The 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a wagon that came with a choice of 3.2L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl and 5.4L 8-cyl engines. At 23 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Midsize Cars, Midsize Station Wagons |
|---|---|
| Engines | 3.2L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl, 5.4L 8-cyl (supercharged versions available) |
| Transmissions | Automatic 5-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 13–17 city / 19–25 highway / 15–20 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $4,100–$5,500 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 444–592 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 5 configurations: E320, E500, E320 (Wagon), E320 4Matic (Wagon), E55 AMG |
| Age | 23 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls covering the 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly resulting in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V918-4126.pdf
Risk: A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz is recalling my 2006-2008 m-class, r-class, my 2005-2009 slk-class, my 2005-2008 c-class, my 2003-2004 and 2006-2008 clk-class, my 2003-2008 E-Class, my 2004 and 2008 cl-class, my 2008 cls-class, my 2004 and 2007-2008 s-class, my 2003 g-class, and my 2003-2004, 2006 and 2009 sl-class vehicles. A software calibration…
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the electrical fuel pump may not receive a crash signal that is required for the fuel pump to disconnect and prevent future fuel delivery as designed.
On certain vehicles, the sensotronic brake control (sbc) system may prematurely shift to the hydraulic back-up function mode, due to deterioration of the wiring harness connection, or due to premature failure of the hydraulic pump.
Risk: In the hydraulic back-up mode, the driver has braking power sufficient to stop the vehicle, although greater brake pedal pressure is required and the brake pedal travel will be noticeably longer.
On certain vehicles, the electronic monitoring system of the sensotronic brake control (sbc) is designed to monitor the pressure gradient within the high pressure line of the brake system. If an unacceptable pressure gradient is detected, the system will switch, as it is designed to do, into the hydraulic function mode.
Risk: If vehicles are not routinely serviced and have extremely high mileage combined with a high number of brake actuations, or a high brake actuation frequency, the pump motor of the sbc may run out of permissible tolerances, thereby triggering
On certain passenger vehicles, the nut on the bolt which connects the steering gear to the steering coupling may not be tightened correctly.
Risk: The loosening of the nut could result in a slipping of the connection over time, increasing the risk of a crash.
Owners have filed 391 complaints about the 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class with NHTSA. 15 reports involved a crash and 1 report involved a fire. Owners reported 17 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 80 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
2 of them are warranty extensions. Warranty extensions mean the manufacturer agreed to cover a specific repair beyond the normal warranty. They rarely still apply to a car this age, but they point to known weak spots.
Complaint Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE: Although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily
Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the no
Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the no
Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing directio
SENTEX gate operator with Clik Card Remote not compatible with Homelink
Mercedes: the limited warranty on the sbc hydraulic unit for models 211, model 219 and models 230 was extended from the original 4 years/50,000 miles to 10 years with no
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Fuel Leakage From The Fuel Tank
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation on January 23, 2012 as PE12-001 based on 20 consumer reports in model year (MY) 2003-2006 E55 AMG vehicles.Based on new reports in other E-Class vehicles, ODI upgraded the investigation to Engineering Analysis (EA) 13-003 on March 15, 2013, and expande
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2003 E-Classs that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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