Mercedes-Benz is the oldest car manufacturer in the world, producing the first ever car in 1885. From there they have developed a great reputation for reliability and build quality. Despite this, modern cars are complex, and there are some common faults recorded among Mercedes owners. 

Are Mercedes-Benz Reliable Cars? 

Mercedes Benz is known for their reliability, with high ratings in WhatCar and Which surveys in recent years. They do not often top the charts, with brands such as Toyota and Suzuki.

Are Mercedes Low Maintenance Cars? 

Like most modern luxury brands, Mercedes are not low-maintenance cars, and you don’t want to skip scheduled maintenance items. With their dual-clutch transmissions and complex turbocharged engines, they need the recommended oil and filter changes, at the least, to keep them running smoothly. 

When do Mercedes Start Having Problems? 

There are not likely to be any definitive timescales to expect your Mercedes-Benz to start developing issues, but as with many cars, problems generally begin after around 7-10 years and around 100,000 miles. This is when items such as suspension arms, hydraulic engine mounts, and timing belts can need replacing.

Top 5 Common Mercedes-Benz Issues 

1. Hydraulic Engine Mounts 

A big part of any luxury vehicle is that the ride is quiet, refined and free of vibrations for the passengers. To achieve this most modern premium vehicles have hydraulic engine mounts. These are oil-filled rubber dampers that are integral to the engine mounting brackets.  

Over time, the rubber wears and perishes by absorbing the engine's vibrations, causing the oil inside to leak out and further reduce its damping effect. Symptoms of this issue all relate to excessive vibration and noise from the engine. 

2. Air Suspension Failures 

Another fantastic feature that enhances comfort for passengers is Mercedes' sophisticated air suspension system. It uses an air suspension strut in replacement of a traditional spring and shock absorber to allow better ride quality and handling characteristics. 

Like the engine mounts, these air suspension components can become worn over time and start to fail. Perishing seals and rubber gaskets are the usual culprits, with symptoms being unusual handling, an uneven ride height and errors from the infotainment system. 

3. Gearbox Faults 

The 7G-Tronic gearbox fitted to most automatic Mercedes vehicles in the last 10 years or so is a complex piece of engineering that enables fast gear changes and excellent efficiency. Unfortunately, they also need servicing correctly and on time to avoid damage.  

As the interval is usually 5 years or 70,000 miles, check any car you’re considering buying has had the required services, and is on time. Servicing the gearbox is quite a complex procedure, hence why many owners neglect to do it on time. 

4. Gearbox Mount Failure 

As many Mercedes saloons and estates are rear-wheel drives, they have a separate rubber mounting at the rearmost point of the gearbox, where it connects to the propshaft. After a few years of use, this rubber mount can too begin to perish, allowing the metal portions of the mount to collide.  

This will cause a vibration and possibly more cabin noise, that will come from the floor in between the driver and passenger seat. New mounts are relatively inexpensive and not too difficult to replace.  

5. Brake Hose Leak 

A problem exclusively affecting the A-Class from March 2018, the brake hose to the rear wheels is not long enough, causing strain on the connections as the suspension goes through its full range of motion.  

Mercedes issued a recall for the fault, and any Mercedes dealer will be happy to investigate and remedy it.

Common Mercedes C-Class Problems 

As Mercedes’ best-selling saloon, the C-Class is a popular sight on the road. It offers a good measure of luxury and performance, especially in the higher AMG trim levels. Here are a few common issues to look out for.  

C200D Engine Software Update 

If you notice poor economy and running with your 1.6 diesel C-Class, double-check it was not featured for a software recall. Mercedes updated the software on the car's ECU, improving the driveability and emissions performance of the car.  

Affecting cars from 2014 through to 2018, you can check to see if your car, or one you are looking at buying, is affected here. 

AMG Axle Mounting 

Some high-performance versions of the C-Class were fitted with axle and differential mountings that were not quite up to the task of handling the C63 V8’s power, with differential mounting brackets cracking after hard acceleration.  

Software updates were rolled out to reduce the impact on the part, helping prolong its life. 

Should I Buy a Mercedes-Benz 

Mercedes offers a range of cars that solve multiple needs, from high performance and handling agility to comfort and refinement. If these are qualities you are looking for in your next vehicle and intend to maintain your vehicle well, a Mercedes would be a great fit.  

Regardless of manufacturer, Bumper can help if your car needs expensive repairs, by offering zero-interest finance plans. We have hundreds of partners across the country.

Author - Joseph Law

Joseph has been writing about cars for over seven years and writing for Bumper for over two, blending his passion for automobiles with a talent for storytelling.

Joseph has written about engineering and cars for Autozilla, Komaspec, and several engineering manufacturers. When he's not writing or tinkering with one of his five cars, Joseph dreams of owning an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.