The W213 E-Class is the one to buy, as long as a diesel shows no AdBlue warnings, while a pre-facelift W211 (2002 to 2006) is the one to skip for its failing Sensotronic brake pump.
25 known faults, 23 rated high severity in our database; owners report 41.6 mpg, 83% of the official figure. Everything below is built from that data and the archived owner history, not from a press car.
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Check a Mercedes-Benz E-Class advert (free) →Go for a W213 (2016 to 2023), because its main serious known fault is the AdBlue system on 2016 to 2019 diesels, which brings on warning lights and limp mode between 30,000 and 60,000 miles. The other faults against it are headlights misting up inside and brake judder on 2017 to 2019 cars. Mercedes UK can refuse goodwill on AdBlue repairs where the car wasn't serviced only at its dealers, so a W213 diesel with a full dealer history is the one you want.
A W212 (2009 to 2016) is a bigger gamble. The 2.1 CDI diesel has had injectors that cut the engine out on 2009 to 2013 cars, a rear timing chain that stretches and oil pumps that fail, estates from 2010 to 2015 have rear air suspension that splits and sinks, and 2013 to 2016 cars with a panoramic sunroof let water into the fuse box. If it's a W212 you're after, pick one without the sunroof and check the engine closely.
On a W211 (2002 to 2009), only consider a facelift car from summer 2006, which has louvres at the top of each headlight. The Sensotronic brake pump failures and corroded brake pipes belong to 2002 to 2006 cars, though Airmatic compressor and strut failures run right up to 2011. Facelift cars still carry engine faults, though, including oil cooler leaks on the V6 CDI and exhaust manifolds that break up and ruin the turbo on 2005 to 2009 E280 CDI and E320 CDI models.
A W210 (1995 to 2002) needs the most care of all, mainly because of rust. The front coil spring perches rot on right-hand-drive cars, particularly South African-built ones, and the front suspension can collapse between 80,000 and 120,000 miles, while the paint, doors, wings, boot lid and brake pipes corrode as well. W210 diesels also have glow plugs that fail and then snap when a garage tries to remove them. Don't buy one until you've seen it on a ramp.
On a W212, the 3.0 V6 CDI is the lesser-risk diesel, because its serious known fault is one you can see: oil cooler seals in the V of the engine leak between 60,000 and 100,000 miles on 2005 to 2014 engines. Look for oil in the engine valley or on the undertray, and a burning smell inside. That doesn't hold on a W211, where 2005 to 2009 E280 CDI and E320 CDI exhaust manifolds also shed metal into the turbo.
Treat the 2.1 CDI (OM651) four-cylinder diesel with suspicion. Its piezo injectors failed on 2009 to 2013 engines between 40,000 and 80,000 miles, cutting the engine out, its rear-mounted timing chain stretches with no fixed replacement interval, and oil pumps have failed between 70,000 and 100,000 miles on 2013 to 2019 engines, often where servicing lapsed. Don't buy one without on-time servicing. W213 diesels from 2016 to 2019 carry the AdBlue fault, so look for AdBlue messages on the dash.
Petrols aren't the easy way out. The 1.8 Kompressor and CGI four-cylinder (M271) uses a single-row timing chain that stretches and jumps teeth between 60,000 and 90,000 miles, wrecking the valves, and one owner paid £7,400 for a replacement engine on a 2010 E200 CGI estate. The 3.5 V6 (M272) and 5.5 V8 (M273) petrols from 2004 to 2008 wear away a soft balance shaft gear. Avoid the 2013 to 2014 E300 Bluetec Hybrid, which shuts down completely instead of running on its engine when the hybrid system faults.
The automatics need fluid changes that Mercedes once treated as sealed for life, so ask for the invoices. The five-speed 5G-Tronic wants fresh fluid and a filter every 40,000 miles, the seven-speed 7G-Tronic every 40,000 miles or 48 months to stop its conductor plate failing, and the nine-speed 9G-Tronic every 60,000 miles or 72 months. Owners of W212 automatics have reported clonks, shudders and boxes holding gears too long, so one that thumps into Drive or Reverse isn't worth the gamble.
Look at the ride height before anything else, since failing air suspension leaves the car sitting low. Airmatic on E-Classes from 1999 to 2011 and the rear air springs on 2010 to 2015 estates both go this way, so walk round for a sagging corner or tail, listen for a compressor that keeps running or hissing from the back, and watch for a red AIRMATIC warning. On 2009 to 2014 cars, check for heavy steering at low speed, a whining pump and fluid under the front.
Ask for the engine to be stone cold when you arrive. A metallic rattle from the back of a 2.1 CDI that clears after 10 to 20 seconds means a stretched timing chain, and a 3 to 5 second rattle on a 1.8 Kompressor or CGI petrol is the same warning. On a W210 or W211 diesel, a paraffin-like smell inside or a chuffing noise from the top of the engine points to leaking injector seals.
