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2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
25%
31 of 126 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 25% of relevant complaints.

Better than 80% of the 1,789 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 59 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 17%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026
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Does the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 31 of 126 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (25%). For comparison, the 2012 scores 38% and the 2014 scores 23%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
31
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
185
this model year
Fires reported
4
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
0
16 crashes · 13 injuries

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS56 · 30%
SERVICE BRAKES34 · 18%
STRUCTURE22 · 12%
ENGINE17 · 9%
SUSPENSION16 · 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM15 · 8%

The years either side

2010
34%
53 of 258
2011
35%
53 of 296
2012
38%
53 of 235
2013
25%
31 of 185
2014
23%
56 of 304
2015
18%
8 of 57
2016
28%
16 of 89
2017
52%
75 of 167
2018
33%
20 of 68
2019
35%
15 of 54
2020
too few complaints
2021
too few complaints
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

What owners reported

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM05/26/2021CRASH1 INJURED
A Summary of the May 9, 2021, event follows: 6:30 a.m: I Woke up, put on gym clothes and shoes and drove to gym (1 mile from home). 7:01:40 a.m. Turned into the gym parking lot and slowly inched into a parking space. (my Mercedes rides low in the front so I pull in slowly so the block will not scrape my bumper). 7:02:0…
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE10/20/2020FIRECRASH1 INJURED
THE VEHICLE JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT STARTED SOMEWHERE IN THE ENGINE WHILE BEING PARKED.
ENGINE04/08/2026
Last April, during our routine oil change our mechanic pointed out that our Cam sensors were wicking oil into the harness and making its way to the ECM. This is the first we had ever heard of this issue and the repair was $2400 or so. After researching the problem we wrote to MB USA and never got any response until…

Three of 31 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Before you buy a 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Questions people ask about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Does the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 31 of 126 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (25%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Which Mercedes-Benz E-Class years are better?

Among the Mercedes-Benz E-Class years we track, the 2015 (18%) and the 2014 (23%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2013 (25%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.