Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2012

2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: what owners report

• Timing chains are a known weakness on several petrol engines: the four-cylinder M271 before the W212 facelift, and the M276 V6 up to 2014, whose poorly lubricated tensioner can stretch the chain.2009–2014
• Airmatic air suspension is a typical cost on the W211 and W212: on the W211, replacing ageing air reservoirs means removing the rear axle, and compressors often fail.2004–2016
• On the 2009–2016 W212, German inspectors find corroded brake lines far more often than average, a below-average parking brake and rust on the rear axle carrier, which Mercedes covered with goodwill.2009–2016
• Two US owners find dealer servicing expensive, and two of ten 2017 reviewers find the infotainment awkward or dated.2012–2017