The Starting Current Limiter Recall (the federal safety agency Campaign 16V831000 / 17V114000): If your E-Class failed to start or struggled to crank initially, a defective starting current limiter can severely overheat the electrical lines to the starter, causing nearby components-including the battery assembly and main wiring—to melt and smoke. The above is exactly what happened. I was sitting at a red light and the car shut off and I tried to start it again and smoke started coming out of the right air vent in front of the battery. The wires to the battery were destroyed and part of the battery was melted. This is a certified pre-owned 2017 Mercedes E-300 4-matic. I just had the 100k mile maintenance done 2 months ago. The car is in perfect condition. New battery installed August 2025
2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 electrical problems
23 complaints (17% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 30,000.
- owner complaints
- 23
- of this car's complaints
- 17%
- typical mileage
- 30,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 5
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Mercedes-Benz E300 electrical problems in other years
Related recalls
Communication
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 C300, E300, 2018-2020 CLA250, 2020 CLS450, AMG E53, AMG GT53, GLE450, 2018 AMG E63, AMG GTA, 2017-2020 GLA250, GLC300, 2019 GLC350, AMG GLC43, 2017-2018 GLE350, 2019 AMG GLC 43, GLC350, GLE400, 2017 GLS450, S550, C300 Cabrio, and 2018-2019 S560 vehicles. On June 18, 2021, an additional 9 vehicles were added, including certain 2021 GLA250, GLC300, 2018 S450, E400, and 2017 CLA250 vehicles. The communication module might have been inadvertently deactivated during a service visit, which could have disabled the Emergency Call (eCall) function.
- Risk
- A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting emergency services through the call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the communication module and activate it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Letters for the owners of the 9 additional vehicles were mailed July 9, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021030005.
Recall number 21V072000 · Recall details
Electrical system: software
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details. The software design of the communication module may fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (eCall) in the event of a crash.
- Risk
- Failure of the eCall system may result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑877‑762‑8267. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021020025.
Recall number 21V058000 · Recall details
Electrical system: software
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019 C300, C300 Coupe, CLS450, E450 Coupe and S450, 2017-2019 E300, 2018 E400 Coupe, E400 Stationwagon, and 2018-2019 S560 vehicles that have previously had the instrument cluster replaced. The software in the replaced instrument cluster may cause the seat belt warning system to not operate properly, only displaying a solid warning light if either the driver or passenger seat belt is unfastened, instead of a blinking light with an audible tone.
- Risk
- Without the audible tone and blinking warning light to remind the front seat occupants that their seat belts are not buckled, they may forget to buckle their seat belt, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began September 8, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020080015.
Recall number 20V449000 · Recall details
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017 E300 and E300 4MATIC vehicles. The software for the widescreen instrument cluster may cause the instrument cluster to not display anything on vehicle on startup, or the display may reset while driving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."
- Risk
- Without the instrument cluster displaying important information such as the vehicle's speed, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster display software, free of charge. The recall began late May 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372.
Recall number 17V245000 · Recall details
Electrical system: starter assembly
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 C300 4Matic, C300, CLA250, CLA250 4Matic and CLA45 AMG vehicles, 2017 C300 4Matic Cabrio, C300 4Matic Coupe, C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, E300, E300 4Matic, E400 4Matic Wagon, E43 AMG 4Matic, GLA250, GLA250 4Matic and GLC300 4Matic Coupe vehicles and 2016 C350e and GLC300 vehicles and 2016-2017 C450 4Matic AMG Sport and GLC300 4Matic vehicles. In the event that the engine or transmission cannot turn over, the starting current limiter may overheat from the repeated attempts of the starter motor attempting to start the vehicle.
- Risk
- If the starting current limiter overheats, the surrounding components can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fuse in the electrical line to the starter, free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2017080002.
