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Mercedes-Benz E350Model year report

2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 Problems

Complaints
400filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
90,000miles, 333 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
20 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl RWD · 17 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a gasoline smell — inside the cabin, around the rear of the car, or in a garage — that appears after refueling and fades as the tank drops below about three quarters. Many complaints trace it to the fuel tank area under the rear seat, and often appear after tens of thousands of miles. A second cluster of reports concerns the car's electronically assisted brakes, where owners describe a red warning message and a pedal that goes to the floor.

  1. Fuel system

    Fuel smell and leak at the tank/sending unit

    • 212 complaints (53%)
    • median 85,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (181 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,400 (median of 30 quotes)
    • filed 2010–2023

    Owners describe a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin and around the rear of the car, most often after filling the tank and easing off once the level drops to about three quarters. Several report pulling the rear seat cushion and finding fuel pooled on top of the tank or the sending unit, or fuel dripping under the rear driver side. Complaints say dealers diagnosed leaking fuel level sending units, seals, gaskets or the tank itself, and in some cases the smell returned after the repair. Reported from roughly 25,000 to 180,000 miles, most commonly between 50,000 and 120,000 miles, and typically right after refueling.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Fill the tank completely, park it, and check for a fuel smell inside the cabin and in the garage afterward; lift the rear seat cushion and look for wetness or odor around the fuel pump access plates. Ask whether any fuel tank or sending unit warranty extension applies to the specific VIN.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “When I fill up the gas tank and start driving I can smell gas inside of vehicle, I looked under car and the rear drivers side is wet and smells like gas. Kind of scared that the car might start on fire. What can I do? Is there a recall? I have never had this happen on any vehicle I owned before. What will happen if I get in a accident?”

    NHTSA complaint #10689683, filed 2015-02, 110,565 miles

    “Strong smell of gasoline mostly outside the car whenever I fill the gas tank. I never overfill. The smell exists even when I don't fill to the very top. The garage has a strong smell of gasoline whenever I fill the car with gas and park the car in the garage. I am afraid the gasoline fumes may ignite and blow-up my house.”

    NHTSA complaint #10477972, filed 2012-09, 34,000 miles
  2. Brakes

    Brake warning message, pedal to the floor (SBC)

    • 62 complaints (16%)
    • median 124,500 mi at 11.6 yrs old (56 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,150 (median of 8 quotes)
    • filed 2006–2026

    Complaints describe a red brake warning — variously worded as reduced braking power or a brake system message — while driving or stopping, followed by a brake pedal that travels to the floor and a much longer stopping distance. Some owners say the message clears after restarting the car and braking returns to normal, then recurs later. According to the complaints, dealers sometimes replaced or reset the brake control unit, sometimes blamed the auxiliary battery, and sometimes found no fault. Reported from about 25,000 to 180,000 miles, spread fairly evenly across the range, and often appearing without warning during normal driving.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the brake hydraulic control unit was ever replaced or covered under the extended warranty program, and whether the auxiliary battery has been replaced. On a test drive, watch the cluster for brake warning messages and note whether the pedal feels firm and consistent.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While I was driving on a busy street a red prompt of braking system fail decrease pressure esp goes on and I have to push brakes all the way down and use emergency braking system to stop! Dash says service brakes. Brakes were changed as well as sensors and new auxiliary battery which is very dangerous if auxiliary battery goes out braking system fails and car is hard to stop.”

    NHTSA complaint #11282653, filed 2019-11, 137,000 miles

    “Brakes failed, red warning light alerted me, I managed to stop the car on a slight incline with emerg brake help. Luckily I was going slowly on a city street. Car was towed to mercedes in richmond va . They found nothing wrong and reset the code. Said it was fine to drive. When I questioned this, they said they could bleed the brake line, even though they admitted air in the line would not activate red brakes failed warning light. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11362156, filed 2020-10, 163,530 miles
  3. Engine

    Balance shaft / camshaft wear, check engine light

    • 73 complaints (18%)
    • median 92,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (57 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $5,000 (median of 27 quotes)
    • filed 2005–2025

    Owners report the check engine light coming on and diagnosis pointing to worn balance shaft gears or camshaft wear, with timing that is off and reduced power. Complaints describe repair quotes in the several-thousand-dollar range, with some owners saying the manufacturer offered partial assistance with parts but not labor. A service bulletin and a warranty settlement concerning the balance shaft sprocket appear in this vehicle's records. Most often reported between about 60,000 and 95,000 miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the balance shaft and timing components were ever replaced, and request any documentation of the settlement or warranty work tied to that repair. Scan for stored fault codes and confirm the check engine light is off before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2006 mercedes E350. Check engine light on at 83,000 miles. Diagnostic code and inspection finds camshaft premature wear requiring full engine removal and replacement of parts. Service bulletin issued by mercedes and also search of internet finds numerous complaints of this problem. Class action lawsuit filed on this issue. My independent, mercedes only garage, is charging me at least $4200 to repair and vehicle will be unavailable for use for approximately ten days.”

    NHTSA complaint #10422741, filed 2011-08, 83,000 miles

    “I had so many problem with my mercedes E350, but when the engine light was on I couldn't believe was the balance shaft. It was in warranty so I didn't pay a cent but when they returned the car back was not the same any more, the tail light was cracked and the A/C opening are inside. The car is not any more the same, sometimes is shaking, and has so many other problems. I saw online that mercedes has to many cars with this defects that brings more problems, so I'm asking what are you waiting for a recall??????”

