Most common 2016 Mercedes-Benz E400 problems
Share of the 34 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz E400 complaints by model year
Best E400 years: 2015, 2017. Years to avoid: 2016. Compare all years →
2016 Mercedes-Benz E400 recalls (7)
Air bags › Frontal
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2016 E400 Coupe, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2011-2014 E350 Coupe, and 2012-2014 E350 Cabrio vehicles. An incorrect front passenger air bag may have been installed during a prior repair.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag on the affected vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Communication
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location.
Remedy: MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014 C250, C300 4Matic, C350, C63 AMG, E350 4Matic Coupe, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, SLS AMG Cabrio, SLS AMG Coupe, 2014-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 4Matic Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, GLK 350, GLK250 BlueTec 4Matic, GLK350 RWD, 2015-2017 E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabrio, E400…
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Air bags › Frontal
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling these vehicles: 2014-2018 CLA250, CLA250 4Matic, CLA45 AMG 4Matic, 2015-2018 GLA250, GLA250 4Matic, GLA45 AMG 4Matic, C300 4Matic, C63S AMG, 2012-2014 C250, C350, C300 4Matic, E550 4Matic, 2013-2014 C63 AMG, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2013-2015 C350 4Matic…
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will add sufficient grounding to the steering components, free of charge. The recall began in December 6, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
Steering › Electric power assist system
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 GLE300d 4Matic, E400 4Matic Coupe, GL63 AMG, GLE350, GLE350 4Matic, GLE350d 4Matic, GLE400 4Matic, GLE43 AMG Coupe 4Matic, GLE550e 4Matic, GLE63 AMG 4Matic, GLE63S AMG 4Matic and GLE63S AMG Coupe 4Matic vehicles, 2017 E300 4Matic and GLS63 AMG 4Matic vehicles, and…
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and inspect the electric power steering rack, replacing the rack as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge.
Steering › Electric power assist system
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 SL550, 2013-2014 SL63 AMG, 2014-2016 E350, 2014 E350 Cabriolet, E350 Coupe, 2014-2015 S550, 2015 E350 Bluetec, 2015-2016 E400, 2016 E550 Coupe, and Maybach S600 vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to August 14, 2015.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric power steering control unit, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Show 1 more recall
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016 Mercedes Benz E350, E400, E400 4Matic, E63 4M S AMG, E350 4Matic, E63-4M S AMG, 2015 CLS400, CLS400 4Matic, CLS550, CLS63-4M "P" AMG, and CLS550 4Matic vehicles manufactured April 16, 2015, to April 22, 2015.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rubber seal, in the engine compartment, free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2015. MBUSA's number is 2015080001.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E400:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2016 Mercedes-Benz E400 owners say
Air bags all 22 →
Takata recall - I received a notice that my airbag operation is potentially defective. A solution has apparently been identified (grounding the steering wheel?) but it is not yet available. To be clear, I have not had my airbag deploy, I just have not had the issue addressed.
I bought this car used from Mercedes Benz in May 2019, and decided to rent it on turo to pay monthly payments of the loan, but turo rejected it as it has a recall on it, --------------------------------------------------- Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling certain my 2010-2017 c-class, glk-class, sls-class and e-class coupe Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with passenger-side frontal airbags affected by the defect decision of tk holdings, inc. ( Takata ). Under certain circumstances during a crash that necessitates frontal airbag deployment, the defect in your passenger-side frontal airbag inflator May cause the inflator to explode. A passenger-side inflator explosion during deployment could result in metal fragments striking the front passenger or other occupants, possibly causing serious injury or death. …
Steering
The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz E400. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, a message indicating a power steering malfunction was displayed and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where an unknown software update was completed. The failure ceased but reoccurred a year and a half later. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering assist assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V241000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000. The consumer stated the power steering assist assembly needed to be replaced and it was repaired in the amount of $4042.00.
I was waiting at a light when the message "steering wheel malfunction" can up. I was forced to turn left, which I did with great difficulty as the power assist stop working. I managed to go straight 3 blocks despite the hard steering with my emergency lights on at 5 mph and turn left two short blocks to get home. I was in my car with my two children. If this would have happened in the highway, I am certain that it would have resulted in an accident.
2016 Mercedes-Benz E400 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 7-speed automatic | RWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E400 a good car?
Based on 34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 E400 rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the E400 at the same age. It is one of the E400 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 2016 Mercedes-Benz E400?
The air bags — 22 complaints, 65% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the steering (4) and brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E400 have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E400, the most recent from August 13, 2021 (frontal). 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 E400?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2016. See the full Mercedes-Benz E400 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Mercedes-Benz E400 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 40,000 miles; 55% 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.