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ProblemsByVin Index / 2009-MERCEDES-BENZ-R-CLASS / COMPLAINTS
Full complaint record · NHTSA

2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class owner complaints

17 complaints filed with NHTSA on this vehicle . Showing the 300 most recent — grouped by category for scanning.

airbags 9 complaints shown

9 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags cluster analysis →
11/22/2016 ODI #10927430.0

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-benz r350. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags). The part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

11/13/2017 ODI #11045698.0

Takata recall / NHTSA recall # 16v-081 - Mercedes sent a letter about this recall back in may of 2016 and they still do not have a solution or timeframe for when they are going to replace our airbag. Now that takata has filled for chapter 11 bankruptcy I am concerned that they ever will and given the nature of this recall along with the age of our vehicle this is very troubling. Mercedes needs to make replacing these airbags a priority

11/09/2017 ODI #11044930.0

We received a recall in february 2016 and still there are no replacements available. Why send a recall with no possible resolution? I guess we just cross our fingers and hope?

11/02/2017 ODI #11042692.0

There is a recall notice feb 11, 2016 and to date I have not =been contacted about replacement of the defective air bag. What do I do

10/30/2017 ODI #11041061.0

Takata recall, no remedy from Mercedes as of yet

10/25/2017 ODI #11039762.0

I received a "takata recall" notice almost 2 years ago alleging that my current airbag can cause serious bodily injury, harm or death. I've repeatedly tried to contact Mercedes benz to replace my airbag as instructed from previous notifications and every single time, I'm told that the parts for my car are not yet available. Will they become available after I die or get seriously injured in an accident????

10/18/2014 75,000 mi ODI #10648566.0

Drivers side rear air bag constantly losing air pressure. No warning light, both while parked and while driving. Fender nearly touches the tire, vehicle leans and becomes unstable. No visual evidence of cracked or deterioration . *tr

06/11/2018 ODI #11101124.0

I have been receiving safety recall notices from Mercedes benz several time in the past 6 months. Each time that I call Mercedes benz of south bay in torrance, ca, they tell me that they don't have the part. Since the safety recall is about the air bags, it is really important that they get fixed. I am really frustrated, can you help me. VIN #: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

01/06/2018 ODI #11060874.0

Received letter telling me to contact you for a free airbag replacement. These airbags inflators are defected on my vehicle. Please contact me as soon as possible and provide dealer that can handle this issue near my hometown.

engine 2 complaints shown

08/06/2010 3,000 mi ODI #10347761.0

Wife is disabled with a back injury lumbar support has failed 4 times in 7 months part was finally ordered from germany and the item seems fixed whining noise comes from under the hood. Mercedes engineer says it is a ac pressure release valve...and refuses to fix it again.....car was in the dealership 4 times for this. *tr

06/11/2014 95,000 mi ODI #10597528.0

I was driving on the road when I hit a pothole. Vehicle then started shutting down. It eventually stopped and I could not get the vehicle started again. Towed vehicle to a dealership where they took a look at it. They said it looked like a part of the camshaft broke off, got caught in the timing chain, broke both chains, and caused complete engine failure which would require replacement. *tr

visibility 2 complaints shown

07/07/2013 75,000 mi ODI #10523594.0

My family and I were driving home from vacation on interstate 95 north. There was a heavy downpour of rain, and in the midst of all that rain, the windshield wipers cease to operate. We began to panic because the rain was so heavy. I began to turn the switch to the windshield wiper off and on. Finally, I had to turn the car off and then, back on. The windshield wipers worked partially to our final destination. On a different day, my wife was driving the 2009 Mercedes benz r350 on interstate 295 north on her way to work, it started to rain very heavily. Again, the windshield wipers cease to operate and visibility was very poor. My wife was in the middle of the highway and could not pull over due to poor visibility. As this was very unsafe, an 18 wheeler truck was approaching from behind and

03/27/2018 105,000 mi ODI #11081564.0

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mercedes benz r350. While driving at 60 MPH, the contact heard something like a loud popping sound. At that point, the contact realized that the sunroof had exploded without impact. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician informed the contact the failure had never been seen before. The dealer was not contacted and made aware of this failure. The manufacturer had not been contacted and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000. *tt

seatbelts 1 complaint shown

11/18/2018 ODI #11152344.0

Rear seatbelts randomly get stuck retracted all the way or partially out and become unusable for the ( middle row) rear passengers. This malfunction was noticed on or around 8/30/2014 and has progressively gotten worse to its current state of uselessness !

lighting 1 complaint shown

03/08/2011 51,000 mi ODI #10386797.0

Driving through snow storm in new hampshire which turned into heavy rain in ma. Approx. 3-4 hours into trip driving carefully through winter storm like conditions on mass pike in left lane and windshield wipers stopped working, blinkers stopped working, hazards stopped working couldn't get over safely don't think brakes or acceleration working but could steer so frightened and couldn't see ahead since heavy rain - got to shoulder by using outside passenger side mirror and turned car into the side of the road to stop it, don't think brakes working since we kind of crashed stopped but didn't have time to really test anything carefully since just thinking about my 2 kids in the back of car. Once car stopped couldn't get out since door locks would not open. Terrified it was electrical and we w

other 1 complaint shown

02/24/2018 77,000 mi ODI #11074658.0

In 4 separate incidents since I purchased my vehicle in 2012, I have run out of gas but the gas gauge shows more than 1/4 tank of fuel available. Most recently, on feb 12,2018, my car stopped while traveling 65 MPH on I-270 in columbus oh in heavy traffic with no warning and 1/3 tank of gas showing on the gauge. I feared for my and my daughter's lives, as a car with no fuel is extremely difficult to steer. I asked an authorized mb dealer (astorg) to diagnose the problem 2 years ago and they could not find a reason for the issue. This is a significant safety issue.

Showing 300 of 17 total complaints. The full federal record is available at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Mercedes-Benz/R-Class#complaints.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaint database. Last synced 2026-06-14. Complaints are owner-submitted and unverified — the existence of a complaint is not proof of a defect, but a pattern of complaints around the same component is a signal worth weighing. Verify any specific filing at nhtsa.gov.
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