Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that when the gear shifter was shifted into reverse, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the transmission. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle had self-corrected the issue. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with solenoid failure in the valve body. The contact was informed that the solenoid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. …
The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while coming to a stop, the vehicle shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while accelerating from the complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact was able to continue driving at a slower speed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving and the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The vehicle was taken an independent mechanic, where the spark plugs, ignition coils, and the fuel injectors were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The mechanic determined that there was low compression on cylinder #1, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. Additionally, the vehicle stalled, and the engine misfired. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with failed fuel injectors and failed fuel rail. The contact was informed that the fuel injectors and the fuel rail needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer and the contact was made aware of a failed piston. The contact was informed that further diagnostic testing on the engine was needed. The vehicle was not repaired and was towed back to the residence. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.
Having a Mercedes was my dream since I was a kid and I'm completely heartbroken to have to file this complaint. I've been working literally my whole life to finally be able to afford my 2017 E300. I purchased it from Autobahn Motors in Belmont, California in August 2020. My car has ~48,000 miles on it and I still own approximately $14,000 on the car as of today (5/20/2023). When I was driving on the highway my car engine light came on, started to violently shake, and I thought it was going to stall out. I immediately took it in to my mechanic and he told me that piston #1 is broken and the spark plugs are melted! Premature engine failure. I can no longer use my car until I get my engine replace! I've gotten one quote and it is approximately $15,000! I don't even have 50,000 miles on my car. …
The vehicle is getting stuck in parking and can not shift out of park. The issue first happened at the dealership when looking into an auxillary battery issue which has since been resolved. After over 30 minutes of trying to resolved the dealer was able to get the vehicle off the lift and switch the gear back into drive. Since then two days later the batteries were replaced and the same issue happen again (stuck in park) and now I see a transmission light on as well. I am not sure if the dealership noticed this when they had the issue in the shop. There was a previous transmission recall on the vehicle, which Mercedes said was previously addressed. My concern is that this can happen while driving which would be an extreme safety risks to myself and others. …
My vehicle has about 68k miles, while driving on freeway all of sudden the car engine started to shake and check engine light came on dashboard. This engine shaking would stop when vehicle was being driven at high speed. Upon returning home I checked the DTC codes and had P300, P301 engine misfire codes. My mechanic suggested to have spark plugs and Ignition coil#1 to be changed. I bought new plugs from dealer for the replacement. When my mechanic completed this repair bit noticed vehicle still had misfire. He conducted compression test and found only 20PSI pressure is cylinder 1 and suggested a tear-down or engine replacement. I talked to another shop and described the issue and was informed that this is a common issue in Mercedes E300 to develop misfire in either cylinder 1 or 2. I found similar issues described by many owners on various forums online as well. …
Mercedes-Benz E300 is affected by a Transmission Control Module (TCM) recall, you might notice these symptoms: - Delayed or rough shifting: The transmission may hesitate or struggle to change gears. - Slipping gears: The car might unexpectedly shift out of gear or fail to stay in the correct gear. - Unresponsive transmission: You may experience difficulty accelerating or feel like the car is stuck in a lower gear. - Warning lights: The check engine or transmission warning light may illuminate on the dashboard. - Limp mode activation: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe mode, restricting speed and performance to prevent further damage.
I am writing in regards to a constant issue that a great percentage of people including myself, are experiencing with the engine within the 2017 Mercedes E300. The cam adjusters are easily going bad or are malfunctioning causing the timing in the motor to be defected which makes the car stall and shut off even while driving. Giving that this is happening to a great amount of people with this particular vehicle across the US, we feel that mercedes benz should take some responsibility in fixing this issue and not just post bulletins on the problem, cause its a safety issue and it costs people alot of money for a defect of this sort.
Piston failure at 62000 miles. No prior engine lights until it happened suddenly while driving at the highway speed. The car suddenly lost power and started to violently shake and the engine light came on. Was able to pull over without incident and consult MB before bringing for diagnostics. There's a lot of MB with this specific engine piston failure affected according to internet search. The car has been inspected by the MB service dealer confirming piston failure. [redacted]
Engine complaints in other E300 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300, 30% of the model year's 132 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300, though it has 16 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 19,000 miles, and 56% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.