Recall number 17V114000 · Recall details
What 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Sunroof glass shattered water got in the car
My car is not accelerating when I shift into drive or reverse. It says “reversing not possile-service required” error. Out the blue. There is a known recall on these model cars but Mercedes benz is saying its vin specific and mine is not covered even though I am experiencing the exact same issue. Recall date- 2017-02-07 Recall no. 17V078000
I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding serious and repeated issues with my 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300, purchased and serviced exclusively by authorized Mercedes-Benz dealerships. 1. Repeated OEM Run-Flat Tire Failures Within the past two years, I have been forced to replace nine OEM run-flat tires, including:    â¢Â   3 replacements at Mercedes-Benz of Tysons Corner, VA    â¢Â   2 replacements at Goodyear Tires, Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota, FL    â¢Â   4 additional replacements at certified service centers These failures occur under normal driving conditions, often without visible punctures or road hazards, and at safe speeds. Each tire replacement costs approximately $550, plus towing, diagnostic fees, and rental car costs. The financial and safety burdens are substantial, and this level of tire failure is not normal for any vehicleâparticularly a low-mileage, luxury sedan. 2. Electrical/Dashboard Recording Malfunction My dashboard service history fails to record service visits, even when performed at Mercedes-Benz dealerships. This is deeply concerning as it compromises vehicle resale value, warranty tracking, and transparency of maintenance records. Despite multiple visits and attempts by service centers, the issue persists without resolution. 3. Financial Impact and Brand Reputation The total cost of repeated tire replacements and unresolved electrical issues has reached several thousand dollars, despite my vehicle having relatively low mileage and receiving all recommended service at authorized dealers. This experience is completely inconsistent with the quality and reliability promised by the Mercedes-Benz brand. I am requesting the following:    â¢Â   Full investigation into the defect rate of OEM run-flat tires on the 2017 E-Class models    â¢Â   Immediate inspection and repair of the dashboard/electrical recording issue at no cost to me    â¢Â   Reimbursement for tire-related costs and associated expenses incurred due to repeated failures.
When using Map apps through CarPlay, I’ve noticed two consistent problems: Inaccurate Vehicle Speed: The carplay speedometor does not match the the actual speedometer of the vehicle, which seems always 1.6 times higher than the actual(seems to be the metric confusion from mph to kmh). GPS Drift: The location shown on the map is frequently ahead of my actual position, which causes navigation directions (especially turns and exits) to be slightly mistimed. However, when the speedometer is correct, the GPS drift issue would disappear automatically. So I assume that these two issues are correlated. These issues can be confusing and potentially unsafe while driving. I’ve tested other navigation apps on CarPlay and found they do exhibit the same behavior, so I suspect the issue may be general to Mercedes E300 and probably other vehicles. I did a bit of research and found it to be a common issue of Mercedes E300 2017. Please see attached link for the threads from MB forum. https://mbworld.org/forums/gls-class-x167/843643-wrong-speed-limit-detected.html Thank you for your assistance, and I look forward to your reply. Best regards
Smell of Gas coming from the the fuel line, and the radio changes stations on its own
The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300. The contact stated that while at a complete stop and releasing the brake pedal, the Eco Mode system failed to engage, and the engine failed to restart. The contact stated that upon depressing the Push to Start button, the vehicle restarted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the battery was replaced; however, the failure progressively worsened. The contact stated that while at a complete stop with Eco Mode activated, the vehicle would only restart after pressing the Push to Start button several times. The contact used a vehicle scanner and was able to retrieve diagnostic trouble codes related to the Starting Current Limiter. The contact referenced TSB Number: 2017020021 and the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 17V114000 (Electrical System, Engine and Engine Cooling). Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel had seized in an incorrect position and could not be readjusted. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: 2017020018. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Battery being drained, the car does not start, water inside the vehicle on the floor at the drivers side
The entire driver instrument panel screen went blank, after going blank and coming back on a few times while driving. This is EXTREMELY dangerous. Now, the driver cannot see the speed, odo, fuel gauge, indicators or anything at all. I hope you please investigate and initiate a campaign and get this resolved from Mercedes.
Suddenly , the trunk stopped closing completely. Noted a significant gap in the trunk to the quarter panel due to the pull down function / soft close not working. Trunk is now slightly open, which could be an issue with water ingress with many electrical components in the trunk compartment.
Questions about the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 electrical
Does the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 have electrical problems?
Owners have filed 23 complaints about the electrical of the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300, 17% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 electrical problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 30,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 electrical?
Yes, 5 recalls: 21V072000, 21V058000, 20V449000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
Other 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 problems
Engine 39Fuel system 25Transmission 16Steering 12Body 10Driver assistance 10Brakes 7Airbags 6Lights 5Visibility 3Acceleration 2Wheels 2Seat belts 1Tires 1
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