RecallRadar

Home → Mercedes Benz → E Class → 1999

1999 Mercedes Benz E Class Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Serious

20 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.00 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious98V256000

Air Bags:Frontal

THE WINDOW AIR BAG MAY NOT FULLY DEPLOY IN A SIDE-IMPACT COLLISION, raises the risk of INJURY TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WINDOW AIR BAG UNITS AND, IF THE WRONG OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED CLAMP IS FOUND, THE ENTIRE UNIT WILL BE REPLACED.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A WRONG CLAMP MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE WINDOW AIR BAG UNITS.

Complaint volume

20 this model-year 7 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

0Crashes
0Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 20 complaints. Severity Index 0.00.

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 · Front6 · 30%Structure · Frame And Mem…4 · 20%Suspension · Front · Spri…3 · 15%Power Train1 · 5%Visibility · Power Window…1 · 5%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…1 · 5%Equipment · Electrical · …1 · 5%Fuel System, Other · Deli…1 · 5%
  1. Suspension:Front — 6 reports
  2. Structure:Frame And Members — 4 reports
  3. Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs — 3 reports
  4. Power Train — 1 reports
  5. Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls — 1 reports
  6. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Brake Fluid Low Warning: Lamp — 1 reports
  7. Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc. — 1 reports
  8. Fuel System, Other:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings — 1 reports
  9. Steering — 1 reports
  10. Suspension — 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 (1) · 1998 · 1999 · 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.

From the same data desk

Independent sites, same maintainer, same open-data standards.

TireFit
Is that tyre actually right for your car?
2,808 fitment guides
FuelFacts
What that trip really costs in fuel
Live consumption data
CostCompare
What things cost, city by city
2,123 comparisons