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2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
25%
31 of 126 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 25% of relevant complaints.

Better than 80% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 59 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 17%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 31 of 126 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (25%). For comparison, the 2012 scores 38% and the 2014 scores 23%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
31
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
185
this model year
Fires reported
4
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
0
16 crashes · 13 injuries

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS56 · 30%
SERVICE BRAKES34 · 18%
STRUCTURE22 · 12%
ENGINE17 · 9%
SUSPENSION16 · 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM15 · 8%

The years either side

2010
34%
53 of 258
2011
35%
53 of 296
2012
38%
53 of 235
2013
25%
31 of 185
2014
23%
56 of 304
2015
18%
8 of 57
2016
28%
16 of 89
2017
52%
75 of 167
2018
33%
20 of 68
2019
35%
15 of 54
2020
too few complaints
2021
too few complaints
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2013 compares with other Mercedes-Benz E-Class years

Of the 10 Mercedes-Benz E-Class years with enough complaints to score, the 2013 is the 3rd-best on engine and transmission share (25%). The worst is the 2017 (52%), the best the 2015 (18%). By volume, the 2013 drew 185 complaints (31 drivetrain), against 235 for the 2012 and 304 for the 2014.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM05/26/2021CRASH1 INJURED
A Summary of the May 9, 2021, event follows: 6:30 a.m: I Woke up, put on gym clothes and shoes and drove to gym (1 mile from home). 7:01:40 a.m. Turned into the gym parking lot and slowly inched into a parking space. (my Mercedes rides low in the front so I pull in slowly so the block will not scrape my bumper). 7:02:0…

One of 31 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Checking one particular 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Does the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 31 of 126 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (25%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is air bags: 56 of 185 complaints (30%) name it, followed by service brakes (34) and structure (22). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 25% of the relevant total.

Is the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 25% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 80% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 10 Mercedes-Benz E-Class years we score, it ranks 3rd-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Which Mercedes-Benz E-Class years are better?

Among the Mercedes-Benz E-Class years we track, the 2015 (18%) and the 2014 (23%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2013 (25%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/mercedes-benz-e-class

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.