The 2017 Mercedes Benz E Class has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Positive crankcase ventilation valve failure.” Mercedes-Benz alternates two service events: Service A (oil, filter, inspection) at roughly 10,000 miles or 1 year, then Service B (Service A plus brake fluid, cabin filter, and deeper checks) at roughly 20,000 miles or 2 years — the ASSYST Plus counter in the cluster tells you which is due. Oil must carry the MB-Approval number your engine specifies (commonly 229.5, or 229.71 for newer 0W-20 engines); 'meets or exceeds' marketing language is not an approval. Electric EQB and EQS models keep the A/B rhythm for inspections, brake fluid, and cabin filters — just without oil.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2017 Mercedes Benz E Class.
ENGINE
14 NHTSA complaints · 2022-10 → 2026-04
“P052E code. my car is only have 18455 mileage”
“Fault code p052E71, the crankcase ventilation valve is faulty. The actuator is blocked. Second time having this issue”
“Code P052E Crankcase Ventilation Valve Replacement, Emissions system manufacture does not cover and commonly fails around 25-55K miles”
ENGINE
12 NHTSA complaints · 2020-10 → 2026-08
“Piston 1 failed at 40,00 miles”
“Vehicle running really rough. Check engine light came on and stated Cylinder #1 misfire. Technician took apart the engine and found cylinder #1 piston to have a Crack in it”
“Check engine light came on and then complete engine failure. Cracked #1 piston, and engine destroyed”
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
21 NHTSA complaints · 2020-01 → 2026-03
“STRONG PERSISTENT ODOR OF GASOLINE IN THE CABIN ON COLD START”
“There is a smell of gas inside the cabin coming from the vents”
“I own a 2017 mercedes benz e-class. I'm starting to smell gasoline in the cabin and also outside of my vehicle. I tried entering my VIN number to see if any recalls. There is something listed for the smell of gas. Can someone help me regarding this matter”
POWER TRAIN
13 NHTSA complaints · 2019-07 → 2026-05
“The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The message "Reverse not Possible - Service Required" was displayed”
“The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that while coming to a stop at red traffic lights or stop signs, on several occasions the gear shifter inadvertently shifted into neutral(N)”
“The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse to another gear, the gear shifter seized”
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
7 NHTSA complaints · 2017-01 → 2026-05
“PANORAMIC SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY”
“THE SUNROOF FOR MY 2017 MERCEDES E300 JUST SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING”
“I was driving down the interstate when the panoramic sunroof suddenly shattered. Luckily my shade was closed but it is leaving me with a costly repair bill. I was not driving near any other vehicles, had not gone under an overpass, nor did a rock hit my roof”
STEERING
9 NHTSA complaints · 2018-03 → 2025-11
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I GOT A MESSAGE STATING "STEERING MALFUNCTION INCREASED PHYSICAL EFFORT SEE OWNER'S MANUAL". THE VEHICLE HAS 16,XXX MILES ON IT”
“2017 MERCEDES BENZ E300. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO LOSS OF STEERING WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS”
“The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle intermittently lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure occurred increasingly while turning”
AIR BAGS
16 NHTSA complaints · 2017-09 → 2021-03
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ E400. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V627000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE”
“TAKATA RECALL I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY CAR AND WANT THE DEALERSHIP TO GIVE ME A LOANER”
“SALES STAFF TOLD ME THAT AIRBAG, LIGHT AND PAINT ISSUE WAS FIXED. AFTER COMPLETING THE DEAL, THE STORIES BEGAN. I TRIED TO RETURN THE CAR TO NO AVAIL”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 17, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 17, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Every 10,000 miles or 12 months: oil and filter with MB-Approved oil, fluid top-offs, tire check, and inspection. AMG models driven hard: many owners service at 5,000-7,500 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Every 20,000 miles or 2 years, alternating with Service A: everything in A plus brake-fluid replacement, cabin filter, and a deeper multi-point inspection of brakes, suspension, and driveline.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free with any paid service. A flashlight and 10 minutes covers the basics yourself.
Rotate at every Service A where the tire sizes allow. Many AMG and 4MATIC+ models run staggered widths that can't rotate front-to-rear — check your spec before paying for a rotation.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Checked at every A/B service via electronic pad-wear sensors. Replace sensors with pads. Heavy EQS models wear pads slowly (regen braking) but rotors can corrode from disuse — an inspection catches that.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replaced every 2 years as part of Service B — Mercedes schedules it on time, not miles, because DOT 4 fluid absorbs moisture regardless of driving.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Mercedes specifies fluid and filter service around 70,000 miles on most 7G- and 9G-Tronic gearboxes — check your year's sheet. Use only the MB-spec fluid for your transmission code; independent specialists often service at 60,000 on hard-driven cars.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
Most modern MB gas engines: plugs around 60,000 miles — AMG engines often sooner. Check your engine's sheet; twin-turbo V8 plug jobs are labor-heavy, so pair with other scheduled work.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Replace around every 40,000 miles (twin-filter setups on V6/V8 engines double the parts bill). Inspected at every Service B.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replaced with every Service B. Models with the ENERGIZING air package use a higher-grade filter — priced accordingly.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
MB-spec coolant is long-life (typically ~10 years / 150,000 miles on the sheet). Refresh only with MB 325/326-spec coolant — the wrong chemistry attacks aluminum and head gaskets.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Test annually after year 3. Most modern Mercedes carry a second auxiliary battery; a weak one triggers cascading warning messages long before a no-start. EQ models also depend on the 12V system to boot.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$225–$390
Shop
~$160–$280
DIY
~$130–$250
Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
16 crashes 2010–2024
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
3
complaints mentioning a crash
4
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2017 Mercedes Benz E Class reflects Mercedes-Benz's published service intervals and the ASSYST Plus (Service A / Service B) system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.