Buyer Research

2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $11,000–$17,000. There are 4 high-severity known issues you need to know before handing over a check.

Deciding between model years? Compare the 15 Mercedes-Benz E-Class years we've written up →

Kestrel Take

Only 57 complaints are on file for this year, against 304 for the 2014 — and that is a fact about how many people filed, not a reliability rating. What the small record does hold is consistent with the years either side of it: Takata airbag notices with no parts, the rear brake lines and subframe corroding together, and a handful of electric power steering failures. The brake and subframe filings that exist are severe ones, including a complete loss of brakes on a highway. Treat this car exactly as you would a 2014 — underside inspection first, VIN recall lookup second — and do not read the shorter list as a clean bill of health.

What we checked

Reconciled against public records, 2026-09-25

NHTSA holds 57 owner complaints for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and 6 recall campaigns.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. The largest single group is airbags at 23%. That is notable without being overwhelming — worth checking, not worth panicking about.

6 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.

Rear brake lines corrode over the subframe and let go without warningHigh — wallet impact

Eight brake complaints, and they are not mild ones. One owner reports the rear lines rusting out on top of a rusting subframe and the brakes going to the floor on the highway with no prior warning; another had a hard line pop open twice while using the stop-and-hold function at a light. Two of the eight mention a crash. The fix is the rear hard lines, and often the subframe underneath them. This is the inspection to pay for before anything else on this car.

Repair cost (estimate): $1,400–$4,300 for the rear hard lines — about 31% of what this car is typically worth

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the brakes (8).

Electric power steering assist quits and the wheel goes heavyHigh — wallet impact

The electrical cluster and the steering cluster overlap on one failure: a Power Steering Malfunction message at startup or while driving, and assist dropping out so the car takes real effort to turn. One owner describes it happening at 42 mph along with other warning lights. Sometimes a software update clears it; sometimes the steering rack itself is replaced. Start the car cold on the test drive, watch the display through the startup sequence, and turn lock to lock while stationary.

Repair cost (estimate): $150–$400 for a software update; $1,500–$3,200 for a steering rack

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (9), steering (7).

Takata inflator on the passenger airbag moduleHigh — wallet impact

Thirteen airbag complaints, most of them owners reporting a passenger-side airbag recall notice and a dealer unable to order the part. A Takata inflator that has degraded can rupture during deployment and injure the person it is meant to protect. The replacement costs nothing. With a car this age that has likely had several owners, run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup yourself rather than relying on the folder of receipts.

Repair cost: Not yet priced — a safety matter first, a repair bill second

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under airbags (13).

Panoramic roof glass works loose and the roof creaks and leaksMedium

An owner reports the panoramic sunroof bonding and bolts going loose, the glass shifting with a constant cracking and clanking noise, and a Mercedes technician calling it a wind and water leak problem. On the cars with the big glass roof this shows up as noise over bumps and damp headlining or footwells. Press each corner of the glass, run a hose over the roof if the seller allows it, and pull up the boot floor to check for standing water.

Repair cost (estimate): $400–$2,500 depending on whether it is a reseal or a new glass panel

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the body and structure (7).

Rear subframe corrosion carried over from the earlier W212 yearsHigh — wallet impact

This is structurally the same car as the 2013 and 2014, with the same rear crossmember and the same mounting points, and owners here describe it being replaced under a warranty extension with the brake lines corroded alongside it. Fewer filings on this year reflects fewer cars and younger owners' mileage, not a redesign. Have it inspected from underneath and ask a Mercedes dealer whether this VIN carries any remaining coverage — do not take a forum post's word on the terms.

Repair cost (estimate): $3,500–$8,800 when the brake lines are replaced with it — around 63% of what this car is typically worth

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the body and structure (7).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗A brake pedal that needs pumping, or a fluid reservoir sitting near minimum
✗Scaly, swollen rust on the rear brake lines where they cross the subframe
✗A Power Steering Malfunction message at startup, even one that clears itself
✗Cracking or clanking from the panoramic roof over bumps
✗Damp carpet or a musty smell in the boot

Good Signs

✓Rear brake lines replaced, on an invoice with a date and mileage
✓Subframe work documented under a warranty extension with the dealer's paperwork
✓The airbag inflator work confirmed closed on NHTSA's VIN lookup
✓Steady power steering effort through a full lock-to-lock turn from cold
✓A car sold and serviced in a state that does not salt its roads