    NHTSA complaint #10480608, filed 2012-10, 75,729 miles
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission stuck in gear or won't accelerate

    • 74 complaints (19%)
    • median 98,000 mi at 8.9 yrs old (67 state mileage)
    • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $5,000 (median of 21 quotes)
    • filed 2005–2026

    Complaints describe the car failing to accelerate from a stop, holding a gear, or dropping into limp mode with limited gears available, sometimes requiring a restart to resume driving. Owners report harsh or delayed engagement when shifting from park into drive or reverse, and some mention related warnings on the instrument cluster. Complaints name valve body faults and transmission control issues; several service bulletins describe the harsh engagement and clunking symptoms. Reported from about 21,000 to 130,000 miles, with several reports below 70,000 miles.

    5 related service bulletins

    What to check: Drive the car from cold and check that it engages drive and reverse promptly without a hard jolt, and that it shifts up and down smoothly through a full-throttle merge. Ask for transmission service records and whether the conductor plate or valve body has been addressed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We, my wife and 3 son's were coming down from big bear when it started snowing. Snow got heavy and I was approaching a sharp curve slowed down to about 8miles made the turn nd slowly pressed on the gas peddle, the rpms went up but the car did not accelerate. I had to stop put the car in park then turn it of, turn it back on, put it in gear and accelerate slowly. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10692390, filed 2015-03, 117,000 miles

    “I was driving my vehicle when suddenly the vehicle began to stop and the transmission appeared to be frozen. As I put my foot on the accelerator the car would increase speed then it would again slow down. When I pulled over I was able to switch off the ignition and restart the engine and resume driving. Once I got to my destination I was able to put the car in reverse with no problem. When I got ready to travel back home I began to experience the same problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10545375, filed 2013-09, 129,000 miles

Buying note. Service records matter more than mileage here: ask specifically about the fuel tank and sending unit area, the brake control unit, and the balance shaft. A pre-purchase inspection that includes lifting the rear seat and scanning for stored codes would show much of what owners describe in these complaints.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 400 consumer complaints for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350. 333 of the complaints include a mileage, and 18% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 90,000 miles. Of all complaints, 14 involved a crash, 9 a fire, 18 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 115 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Steering (6), Electronic stability control (5), Exterior lighting (5), Body and structure (5), Tires (5), Suspension (4), Equipment (2), Forward collision avoidance (2), Seats (2), Wheels (2).

Example complaints

Fuel system: “I smell a heavy fuel odor coming from the rear of the vehicle when I fill the fuel tank to 100%. Called mercedes and they told me that my issue is not covered under the recall even though I see that they have indeed had a recall out for this very issue. From what I have found online, my car should be covered under the recall for 15 years with unlimited miles.”

NHTSA complaint #10972276, filed 2017-04, 118,000 miles

Brakes: “While driving to work, the reduced braking power light illuminated and I had no brakes. I almost hit the car in front of me, but managed to swerve out of the way and make it to the brake-down lane. I shut of the ignition, and when I restarted it, the problem went away. I was very lucky, this time...”

NHTSA complaint #11120244, filed 2018-08, 145,000 miles

Engine: “I am reporting a very serious, disturbing, shocking and tragic accident on 9/12/2015 on randall road in elgin, il USA at 2:35 pm just after big timber road signal.my southbound 2006 mercedes benz E350 car was hit by the high speed out of control northbound 2014 toyota corolla, which had crossed/swerved the center line and resulted in a head on collision/crash.....updated 10-27-15”

NHTSA complaint #10779783, filed 2015-10, 117,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Engine/transmission was acting jerky and suddenly the car lost power to engine and the car broke on it's own doing causing the vehicle to swerve into the other lane. Luckily there were no cars behind or to the side of me as this would have surely caused an accident. Currently there is a class action law suit in place specifically to the engine in my car and the part at fault.”

NHTSA complaint #10426640, filed 2011-09, 72,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

18% of the 333 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 60,000 and 120,000 miles.

3%0–102%10–2513%25–5021%50–7521%75–10030%100–15011%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (333 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 90,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’05’08’11’1476’17’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
E-Class · sedan RWD/AWDnot rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
E350 RWD3.5L 6-cyl7-speed automatic172520$4,100
E350 (wagon) RWD3.5L 6-cyl7-speed automatic162419$4,350
E350 4matic 4WD/AWD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162319$4,350
E350 4matic (wagon) 4WD/AWD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162218$4,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 115 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 115 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz E350

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202459,6004———Too new
20236—3526—Too new
2022914,4033526—Not enough data
20211338,60012525—Not enough data
2020842,3636526—Not enough data
2017720,00005——Not enough data
20165138,212542328 · FewerFalling
20153125,00064236 · FewerRising
201427846,600842382 · MoreStable
201316444,5506—2354 · TypicalStable
201221769,7007—2257 · TypicalStable
201122359,2005—2050 · TypicalStable
201018459,9784—2153 · TypicalStable
20096481,5004—196 · FewerFalling
200817386,6884—1926 · FewerFalling
200735076,0005—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200640090,0004—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20051585,0000———Falling
200410135,0000———Not enough data
2003776,0000———Not enough data

All Mercedes-Benz E350 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350?

Owners of this model year most often describe a gasoline smell — inside the cabin, around the rear of the car, or in a garage — that appears after refueling and fades as the tank drops below about three quarters. The issues reported most often: Fuel smell and leak at the tank/sending unit; Brake warning message, pedal to the floor (SBC); Balance shaft / camshaft wear, check engine light.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 have?

NHTSA recorded 400 consumer complaints for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 219 complaints (55% of the total), followed by brakes with 54.

Has the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 get?

The EPA rates the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 (E350, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 17 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 reported?

Among the 333 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 90,000 miles and the middle half falls between 60,000 and 120,000 miles; 18% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

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. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.