YearToAvoid

2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

71/100

#3 most-complained of 8 E550 years

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 has 17 NHTSA complaints, 4 recalls, and a complaint index of 71, ranking 3rd worst of 8 model years. Its verdict is Caution, driven mainly by airbag complaints (47% of issues) and Takata recall delays.

Complaints
17
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20
16 city / 26 hwy

Top 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 problems

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

  1. Airbags8 (47%)
  2. Electrical System4 (24%)
  3. Steering4 (24%)
  4. Seat Belts2 (12%)
  5. Brakes1 (6%)
  6. Fuel System1 (6%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (6%)

What owners report

  • Brake pedal reportedly traveled to the floor during a low-speed turn and failed to slow the vehicle, ending in a crash.
  • Front passenger airbag warning light illuminated intermittently even with the seat occupied, prompting repeated dealer visits.
  • Driver's seat belt fractured while being buckled, alongside unrelated electrical failures in the same vehicle.
  • Owners waiting on the Takata airbag recall reported parts were unavailable for extended periods, leaving the recall unresolved.
  • Seat belts failed to retract properly whether the vehicle was parked or moving.
  • Power steering assist was lost intermittently, triggering a 'power steering malfunction' message and making the wheel hard to turn.
2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 complaints: complaints filed per month2Sep 2012Jul 2017Feb 2018Apr 2019Aug 2019Aug 2020Aug 2023Dec 2024
21 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2012 to Jun 2025; peak Dec 2016 (2).

2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V010000Jan 9, 2019Airbags288,779 vehicles

    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 Coupe, 2014-2017 E550 Cabrio, and 2014-2016 E550 Coupe vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally, MBUSA is recalling certain 2012-2014 C250, E350 4Matic Coupe, SLS AMG Cabrio, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 4Matic Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2011 C300, 2011-2014 C300 4Matic, C350, C63 AMG, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, SLS AMG Coupe, 2015-2016 E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2011-2016 E550 Cabrio, E550 Coupe, 2011-2015 GLK350 4Matic, GLK350 RWD, and 2013-2015 GLK250 BlueTec 4Matic vehicles ever registered in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." MBUSA is also recalling certain 2012-2014 C250, E350 4Matic Coupe, SLS AMG Cabrio 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 4Matic Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2010-2011 C300, 2010-2014 C300 4Matic, C350, C63 AMG, E350 Coupe, 2011-2014 E350 Cabrio, SLS AMG Coupe, 2015-2016 E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2016-2017 E550 Cabrio, 2010-2016 E550 Coupe, 2010-2015 GLK350 4Matic, GLK350 RWD, and 2013-2015 GLK250 BlueTec 4Matic vehicles ever registered in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 17V627000Oct 6, 2017Airbags495,290 vehicles

    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 Coupe, GLK250 4Matic BlueTec, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, 2016-2017 C350e, C43 AMG, 2015 C400 4Matic, 2016-2018 C63 AMG, GLC300, GLC300 4Matic, 2017-2018 C300 Coupe, C300 4Matic Coupe, C43 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG Coupe, C300 Cabriolet, C300 4Matic Cabriolet, C43 AMG Cabriolet, C63 AMG Cabriolet, C63S AMG Cabriolet, GLC300 4Matic Coupe, GLC43 AMG, GLC43 AMG Coupe, 2014 E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic Coupe, E350 Cabriolet, E400 Hybrid, 2015-2017 E400 Coupe, E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabriolet, 2014-2017 E550 Coupe, E550 Cabriolet, B250e, 2014-2016 E250 BlueTec, E63 AMG 4Matic Wagon, 2012-2013 E350 BlueTec, 2012-2016 E350, E350 4Matic, 2015-2016 E400, E400 4Matic, 2012 E63 AMG, 2014-2015 E250 4Matic BlueTec, 2013-2016 E350 Wagon, 2017 GLC300d 4Matic, and 2018 GLC350e 4Matic. The driver's air bag may unexpectedly deploy due to insufficient grounding of the steering components if an electrostatic discharge occurs and the air bag clockspring is broken.

    Risk: If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.

    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.

  3. NHTSA 17V017000Jan 10, 2017Airbags104,119 vehicles

    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 Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above MBUSA is recalling certain 2009 C300 4Matic, C300, C350 and C63 AMG vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above MBUSA is recalling certain 2008 C300 4Matic, C300, and C350 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    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. Second notices started going out in October 2018 and continue to be mailed as parts become available. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 →

2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
20 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,000
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.

2012 compared with other E550 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020102011201220132014201520162017
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Avoid8668318
2011Avoid10061318
2012Caution7117420
2013Good4316520
2014Caution5716421

All Mercedes-Benz E550 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2012 E550 has a complaint index of 71 and ranks 3rd worst among 8 model years, earning a Caution verdict relative to other E550 years.
What are the most common problems on the 2012 E550?
Airbags are the top problem area, making up 47% of the 17 complaints filed, followed by Electrical System and Steering issues at 24% each.
Does the 2012 E550 have a Takata airbag recall?
Yes. Recall 17V017000, reported in 2017, covers front passenger air bag module replacement, and owners reported long waits for replacement parts.
How does the 2012 E550 compare to other years?
The 2010 and 2011 E550 have higher complaint indexes (86 and 100) and are rated Avoid, while 2013 scores lower at 43 and is rated Good, making 2012 a middling year.

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.