Mercedes-Benz E-Class: common problems, best years and what to check
Comfortable, tough exec; huge mileages are normal. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class a good used buy?
Best buy
2016–2023 W213 E220d
Avoid
rusty or ex-taxi W212 without injector history
Who it suits: Drivers covering long distances who want comfort and luxury.
What's good
- Superb comfort
- Excellent diesel economy
- Huge estate boot
- Quality interior
What's not
- Expensive repairs
- Air suspension faults on some cars
- Ex-taxi and fleet cars common
- Complex electronics
By the numbers
- #36 most common model on UK roads, with about 192k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2015: 19.6k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 13% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 2013 cars survive 20% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- The most expensive common fault: Injector failure / timing chain (up to £2,000).
Mercedes-Benz E-Class common problems by generation and engine
Mercedes-Benz E-Class W212 (2009–2016) · saloon, estate, coupe
How to spot it: 09 plate to 16 plate. Square twin headlights; 2013 facelift has single-piece lights.
E220 / E250 CDI (OM651, diesel, 2009–2016)
Injector and chain checks
- Injector failure / timing chain£800–£2,00080k+
E350 CDI (OM642, diesel, 2009–2016)
V6; oil cooler leaks
- Oil cooler seal leak£700–£1,30080k+
Faults on any W212 (2009–2016) engine
- Rust (wings, boot)£300–£90010+ yrs
- Ex-taxi high mileage—any
Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 (2016–2023) · saloon, estate
How to spot it: 16 plate to 23 plate. Smooth, S-Class-like styling with twin wide screens.
E220d / E300de (OM654, diesel / PHEV, 2016–2023)
Excellent diesel
- AdBlue / NOx sensors£300–£1,20060k+
Faults on any W213 (2016–2023) engine
- Air suspension (if fitted)£600–£1,50070k+
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Mercedes-Benz E-Class years
How many Mercedes-Benz E-Classs from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2008. Years that fall off the road faster: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 — check these harder.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Mercedes-Benz E-Classs pass their MOT first time 5 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (78% vs 73%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 70% | 57% | 131k miles |
| 2009 | 70% | 58% | 120k miles |
| 2010 | 69% | 59% | 112k miles |
| 2011 | 70% | 61% | 109k miles |
| 2012 | 69% | 63% | 105k miles |
| 2013 | 71% | 66% | 100k miles |
| 2014 | 75% | 69% | 94k miles |
| 2015 | 78% | 72% | 89k miles |
| 2016 | 81% | 75% | 81k miles |
| 2017 | 83% | 78% | 77k miles |
| 2018 | 84% | 81% | 62k miles |
| 2019 | 86% | 84% | 54k miles |
| 2020 | 86% | 86% | 45k miles |
| 2021 | 88% | 87% | 39k miles |
| 2022 | 88% | 89% | 28k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Diesel hybrid
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.47 per 100
- Ball joint excessively worn3.22 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed2.66 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken2.4 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction2.1 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1.97 per 100
- Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.31 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm25.67 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded13.74 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9.75 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick8.95 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn6.07 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear5.77 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn5.28 per 100
- Ball joint excessively worn5.23 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Mercedes-Benz E-Class have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| OM651 | chain | check from 80k | £1,000–£2,000 |
| OM654 | chain | durable | £1,000–£1,800 |
Mercedes-Benz E-Class running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class ULEZ compliant?
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 192k | 29–43 | 540 l | 2016–2023 W213 E220d |
| BMW 5 Series | 170k | 30–44 | 530 l | 2017+ G30 520d |
| Audi A6 | 116k | 29–43 | 530 l | 2015–2018 C7 2.0 TDI Ultra |
| Volvo S90 | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Skoda Superb | 71k | 15–30 | 625 l | 2016+ B8 2.0 TDI 150 estate |
| Jaguar XF | 88k | 29–43 | 540 l | 2017+ X260 2.0d 180 with history |
What to check when buying a used Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- Many are ex-taxi: check MOT mileage pattern
- W213 E220d is a great high-mile buy
Mercedes-Benz E-Class FAQ
›Is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2016–2023 W213 E220d. Avoid: rusty or ex-taxi W212 without injector history.
›What is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class MOT pass rate?
78% of Mercedes-Benz E-Classs passed their MOT first time in 2025 (186,276 tests), better than the 73% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.
›What are the most common Mercedes-Benz E-Class problems?
The costliest known faults are Injector failure / timing chain; Oil cooler seal leak; AdBlue / NOx sensors. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Mercedes-Benz E-Class have a timing belt or chain?
OM651: chain; OM654: chain.
›What is the best year Mercedes-Benz E-Class to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2009, 2010 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Mercedes-Benz E-Class cost to run?
Real-world economy: E220d 48–56 mpg; E300de 45–150 depending on charging. Insurance groups 29–43. A minor service is about £260–£360 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class ULEZ compliant?
Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.