Most common 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 problems
Share of the 63 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz E320 complaints by model year
Best E320 years: 2008, 2009, 2002. Years to avoid: 2005, 2004, 2003, 1999, 1997. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320:
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…
What 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 owners say
Suspension all 32 →
* Left front substrate to which the Coil Spring Perch mounts is badly rusted and the spring is about to come off under pressure of the cars weight, thereby endangering myself and the general public. The car was towed to Feldmann Imports, a Mercedes-Benz dealer at 4901 American Blvd west, Bloomington , MN 55437 (952) -641-7908 and can be inspected there. * If the spring perch loosens any further, the coil spring would shoot off and likely interfere with the steering system, fuel lines and any number of other components on the vehicle, also there have been reports of the spring going out of the car under pressure and hitting other objects. * Yes, My car was in for another matter at LaMettry's Collision Center, of Eden Prairie, MN for a (minor dent) and (Braden) of LaMettry's said upon inspection of the spring perch that the car was undrivable and could not be fixed. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Mercedes Benz E320. While driving at 60 MPH, the air bags deployed inadvertently emitted a yellow substance and the vehicle shook violently. Shortly after, the shift lever exploded and smoke started to emit from the console. The contact noticed that the cam shaft fractured, which caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle. A police report was not filed. The contact sustained unknown injuries due to the substance from the air bag that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Seat belts
Driver seatbelt exploded while buckled up as the car was going about 30 mph on a 4 lane street. No warning and was very traumatic. I had to pull over when I smelled something burning. When I released seatbelt to get out of the car it would not buckle up when I tried to get back in the seat. Had to drive home without seatbelt on Christmas Eve. The same thing happened a month later to the passenger seatbelt when I was a passenger in my car. This was very traumatic while driving down a 4 lane Avenue.
While proceeding straight on a city street, at about 30 MPH, during the day, with no other vehicles on the road, I heard a metallic explosion inside our 1997 Mercedes Benz E320 sedan. The seat belt immediately and painfully pinned me back into the drivers seat, rendering me breathless and disorientated. I felt like I had been shot, and I looked around outside the car for the source. I turned off the street and parked. I was able to release the seatbelt, but it did not retract. The SRS warning light was on. I got out of the car and inspected its exterior. There was nothing to note. I subsequently took the car in for an authorized inspection and evaluation. I learned that the seatbelt retraction system had activated, even though there was no input to the activation sensor. There is no recall for this issue, so the repair bill is on me.
Air bags
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Mercedes Benz E320. While driving at 60 MPH, the air bags deployed inadvertently emitted a yellow substance and the vehicle shook violently. Shortly after, the shift lever exploded and smoke started to emit from the console. The contact noticed that the cam shaft fractured, which caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle. A police report was not filed. The contact sustained unknown injuries due to the substance from the air bag that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Mercedes Benz E320. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact's vehicle was rear ended and pushed into oncoming traffic. The vehicle crashed into the front of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. There was one injury and a police report was filed. The current and failure mileages were 90,000. Updated 08/14/09. The vehicle was totaled. Updated 08/17/09.
1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 a good car?
Based on 63 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 E320 rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the E320 at the same age. It is one of the E320 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 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320?
The suspension — 32 complaints, 51% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › springs › coil springs. Next are the seat belts (10) and air bags (7).
How many recalls does the 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz E320?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008, 2009 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2004, 2003, 1999 and 1997. See the full Mercedes-Benz E320 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 115,000 miles; 0% 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.