Most common 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 problems
Share of the 5 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 complaints by model year
Best AMG E53 years: 2023. Compare all years →
2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 recalls (15)
Electrical system › Wiring
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2021 CLS 53 4MATIC, 2019-2023 E 53 4MATIC Cabriolet, E 53 4MATIC Coupe, E 53 4MATIC Sedan, 2021-2024 GT 43 4MATIC, and 2019-2025 GT 53 4MATIC vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the two-part wiring harness and connector, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 9, 2024.
Electrical system › Wiring
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2023 CLS450, E450, E450 All-Terrain, AMG E53, AMG GT43, AMG GT53, and 2021 AMG CLS53 vehicles. The 48-volt ground cable connection located in the engine compartment may not be tightened properly and may result in the ground cable overheating.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the 48-volt ground cable connection and repair it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2024 GLE, GLS, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, GLC, CLS, AMG GT, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The fuel pump may shutdown, causing a loss of drive power.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 28, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on February 23, 2024, April 19, 2024, June 28, 2024,…
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2022 CLS450 Coupe and AMG E53, 2019-2021 AMG CLS53 Coupe, and 2021-2022 E450 vehicles. The 12-Volt battery in the trunk may not be properly secured, which, in the event of a crash, can cause electrical connection failure, disabling various safety features including,…
Remedy: Dealers will secure the 12V battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022100009.
Electrical system › Wiring
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2022 AMG GT43, 2019-2022 AMG E53, E53 Coupe, E53 Cabriolet, AMG GT53, and 2019-2021 AMG CLS53 vehicles. The transmission wiring harness may be misrouted, which can expose the electrical connector to corrosion, and result in an electrical short-circuit.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the electrical connector, as necessary. Dealers will also reroute the harness and install an additional bracket. All repairs will be performed free of charge.
Communication › Auto crash notification
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2022 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, AMG GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, GLB-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details.
Remedy: The communication module software will be updated through an Over-the-Air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022.
Show 9 more recalls
Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2022 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, EClass Coupe/Convertible, CLS, AMG GT 4-doors Coupe, and EQS vehicles with a heated leather steering wheel.
Remedy: Dealers will update the hand detection control unit software for the DISTRONIC system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 6, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Air bags › Sensor › Side impact
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 CLS450, AMG E53, AMG CLS53, E350, E450, AMG GT43, AMG GT53, 2020 S450, S560, G550, AMG GLC63, 2020-2021 GLC300, and AMG G63 vehicles. The side crash sensor connectors may come loose, which could delay the activation of air bags and seatbelts during a side impact crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the side impact crash sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Seat belts › Rear/other › Retractor
Mercedes-Benz, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 G550, AMG G63, E350, E450, AMG CLS53, AMG E53, AMG GT43, AMG GT53, AMG GT63, 2021-2022 CLS450, and AMG E63 vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owners notified of the voluntary recall campaign by an interim letter on August 13, 2021.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly › Head restraint
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 C300 Cabriolet, C43 AMG Cabriolet, C63 AMG Cabriolet, C63 AMG S Cabriolet, E450 Cabriolet, and E53 AMG Cabriolet vehicles. The rear headrests may be incorrectly mounted to the seatbacks.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear seatback guide bushings and replace them if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 16, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Electrical system › Software
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2021 CLA-Class, GLE/GLS-Class, A-Class, E-Class, E-Class Coupe and Convertible, GLA/GLB-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, and AMG GT-Class 4-door Coupe vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details.
Remedy: The multimedia system software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 28, 2021.
Seats
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 C-Class, E-Class, E-Class Coupe and Convertible, GLC, CLS, AMG GT 4-door Coupe and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat position switches, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 21, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Seats › Front assembly › Power adjust
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 E350, E450, E450 Wagon, E63S AMG, 2020 E63S AMG Wagon, and 2020-2021 E53 AMG vehicles. The passenger seat limiter may allow the seat to be positioned too close to the air bag.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the passenger seat limiter, free of charge. The recall began April 29, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Communication › Auto crash notification
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021.
Seats
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 E350 and E450, 2019-2021 AMG E53 and 2020-2021 AMG E63 vehicles. The front passenger seat may be missing the mechanical seat adjustment range limit stop, allowing the seat to move outside of the acceptable range in relation to the air bag.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for the mechanical seat adjustment range limitation for the front passenger seat and install it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020.
What 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 owners say
Driver assistance
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Automatic Emergency Braking / Selt Belt Pretensioner. Car can be inspected at dealer during a scheduled service if needed. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I was driving on a local road (paved, no painted road markings, some small cracks/pot holes but all minor) that I frequently drive without issue. This time as I was coming out of a minor left-hand curve and about 30 meters from a slightly sharper right hand turn the Automatic Emergency Braking warning light activated, as well as the warning alarm, and the Seal Belt Pretensioner engaged and yanked me (driving) back (as it would if the vehicle was preparing for a collision. …
While going 45 MPH on a clear four lane smooth blacktop city street the car came to a complete emergency stop. A red triangle appeared on the dash but because of the startling nature I could not remember exactly where. There was no apparent reason for this emergency stop, this street was familiar and had been driven daily for over thirty years. If this had happened on the freeway at freeway speeds this could have been a disaster.
2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl hybrid | 9-speed automatic | 4WD | 22 / 29 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 a good car?
Based on 5 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 AMG E53 rates average: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the AMG E53 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53?
The driver assistance — 3 complaints, 60% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic emergency braking. Next are the seat belts (1) and electrical system (1).
How many recalls does the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 have?
There are 15 recalls for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53, the most recent from June 14, 2024 (wiring). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz AMG E53?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023. See the full Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 0 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.