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1997 Mercedes Benz E Class Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Serious

43 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.28 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious00V388000

Air Bags:Side/Window

INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR MOUNTED SIDE AIR BAG MODULES. AT THE SAME TIME, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE CONDITION OF THE SIDE AIR BAG MODULE WIRING WITHIN THE DOORS AND REPLACE THAT WIRING IF THERE IS ANY EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS IN THE ABSENCE OF A CRASH.

Complaint volume

43 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

2Crashes
0Fires
2Injuries
0Deaths

Across 43 complaints. Severity Index 0.28.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Suspension · Front · Spri…14 · 33%Structure · Frame And Mem…4 · 9%Suspension · Front4 · 9%Visibility · Windshield3 · 7%Visibility · Power Window…2 · 5%Suspension2 · 5%Electrical System · Alter…1Structure · Body · Door1
  1. Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs — 14 reports
  2. Structure:Frame And Members — 4 reports
  3. Suspension:Front — 4 reports
  4. Visibility:Windshield — 3 reports
  5. Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls — 2 reports
  6. Suspension — 2 reports
  7. Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator — 1 reports
  8. Structure:Body:Door — 1 reports
  9. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 1 reports
  10. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (2) · 1996 (2) · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 (1) · 2000 (1) · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 (4) · 2004 (4) · 2005 (3) · 2006 (1) · 2008

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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