2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Powertrain & Transmission Problems

While driving a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350 on 5/21/2025 around 1:50pm, the transmission suddenly failed while I was traveling at approximately 75 mph was on highway 76. As a result of the failure, the driver's side airbag deployed unexpectedly.

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while approaching a stop, she heard a roaring sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle then stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear differential had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,888.

REAR DIFFERENTIAL NOISE DIAGNOSED AS FAILING PINION GEAR. THIS CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN CAREFULLY. THE MILAGE IS 63,000. REAR DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEMS APPEAR IN VARIOUS FORUMS AND MAY OCCUR MORE COMMONLY THAN IS CURRENTLY KNOWN BY THE NHTSA. SIMILAR/SAME MAY ALSO BE OCCURRING IN CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WILL NEED A REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT.

The vehicle will intermittently go into limp mode with a max speed of 45mph. At a stop vehicle will not accelerate FWD unless transmission is put into park and the vehicle turned off and then re-started. Professional diagnosis suggests the transmission needs to be replaced and this is common for cars with 100k miles or more. Only a Mercedes Authorized Technician with a real time connection to a Mercedes Server can properly perform this task. This is a sub par design that creates a safety hazard. The repair procedure coupled with the frequency of this serious failure makes this vehicle a Lemon. Mercedes Benz Is Totally Responsible.

MY VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE THE IMPACT WAS TO THE SIDE FRONT QUARTER PANEL (FROM THE LEFT TIRE TO THE FRONT LEFT BUMPER). AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT THE DRIVERS SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG AND THE DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER DOOR AIRBAG DEPLOYED (NO PASSENGER). HOWEVER, THE DRIVERS DOOR AND THE DRIVERS SEAT BOOSTER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. RESULTING IN INJURY TO MY LEFT KNEE, LEFT HIP, LEFT RIBS, LEFT SHOULDER (SURGERY PENDING), LATERAL WHIPLASH AND CONCUSSION. I HAVE FILED A CLAIM WITH MBNA. IF THE PASSENGER DRIVER SIDE DOOR AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH NO PASSENGER THEN THE DRIVERS DOOR AIRBAG MUST HAVE MALFUNCTIONED. THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN WEST LOS ANGELES AT THE INTERSECTION OF MANCHESTER AVE AND EMERSON. POLICE AND PARAMEDICS WERE CALLED AND I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. SURGERY IS PENDING FOR MY LEFT SHOULDER AND POSSIBLY LEFT KNEE. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY CAR WILL INTERMITTENTLY SHIFT INTO LOW GEAR WHILE DIVING. THE CAR SUDDENLY LOOSES POWER WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. I'M TOLD BY THE MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER THAT THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, $7000! THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR FAILURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING 76 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND WOULD BRAKE WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE REPAIR DETAILS OR COST WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 38,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ 350E. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM 35 TO 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AS IF IT ENGAGED INTO THE NEUTRAL GEAR. AFTER THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN FULL POWER AND DRIVE TO THE DEALER. UPON INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE COMPONENT AND THE ASSOCIATED PART NUMBER WAS 14027008-61. THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY ADDITIONAL FAILURES SINCE THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATED 04-24-09 *BF UPDATED 04/27/09.*JB