YearToAvoid

2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 19 E350 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 has 399 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 19 E350 model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is fuel system (219 complaints, 55% of the total). Complaints report 14 crashes, 9 fires, 18 injuries, and 1 death.

Complaints
399
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
14 / 9
Injuries / deaths
18 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
19
16 city / 23.5 hwy

Top 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Fuel System219 (55%)
  2. Engine77 (19%)
  3. Brakes56 (14%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain37 (9%)
  5. Electrical System20 (5%)
  6. Airbags13 (3%)
  7. Other12 (3%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (3%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers8 (2%)
  10. Structure & Body7 (2%)
2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 complaints: complaints filed per quarter282005 Q32008 Q42011 Q12013 Q22015 Q32017 Q42020 Q22022 Q3
468 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q3 (28).

2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 24V874000Nov 19, 2024Visibility & Wipers33,456 vehicles

    Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.

    Risk: A detached sunroof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 22V-954. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024120001/2/3.

  2. NHTSA 22V954000Dec 23, 2022Visibility & Wipers131,653 vehicles

    Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.

    Risk: A detached sunroof panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall expands NHTSA recall number 19V-918. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023010004, 2023010005, and 2023010006.

  3. NHTSA 21V196000Mar 19, 2021Visibility & Wipers11,356 vehicles

    Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2007 C350, C230, C280, CLK350, E320CDI, E350 Wagon, E350, 2006 C55 AMG, CLK500, CLS500, CLS55 AMG, E500 Wagon, E500, E55 AMG, 2007 CLK550, CLS550, CLS63 AMG, E550, E63 AMG, and E63 Wagon AMG vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly causing the glass panel to detach from the vehicle.

    Risk: A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding roof, as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 7, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of recall number 19V-918. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021040012.

See all 4 recalls for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 →

2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
23.5 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,200
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other E350 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Good0150—
2006Avoid100399419
2007Avoid89349519
2008Caution61173418

All Mercedes-Benz E350 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 ranks worst among E350 model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 399 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350?
The most reported problem areas are fuel system (219 complaints), engine (77 complaints), and brakes (56 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 90,000 miles.
Does the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350, most recently reported 2024, covering visibility & wipers.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350?
EPA rates the 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 at 19 MPG combined (16 city / 23.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.