Brakes decide a W211. On a 2002 to 2006 car, a white Service Brake message or a red STOP warning with beeping means the Sensotronic pump's failing, and the brake pipes on those cars corrode, so get a torch on them. On a 2013 to 2016 car with a panoramic sunroof, feel the carpets and headlining for damp. Work a cabriolet's roof all the way down and up, and don't take one with dents in the fabric or a mechanism that jams or makes odd noises.
Ask for invoices for every gearbox fluid change and for on-time servicing on a 2.1 CDI. A W213 diesel wants a Mercedes dealer history, as Mercedes UK can refuse goodwill on AdBlue repairs without one. Get proof the steering column spring airbag recall on 2011 to 2017 cars was done, and on a W211, the brake pedal effort recall on 2001 to 2005 cars. On a 2017 to 2019 W213, discs and pads replaced more than once in the history point to the brake judder fault.
Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.
A W210 is worth buying only once you've seen underneath it, because the front coil spring perches rust on right-hand-drive cars and the front suspension can collapse between 80,000 and 120,000 miles. South African-built cars are the worst for it, and one owner's 2000 E220 CDI had a perch rot through and give way. On 1995 to 2000 cars, rust also shows around the rear number plate on the boot lid, along the bottoms of the doors and in the front wings.
It's a handsome car, the estate especially, but the diesels need checking hard. Glow plugs fail between 60,000 and 100,000 miles and snap when a garage tries to get them out, which can mean taking the cylinder head off, so watch for a slow cold start, a glow plug light or a rough idle. The straight-six 3.2 CDI also suffers failing injectors and fire seals that let carbon lock the injectors into the head, and a paraffin smell in the cabin gives it away.
Rust goes deeper than the paint. The lower suspension arms corrode from the inside, brake pipes have failed the MOT at five years old, and owners have reported corrosion spreading to the fuel and rear brake pipes and rotting the wells in the boot. On V8s and diesels, the front bushes soften by 60,000 to 80,000 miles, putting the wheels out of line and wearing tyres, and engine mounts fail too. 1997 cars were recalled to have the sills rust-proofed again, so ask whether that was done.
Autos from 2000 to 2003 fitted with a Valeo radiator can let coolant into the gearbox through the transmission cooler, destroying it. Smaller faults include reversing lights that flicker or drain the battery once the cable cracks inside the boot lid hinge, fading dashboard displays, and an auto that won't start because the brake light switch has died. ESP and BAS warning lights can come from the brake pressure sensor in the ABS unit, and they mean an MOT fail.
Real-world economy on this generation: Mercedes-Benz e class w211 (2002 - on) 36.5 mpg.
The Sensotronic Brake Control pump is the W211's biggest weakness: on 2002 to 2006 cars it's programmed to stop working after a set number of brake applications and fails between 80,000 and 150,000 miles, bringing warning messages and a severe loss of braking. One owner's 2004 E320 estate needed the work at 152,000 miles, and the bill was £1,625 after a dealer discount. Brake pipes on those pre-facelift cars corrode as well.
The summer 2006 facelift brought a revised braking system, and it's the W211 to choose, but it still has engine faults. E280 CDI and E320 CDI models from 2005 to 2009 have exhaust manifolds that break up inside and send metal into the turbo, with turbo failures reported from 48,000 miles, and their oil cooler seals leak. One owner paid £1,000 for an oil cooler on a 2009 E320 CDI, and that was after Mercedes had contributed.
Where fitted, Airmatic suspension on 2003 to 2006 cars suffers damper failures between 80,000 and 120,000 miles, and self-levelling cars can flatten the battery if they're parked in strong wind or carried on a long ferry trip. Electrics are the W211's other weak spot, so test the central locking, parking sensors, door mirrors and tailgate. On 18-inch wheels, the low-profile tyres and rims are easily damaged by potholes.
The 3.5 V6 and 5.5 V8 petrols from 2004 to 2008 wear a soft balance shaft gear until the timing goes, between 60,000 and 90,000 miles, so a rattle, ticking or engine warning light rules the car out. On an E220 CDI, turbo failures after about six years have been reported, and yearly oil changes help prevent them. One owner was charged £2,200 plus VAT after the transmission cooler in the radiator let coolant into a 2006 E220 CDI's gearbox at 175,000 miles.
Real-world economy on this generation: Mercedes-Benz e class w211 (2002 - on) 36.5 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class 41.3 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe 40.8 mpg.
A W212's a buy only after careful checks, because its 2.1 CDI diesel alone carries three serious known faults. The piezo injectors can fail between 40,000 and 80,000 miles on 2009 to 2013 cars, and one 2010 E250 CDI cut out so often that Mercedes offered to buy it back. The same engine's oil pump has failed too: one 2013 E250 CDI estate lost its pump at 74,000 miles, having gone 20,650 miles since its last service.
