Most common 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 problems
Share of the 70 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 complaints by model year
Best AMG E55 years: 2003, 2006. Years to avoid: 2005, 2004. Compare all years →
2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 recalls (3)
Visibility › Sun/moon roof assembly
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Visibility › Sun/moon roof assembly
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Visibility › Sun/moon roof assembly
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly resulting in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V918-4126.pdf
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding roof, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 10, 2020.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55:
Fuel System (Tank/Sender) Leakage
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 20 consumer reports.All of the vehicles were E55 AMG models and the complainants alleged fuel leaks or a strong odor of gasoline both inside and outside of their vehicle, particularly after refueling.Some complainants alleged that the leaks may be related to a 2008 Mercedes Benz emission recall (Campaign No.
Fuel Leakage From The Fuel Tank
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation on January 23, 2012 as PE12-001 based on 20 consumer reports in model year (MY) 2003-2006 E55 AMG vehicles.Based on new reports in other E-Class vehicles, ODI upgraded the investigation to Engineering Analysis (EA) 13-003 on March 15, 2013, and expanded the scope to all E-Class vehicles through MY 2008.The complainants alleged a strong odor of…
What 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 63 →
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he smelled an abnormal gasoline odor inside of the vehicle. After a visual inspection of the rear seats, the contact observed gasoline pooling underneath the rear seats. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to TSB: 2008-020001. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
While the vehicle was on the highway on a long road trip, there was an increasingly large rattle when the vehicle was under load. Eventually the rattle stopped. Then when I tried to fill up the car with gas, it leaked everywhere causing a massive fire hazard. While this was put under extended warranty for 15 years by Mercedes Benz, a 2003 model is out of warranty by 3 years. This is completely unacceptable as it left me stranded in rural montana on a road trip (I'm from wa) and posed a massive fire hazard in the blazing heat of summer. I had to tow it back on a uhaul to prevent further damage to the car or a potential fire. Even the mechanics at a near-ish (200 miles away from the montana highway I broke down on) were hesitant to even move the car due to fire hazard. This issue should have been recalled for safety reasons or been given a much longer extended warranty. …
Brakes
This vehicle is equipped with sensotronic brake control system that has a service threshold. When this threshold is reached the brake system components May fail without warning causing a dramatic reduction of braking capacity. This occurs without warning and results in greatly increased stopping distance. Mercedes service bulletin s142.46-p-0012a provides discussion concerning this issue. Mercedes ceased installing this system in 2006. Due to concerns with the engineering of this vital electronic safety system. Mercedes should be required to replace, as part of a recall, the failure prone electronic brake system components that have reached their service life threshold. This is a major safety issue that needs to be addressed before it leads to fatalities
I was driving the car on the highway, at highway speed, in traffic and in the leftmost lane. A warning message appeared on the car's dashboard that advised that the car had diminished braking capability. I applied the brakes to determine how diminished the brake system was as I was traveling at highway speed and in traffic. Upon application of the brakes the car did not brake or slow down, I had no brakes. At that time a second and different warning light appeared on my dashboard with a stop sign ikon; the warning stated: stop car immediately brake system failure (or something just as dire and to that effect). I managed to navigate across two lanes of traffic, without braking, and continued on the highway, without brakes and in a coasting manner, while not applying additional power to the car until I was able to exit the highway. …
Engine & cooling
During initial warmup of vehicle (generally soaked at ambient temperatures 60f and below) a short term (5-8 seconds) unstable idle occurs 20-30 seconds after initial engine start and while in a forward drive gear. This unstable idle generates torque variations that will overcome a brake apply and incur vehicle movement. The brake apply is a level which would keep the vehicle stopped on level ground to counter act normal creep torque. Applying the brake heavier will prevent the vehicle from moving.
Took my car into dealership to get checked for a known issue in which the radiator would mix the engine coolant with transmission fluid. Dealer confirmed I had the faulty radiator and that the transmission fluid had glycol in it. I was told they can not cover the repairs nor replace the parts and that I would have to pay all costs even though it's a known issue. So I decided to flush the fluid out and install a separate cooler to avoid fluid from going through radiator in hopes I could save the transmission from being damaged by the contaminated fluid since I did not have the funds to replace the components. I was driving on a busy expressway along with four other coworkers when my car's engine over revved and the car began to lose momentum. Nearly getting rear ended by vehicles behind me, I got out of the lane and merged onto the shoulder. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 a good car?
Based on 70 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 AMG E55 rates better than average: 77% fewer complaints than a typical year of the AMG E55 at the same age. It is one of the best AMG E55 years by this measure. 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 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55?
The fuel & propulsion system — 63 complaints, 90% of all complaints for this model year, most often about delivery › fuel pump. Next are the brakes (3) and engine & cooling (3).
How many recalls does the 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55, the most recent from November 19, 2024 (sun/moon roof assembly). 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 E55?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005 and 2004. See the full Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 20% 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.