2001 Mercedes-Benz 320 Electrical system Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 35%of 17 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 66,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the electrical system of the 2001 Mercedes-Benz 320, 35% of the 17 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 66,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Car is a 2001 c320 mercedes. Battery keeps dying despite replacing with brand new batteries on 2 occasions, only 2 weeks apart. Dealer says it's the seat module draining the battery. My car will not start if I don't drive it for a day or longer. These modules are a defect and needs to be recalled. Fix is to disconnect seat power, which is a safety issue.”
NHTSA complaint #10300110, filed 2010-01, 93,000 miles“Various problems with electrical, heating and cooling, suspension, power steering, lighting, and purge valve systems. Spent 7k in last 3 years alone. Heating and cooling system was removed and reinstalled twice and still does not work right. Struts and steering system completely brakes down every 6 months. I am in the repair shop every 2-3 months! Average out of pocket (after extended warranty) $500... Outrageous (x4 or 5 per year!). Warranty kicks in another 4k per year. My records show 14 visits to mercedes repair shops since november 2004... Insane. This is my first and last mercedes! …”
NHTSA complaint #10213660, filed 2008-01, 39,000 miles“One of the front headlight assembles of my 2001 mb e320 just stopped working. Upon inspection, I found that the wire insulation had vanished - simply disappeared - and there were bare wires coming in contact with each other. I tried wrapping the wire with electrical tape, and this worked for a while, but the light stopped working after a few weeks. This car was in a repair shop for a rear end collision recently, and the service manager noticed the problem. He said that he used to work for Mercedes-Benz, and that this was a common problem with the headlights. …”
NHTSA complaint #10452409, filed 2012-03“Fumes/gasses coming from interior dash caused windshield to fog up in excessive heat. Dealership replaced windshield five times and replaced dashboard, but could not correct problem. Please provide any additional information/attachments.”
NHTSA complaint #890461, filed 2001-06Electrical system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 3 | 27% |
| 2001 | 6 | 35% |
| 2000 | 3 | 18% |
| 1999 | 7 | 23% |
| 1998 | 1 | 3% |
| 1997 | 3 | 16% |
| 1996 | 3 | 21% |
| 1995 | 16 | 55% |
| 1994 | 42 | 86% |
Other parts of the 2001 Mercedes-Benz 320
4 complaintsSteering
4 complaintsExterior lighting
3 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
3 complaintsAir bags
2 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsSeats
2 complaintsFuel system
1 complaintsInterior lighting
1 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
1 complaintsSeat belts
1 complaintsSuspension
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz 320
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology