Most common 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 problems
Share of the 17 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz E550 complaints by model year
Best E550 years: 2016, 2015, 2017. Years to avoid: 2010, 2011, 2007. Compare all years →
2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 recalls (4)
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012 C300 4Matic, C250, C250 Coupe, C350, C350 Coupe 4Matic, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, E550 Cabrio, E550 Coupe, GLK350 4Matic, GLK350, SLS AMG Cabrio, and SLS AMG Coupe vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in…
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag modules, free of charge. Owners were sent an interim notification in March 2017.
Air bags › Side/window
Mercedes-Benz is recalling certain model year 2012 E350 and E550 Coupe vehicles, manufactured April 2, 2012, through June 29, 2012. Improper stitching of the right side window curtain air bag may cause it to not deploy as intended in the affected vehicles.
Remedy: Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right side window curtain air bag. The recall began on December 21, 2012. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550:
Rear brake line failure
On April 10, 2020, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition from Mr. Surjit Singh alleging premature corrosion of the rear brake lines in his 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 sedan. The petitioner states that he was recently informed by a Mercedes dealer service department that his car had severely rusted brake lines that need[ed] to be replaced immediately at a cost of about $3300.
What 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 owners say
Air bags
Takata recall I have received a recall notice jan 2017 still no date on parts and repair the can not be re sold by a Mercedes dealer with open recall car has lost approx 10,000 dollar in value or this issue. Just spoke with local dealer no update could be months or years was there update.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 19V010000 (air bags). The part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called Mercedes-Benz of union ray catena (2585 us-22, union ny 07083, [phone]) and was informed that they would not touch the vehicle until the manufacturer provided the part for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that the part would be available in May of 2020. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550. The contact stated that while occupying the vehicle while the vehicle was parked, the ignition switch failed to detect the key fob. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the electric steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced or reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the vehicle, but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 69,000.
The Electronic Steering Lock (ESL) will fail and cause the vehicle to become disabled. The failure of this part will leave the owner strained and unable to use any functions of the car. You can't even put the vehicle into neutral to move the vehicle. Everything is locked. There have been numerous reports of this failure on various Mercedes Benz forums on the web. Also, many videos outlining this problem on YouTube. Yes, the problem has been reproduced by an independent repair facility. Mercedes Benz is aware of this problem regarding the ESL part. I believe they even published a TSB regarding the failure of this part. The car did not display any warning lamps or messages. The car is just dead! It's very scary getting into your car and it doesn't start when you turn the key. All other systems checked out on the car i.e. battery, voltage, fuses, sensors etc. …
Steering
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550. The contact stated that while occupying the vehicle while the vehicle was parked, the ignition switch failed to detect the key fob. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the electric steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced or reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the vehicle, but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 69,000.
The Electronic Steering Lock (ESL) will fail and cause the vehicle to become disabled. The failure of this part will leave the owner strained and unable to use any functions of the car. You can't even put the vehicle into neutral to move the vehicle. Everything is locked. There have been numerous reports of this failure on various Mercedes Benz forums on the web. Also, many videos outlining this problem on YouTube. Yes, the problem has been reproduced by an independent repair facility. Mercedes Benz is aware of this problem regarding the ESL part. I believe they even published a TSB regarding the failure of this part. The car did not display any warning lamps or messages. The car is just dead! It's very scary getting into your car and it doesn't start when you turn the key. All other systems checked out on the car i.e. battery, voltage, fuses, sensors etc. …
2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7L 8-cyl turbo | 7-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 a good car?
Based on 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 E550 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the E550 at the same age. 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550?
The air bags — 8 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (4) and steering (4).
How many recalls does the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550, the most recent from January 9, 2019 (inflator module). 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 E550?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2016, 2015 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010, 2011 and 2007. See the full Mercedes-Benz E550 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 69,000 miles; 50% 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.