Most common 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class problems
Share of the 24 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz E Class complaints by model year
Best E Class years: 1995, 1996, 2008. Years to avoid: 2003, 2000, 1997, 1998, 2001. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class:
Front suspension coil spring ejection
Odi has focused this investigation on assessing the risks posed by a separated spring as (1) a road hazard and (2) the potential for vehicle control to be compromised after the front coil spring has been ejected from its intended position in the vehicle.both risks are associated with corrosion, flexing, and fracture of the upper front suspension mounting bracket.time-in-service failure rates are notably higher in…
Engine crankshaft pulley failure
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this preliminary evaluation to investigate allegations of engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure that could result in loss of power-steering assist.odi has received a total of 546 non-duplicative reports that allege engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure on all Mercedes-Benz vehicles using the subject component.the subject component failures…
What 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class owners say
Suspension
I am writing regarding an investigation into Mercedes Benz e300 (w210 chassis) failures. While driving on the massachusetts turnpike, route 90 on Monday, my spring perch failed, broke away from the vehicle and was lost on the highway. The perch let go with a very loud bang, then a pronounced bump (presumably as the rear tire drove over the spring assembly.) the car suddenly dropped hard on the front right bump stops. Lots of warning lights - bas, asr, etc. I thought I blew a tire or hit some road damage. Surprisingly, just a little swerve in the left lane and I made it to the right shoulder after a 1/4 mile. I had heard of the spring perch failures from the user forums at www.mercedesshop.com. At this point I was pretty sure it was a perch or possibly something worse because there was no tire smoke, burning or noise. I checked the tires & drove it 15 miles home. …
I have noticed that the spring/coil upper tower perch has almost come completely off. If it comes off while driving the car will lose control. It has come loose due to rust,which is a problem with these cars. These cars will rust on the body panels and on the suspension components. Please get Mercedes to do something about this. Not only is it bad cosmetically, but the rusted spring perches can be catastrophic.
Transmission & drivetrain
The gear moved on its own with no key. Vehicle was in park a child entered the vehicle, moved the gear from park to neutral, and vehicle rolled back, going through a fence and striking a tree. The child sustained no injuries.
Automatic transmission failure, stays on 1st. Gear (rough run). Took to authorized mbz repair station, they reset the "computer" and run approximately 450 miles OK and again the same problem. Went back and they flushed the transmission and reset again "computer faults", run again for 75 miles and same problem, and so on.....
Electrical system
Approximately 10 minutes after first starting the car for the day and driving 5 or 6 miles on rural roads, I stopped at a traffic light for 20 or 30 seconds and then attempted to pull out on to the main highway. At first the car would not move until I had the accelerator pedal half way to the floor, and then it slowly responded with a very low level of power. Once out on the highway, I had to hold the accelerator pedal almost all the way to the floor in order to maintain 50 miles per hour. Since the car has been running fine otherwise I assumed that there must be some kind of computer problem interrupting the electrical signal from the accelerator pedal so I pulled to the side of the road, turned the ignition off for about 30 seconds and restarted the car. After restarting the engine the problem went away and the car is running fine. …
When the engine gets hot, it stalls . After it cools for some time, it re-starts. It happened to me on the highway (bumper-to-bumper traffic). Found out from the mercedez forum that it is a known problem due to cranshaft position sensor. It has happened to number of people.
1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 23 / 31 / 26 |
| 3.2L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class a good car?
Based on 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 E Class rates use caution: 2.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the E Class at the same age. It is one of the E Class years we suggest avoiding. 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 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class?
The suspension — 7 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › springs › coil springs. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (4) and electrical system (4).
How many recalls does the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz E Class?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1995, 1996 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003, 2000, 1997, 1998 and 2001. See the full Mercedes-Benz E Class years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Mercedes-Benz E Class problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 98,000 miles; 7% 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.