Vehicle report
2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Free recalls, owner complaints, and NHTSA safety ratings for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, plus how to check this specific vehicle before you buy.
The 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has no open NHTSA recalls on record and 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Its overall NHTSA crash-test rating is not rated. Below is the full breakdown, plus how to check this specific vehicle by VIN before you buy in Alberta.
0
Open recalls
15
Complaints
Not Rated
Overall safety
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2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class recalls (0)
No open NHTSA recalls were found for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Verify by VIN for the specific vehicle, as recalls can be issued at any time.
2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class safety ratings
Not Rated
Overall
Not Rated
Front
Not Rated
Side
5
Rollover
Source: NHTSA NCAP ratings.
2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class owner complaints (15)
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal odor coming from the inside of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a fuel leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V557000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. A dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed by the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
- SERVICE BRAKES
Brake failure due to leaking brake fluid after dealership conducted rear sub frame extended warranty coverage replacement and recent brake fluid services and after two (2) multi point inspections including video and reported “no items failed” and “no items cautioned.” Vehicle was released to me both times Vehicle was inspected and is available for further inspections. My safety was jeopardized due to brake system failure while traveling at high speed on public highway. The problem was confirmed by two (2) dealerships. “ Please see below for recommended repairs on your 2012 E350, VIN - [XXX] Inspection by a different Mercedes Benz dealership reported the following: [XXX] Concern – vehicle is leaking brake fluid from behind the drivers front wheel / tire Cause – Confirmed concern, installed vehicle on lift and found brake fluid dripping from plastic side panel under the drivers door. Brake fluid flush recently completed on vehicle by Portsmouth MB, verified bleeding valves on calipers are tight and not leakingRemoved paneling and found fluid is dripping from wheel well area. Removed left front wheel well cover, and found rear brake lines are leaking due to heavy corrosion and bubbling (see attached photo). Correction – Rear brake lines need to be replaced to repair. Due to corrosion, will require brake hoses due to rotted connections. Lines are formed, fitted and secured by technician during repair (they do not come pre-formed to vehicle). Repair Estimate – Labor ($199.88 / hr) 9 hours (includes diagnostic time), $1798.92 Parts, estimate $690 if no further connections are needed (tax included) Shop supplies, $26.95 Estimate $2520 total repair **Tech notes there is a fuel line running in an area of the brake lines that is showing bubbling in the metal, not yet leaking. Additional $375 parts and labor to replace if we replace with the brake lines. MB parts states there are only 2 of these lines remaining globally.” INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes- Benz E350. The contact stated while operating the vehicle the odor of fuel was present coming from the vehicle. Upon inspection it was discovered that the fuel had leaked from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. Also, the contact indicated that the front driver seat heat element had overheated and cause melting to the seat cushion. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the front driver seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 35,000.
- SUSPENSION,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The failed component is a fuel pump, and it is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others was put at risk due to the following: 1) Sudden engine stalling 2) Dangerous power loss while accelerating 3) Potential fire risks; a damaged fuel pump assembley can cause fuel leaks and overheating due to insufficient fuel supply can increase the risk of explosion or fire. 4) Gas fumes from a fuel leak are highly harmful and dangerous. They are toxic to inhale causing dizziness, headaches, nausea or respitory issues.
- BACK OVER PREVENTION
Rear camera fails unexpectedly when placing car in reverse
- SERVICE BRAKES
The brake lines on my car rusted out from the brake booster all of way to the rear calipers. This is the third time it’s happened to me as I’ve owned multiple E classes. If Mercedes-Benz covers the subframe, why is the brake lines which are located right above said subframe not covered?
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES
The rear subframe got separated from chassis. I was driving to work and had to hard brake to void a collision with another vehicle all of a sudden vehicle shifted to the left and I ended up on a curb. Further inspection vehicle`s rear subframe rotted out due to rust. Also, both rear brake lines from abs module to calipers are damaged due to corrosion. I ended up replacing both brake lines and did not think too much of it and now I see a lot of people complaining about both brake line corrosion and subframe separation or excessive rust, casing rear subframe to fail. It is a very serios safety issue and Mercedes should hold accountable for these failures. My vehicle is 2012 Mercedes E350 and only has 118k miles on odometer. I have attached pictures for the rear subframe for your review, but I did not take any pictures of the brake lines due to limited space to get my camera between the body and the rear subframe.
- SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES
Brake line is thoroughly corroded, went to a repair shop, when they brought it back down, the Subframe collapsed. Mercedes has a 20 yr warranty on the subframe so they will cover that but want another $3K to fix the brake line that was obviously tied to the same mfr issue that the sub frame was in regards to rusting. Dealer won't take any responsibility for anything but the subframe.
- STEERING,POWER TRAIN
The contact owned a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while attempting to shift to drive(D), the gear shifter detached from the steering column. No warning light was illuminated. Neither a dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the residence by AAA. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 420,000.
- SERVICE BRAKES
I recently took my 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership after experiencing corrosion of the rear subframe. The dealership confirmed and is servicing the vehicle under an active recall notice that extended the original New Vehicle Limited Warranty from 4 years/50,000 miles to 20 years /unlimited miles. After removing the subframe for repair, they observed serious corrosion of the brake lines. There had been no warnings or symptoms to alert me to any corrosion problems with the brake line prior to this. Most likely, the issue would not have been discovered if the dealership had not removed the subframe. The dealership advised me that this issue requires immediate service due to safety concerns (potential failure) as the braking system could fail while driving the vehicle. The cost to have the work done is $5800. Beyond the dealership service center, I'm not aware if brake line has been inspected by others (engineers) in Mercedes-Benz. However, this issue appears to be frequently observed in vehicles experiencing the rear subframe corrosion issue.
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Gasoline Fuel System problem of the 2012 Mercedes Benz E350. Driver side fuel leak was excessive. Leak caused an excessive amount of gas to spill while driving on a 600 mile long round trip to St. Louis. The fuel filter sending unit had numerous stress cracks in the plastic. A massive failure was looming. I have pictures and have documented the failure. 2184700194 was the original part and now has changed too 2184700994. A component should be easily inspected to prevent such a dangerous situation. For the past 13 all services work was preformed by Mercedes.
- STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550. The contact stated that while occupying the vehicle while the vehicle was parked, the ignition switch failed to detect the key fob. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the electric steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced or reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the vehicle, but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 69,000.
- AIR BAGS,SEATS
Air bag notice on monitor, Passenger front seat locked in forward position up to the dashboard..
- STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Steering wheel lock module steering wheel was locked in place and vehicle wouldn’t do anything.
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH, the contact smelled fuel on the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel filter sending unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V557000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 124,900.
Checking a used Mercedes-Benz E-Class before you buy
The recall, complaint, and safety data above describes the 2012 E-Class in general. To know the condition and history of the specific vehicle you're looking at, check it by VIN. A VIN check shows whether this particular E-Class's recalls are still outstanding, and a full history report adds accident, title, and ownership records the data above can't show.
Before you buy a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class in Alberta:
- Run a free VIN check on the exact vehicle for its own recalls and safety data.
- Run an Alberta Personal Property Registry lien search so you don't inherit debt.
- Get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- If it's a dealer, confirm their AMVIC licence.
See other model years of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, or browse more Mercedes-Benz models.
2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class — questions and answers
Does the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class have any recalls?+
Our check found no open NHTSA recalls for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Recalls can be issued at any time, so still verify by VIN for the specific vehicle you're considering — a VIN check reflects whether any recall work has already been completed.
How many complaints does the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class have?+
NHTSA lists 15 owner complaints for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class in our results. Complaints are problems reported by owners and don't always lead to a recall, but a pattern of similar complaints is worth weighing before you buy.
Is the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class safe?+
The 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has an overall NHTSA crash-test rating of not rated. Review the front-crash, side-crash, and rollover ratings above, and pair safety ratings with a mechanical inspection of the specific vehicle.
How do I check a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class VIN?+
Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN into our free VIN check to see recalls, complaints, and safety ratings for that exact vehicle, then run an Alberta Personal Property Registry (PPR) lien search before you pay.
Are recall repairs on a Mercedes-Benz free?+
Yes. Safety recall repairs are performed at no cost by a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer, even for a used vehicle and even if you're not the original owner. Confirm the required parts are in stock before relying on the fix.
Get the full vehicle history report
SPONSOREDAccident & damage records, liens, title brands, ownership history, and odometer verification.
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