manufacturer will repair: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and replace the front passenger airbag assembly.

Number of affected vehicles: 1034

Date of recall: 20/06/2017

Reason for recall

Under certain conditions the oil feed pipe to the turbocharger may leak. Oil may contact hot components and there is a risk of fire.

How the manufacturer will repair: On affected vehicles replace the oil feed line to the turbocharger.

Number of affected vehicles: 73

Date of recall: 18/07/2017

Reason for recall

The connector on the electric power steering control unit may not be properly sealed against water entry. If water enters the control unit the power steering assistance can be lost. The steering assistance not working could increase the risk of collision.

How the manufacturer will repair: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and replace the plug housing of the electric power steering.

Number of affected vehicles: 5121

Date of recall: 18/08/2017

Reason for recall

The propellant mix in certain seatbelt pre-tensioners ignitors may be incorrect. If the front seatbelt pre-tensioners are deployed the lock function of the pre-tensioners cannot be guaranteed.

How the manufacturer will repair: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and replace the front seatbelts that are likely to be affected.

Number of affected vehicles: 78

Date of recall: 04/09/2017

Reason for recall

The rear seatbelt pre-tensioner ignitors may not perform as expected. This could increase the risk of injury to the seat occupants. The lock functions of the rear seatbelts are not impaired.

How the manufacturer will repair: Recall the 3400 vehicles that are likely to be affected and replace any potentially affected seatbelts with quality assured units.

Number of affected vehicles: 3400

Date of recall: 24/10/2017

Click here for more information. Contact your local Mercedes dealer if you believe your vehicle is involved in a recall.

In our latest Reliability Survey, the E-Class finished in eighth place out of 20 cars in the executive car class with a score of 92.7%. This placed it above the Audi A6 and the Volvo S90, but below the BMW 5 Series petrol and 2015-2024 Jaguar XF.

Mercedes as a brand finished a disappointing 22nd out of 31 manufacturers in the same survey. This placed it above Audi and Land Rover, but below BMW, Jaguar and Lexus.

Used Mercedes E-Class Estate reliability: the owners' view

In our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, Mercedes E-Class (2016-2023) owners said they had a mixed experience with reliability and dealer service. A number of owners praised the car’s general dependability, with several reporting no faults at all during their ownership. However, there were also repeated mentions of issues affecting the infotainment system, battery, and electrical components, particularly on hybrid models. Some diesel versions also experienced problems with warning lights and engine sensors.

Repair times varied widely – while a few faults were fixed within a day, others took several weeks, especially when parts had to be ordered. The cost of out-of-warranty repairs was a point of frustration for some owners.

Dealership feedback was similarly varied. A handful of owners described their local Mercedes dealers as helpful and professional, but others reported slow communication and delays in booking repair work, especially for recurring faults.

If you'd like to see the full reliability list, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.