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Verdict

2016 Mercedes E-Class: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues

What the public record actually says about the 2016 Mercedes E-Class — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.

The read

Middle-of-the-pack complaint volume for sedan.

Owners filed 88 NHTSA complaints — more complaints than 61% of 2016 sedans. Air Bags leads the reports (32%). No safety recalls on record.

Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2016 sedans, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.

Complaints filed

88

Reports to NHTSA, 2016

Safety recalls

0

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

No data

EPA estimate

Complaint volume vs. segment peers

More complaints than 61% of 2016 sedans

The bar is this car's percentile among 2016 sedans by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.

Known issues

Air Bags issues lead owner complaints (32% of 88 reports), followed by steering (10%).

Air Bags32% · 28 reports
Steering10% · 9 reports
Electrical System9% · 8 reports
Unknown Or Other7% · 6 reports
Engine6% · 5 reports
Structure6% · 5 reports
Power Train5% · 4 reports
Visibility5% · 4 reports

+ 10 more component categories with fewer reports.

Share of all 88 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11464578, ODI 11405089, ODI 10947642, ODI 11724811, ODI 11408071.

Recalls

0 recalls — none issued for this model year as of Jul 2026. Recall records can change as NHTSA publishes new campaigns.

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

0 NHTSA investigations on record

No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.

Crash-test ratings

2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4 DR 4WD NHTSA source

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4 DR RWD NHTSA source

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

2016 Mercedes-Benz E-CLASS SW 4WD NHTSA source

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

2016 Mercedes-Benz E-CLASS SW RWD NHTSA source

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2 DR RWD NHTSA source

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
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2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2 DR 4WD NHTSA source

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
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Not rated

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Fuel economy by trim

No EPA fuel-economy record is available for this model year. Some trims and older vehicles were not tested or are not in the current EPA feed.

Before you buy

Useful next checks

Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.

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Compare model years

"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.

2016 Mercedes E-Class: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2016 Mercedes E-Class?

Owners filed 88 NHTSA complaints about the 2016 Mercedes E-Class — more complaints than 61% of comparable 2016 sedans, so it sits toward the weaker end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.

What are the most common problems on the 2016 Mercedes E-Class?

The most-reported problem areas are Air Bags (32% of complaints) and steering (10%).

How many recalls does the 2016 Mercedes E-Class have?

No safety recalls are on record for the 2016 Mercedes E-Class as of Jul 2026.

What gas mileage does the 2016 Mercedes E-Class get?

EPA fuel-economy figures for the 2016 Mercedes E-Class aren't available yet.