YearToAvoid

2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 has a Complaint Index of 33 and ranks 5th worst of 7 model years, with a Caution verdict capped by two Do Not Drive brake recalls. Airbags are the top problem area, making up 53% of its 15 complaints.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
33/100
#5 of 7 R350 years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
15
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
2 Do Not Drive
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2010
lowest-risk (no Good/Best year)
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
16
15 city / 19 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags8 (53%)
  2. Visibility & Wipers3 (20%)
  3. Electrical System2 (13%)
  4. Structure & Body2 (13%)
  5. Engine1 (7%)
  6. Fuel System1 (7%)
  7. Other1 (7%)
  8. Seat Belts1 (7%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Rear air suspension bags lose air pressure over time, causing the vehicle to lean and the fender to nearly touch the tire, sometimes with no warning light.
  • Windshield wipers stop working during heavy rain, forcing drivers to turn the car off and on to restore function.
  • Owners waited years for Takata airbag recall parts, with some told replacements were still unavailable long after notification.
  • The sunroof has shattered while driving at highway speed without any impact.
  • The fuel gauge has shown a quarter tank or more of fuel remaining just before the engine stalled from running out of gas.
  • Rear seatbelts randomly get stuck fully retracted or partially extended, making them unusable for rear passengers.
2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 complaints: complaints filed per month2Aug 2010Jul 2013Nov 2016Nov 2017Feb 2018Jun 2018Feb 2023
15 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2010 to Feb 2023; peak Oct 2017 (2).

2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 24V298000Apr 26, 2024Brakes15,604 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

    Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.

  2. NHTSA 22V315000May 9, 2022Brakes350,294 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

    Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.

  3. NHTSA 16V081000Feb 11, 2016Airbags711,159 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Matic, ML63 AMG, and C63 AMG, 2010-2011 ML450 4Matic Hybrid, E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic, E550 Coupe, E550 4Matic, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-2014 SLS AMG Coupe, 2012 SLS AMG Cabriolet, 2013-2014 SLS AMG GT and SLS AMG GT Cabriolet, 2005 C230 Kompressor and C320, 2006-2007 C230, 2006-2011 C350, 2008-2011 C300 and C300 4Matic, 2010-2012 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic and 2007-2008 Chrysler Crossfire vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: MBUSA will their notify owners, and Fiat Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler owners. Dealers for the respective brands will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.

2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
19 MPG
Combined
16 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$5,000
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.

2009 compared with other R350 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002006200720082009201020112012
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Avoid83472 !16
2008Caution67352 !16.5
2009Caution33153 !16
2010Caution17133 !16
2011Caution50183 !16

All Mercedes-Benz R350 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 reliable?
It carries a Caution verdict based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, with a Complaint Index of 33, ranking 5th worst out of 7 R350 model years.
What is the main problem with the 2009 Mercedes-Benz R350?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 8 of 15 complaints (53%), including Takata airbag recall issues and air suspension bag failures.
Does the 2009 Mercedes-Benz R350 have a recall?
Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for this year, including 2 Do Not Drive brake corrosion recalls and 1 Takata airbag recall.
Why is the 2009 R350 rated Caution instead of based on complaints alone?
Its verdict is capped to Caution because it has a Do Not Drive or Park Outside recall, despite a Complaint Index of only 33.
How does the 2009 R350 compare to other years?
It ranks better than 2006, 2007, and 2008, which have higher Complaint Indexes of 100, 83, and 67 and Avoid or Caution verdicts, but worse than 2010 and 2012.

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.