Estates from 2010 to 2015 split their rear air springs and air lines between 40,000 and 80,000 miles, dropping the back of the car. One owner paid £857.93 when a line split at 56,000 miles, and another had rear air suspension fail on two E220 estates in a row. On 2013 to 2016 cars, panoramic sunroof seals can perish at 10,000 to 20,000 miles and let water into the fuse box. Steering racks on 2009 to 2014 cars can leak between 60,000 and 100,000 miles.
Cabriolets from 2012 to 2015 break struts in the roof frame between 30,000 and 60,000 miles, leaving dents in the fabric. The 2013 to 2014 E300 Bluetec Hybrid shuts down completely after a tyre pressure monitor warning. Owners have reported automatic gearboxes that clonk, shudder or hold gears, and 2010 E200 CGI petrols that lost their timing chains, one at 89,000 miles despite a full dealer history.
It's roomy where it matters, with a big, useful boot in the estate and decent rear headroom in the coupe. On cars built in 2013 and 2014, ask for proof of the recall that stopped a bonnet seal falling onto the exhaust, as one car built in 2014 but registered in 2015 missed it and caught fire on its owner's driveway. Front brake discs have also needed replacing as early as 12,500 miles.
Real-world economy on this generation: Mercedes-Benz E-Class 41.3 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe 40.8 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet 40.3 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate 40.8 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class 49.2 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate 47.1 mpg.
The W213's biggest known fault is AdBlue system failure on 2016 to 2019 diesels between 30,000 and 60,000 miles, which lights the amber engine warning, shows AdBlue messages and cuts power. One owner's 2016 E220d failed at 38,250 miles, and Mercedes UK wouldn't help because it hadn't been serviced by a dealer.
Brakes on 2017 to 2019 cars can judder from as little as 1,500 miles and keep doing it after new discs and pads. One approved used E220d had both changed twice and was still vibrating at 25,000 miles, with the dealer then pointing at the hubs. Headlights on W213s mist up inside anywhere from new to 50,000 miles, which cuts their light output, so look for condensation behind the lenses.
Its nine-speed automatic changes almost seamlessly when it's working properly. Owners have reported other faults, including a 2017 E350d whose amber engine light kept coming back before its automatic gearbox failed, and more than 50 false alarm activations plus parking sensor and camera faults on a 2016 E220d. Ask for proof the steering column spring airbag recall was done on 2016 and 2017 cars.
Real-world economy on this generation: Mercedes-Benz E-Class 49.2 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate 47.1 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet 33.5 mpg, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe 39.0 mpg.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
Paste any Mercedes-Benz E-Class advert and we check it against the faults, the MOT record and these figures in seconds.
Check an advert now (free) →Owners report 41.6 mpg across the Mercedes-Benz E-Class engines with data, about 83% of the official figure, from 2,811 submissions.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Real MPG by engine →They're comfortable cars for long trips, and the W212 estate is made for exactly that, with a well-built, solid feel. The W212 coupe's seats are supportive and comfy on a long drive, and the cabriolet barely buffets you with the roof down, while the roof itself folds away and comes back up on the move.
The W213's cabin stays hushed at motorway speeds, and on Airmatic air suspension the ride's soft and supple. Its interior looks special and feels properly put together, especially in the coupe, which also has a reasonably roomy back seat for a two-door. The W213 estate's huge inside, so there's no shortage of room.
The W213 E-Class is the one to buy, as long as a diesel shows no AdBlue warnings, while a pre-facelift W211 (2002 to 2006) is the one to skip for its failing Sensotronic brake pump. Our database holds 25 known Mercedes-Benz E-Class faults, 23 rated high severity, and the sections above say which generation and engine carry them.
Go for a W213 (2016 to 2023), because its main serious known fault is the AdBlue system on 2016 to 2019 diesels, which brings on warning lights and limp mode between 30,000 and 60,000 miles. On the fault record the W210 (1995 to 2002) carries 3 known faults against 10 on the W212 (C207 coupe, S212 estate) (2009 to 2016). Each generation's section above gives the detail. Mercedes-Benz E-Class faults by generation.
Look at the ride height before anything else, since failing air suspension leaves the car sitting low. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories and ask for invoices for any work the seller mentions. Then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against every known Mercedes-Benz E-Class fault before you travel.
Owners report 41.6 mpg on average, about 83% of the official figure, from 2,811 submissions. Chain (W204, W212, W906, 2.1 CDI, OM651): no fixed replacement interval, so budget for it if the history does not show it done. The known faults page lists a rough repair cost against each fault. Mercedes-Benz E-Class Real MPG by engine.
If you used the Honest John car-by-car reviews before the site closed in 2026, this is where the Mercedes-Benz E-Class buying advice now lives. It is written from the archived owner reports and model notes (archived page, 266 items read for this model), our own known-faults database, the confirmed service intervals and the Real MPG figures. Every number on the page comes from that data, not from the text. The same data feeds our free advert check.
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