The back-up camera failed while in the middle of reversing. Screen went completely black and unresponsive. Putting the car in Park then back to Reverse didn't work, screen still black. Tried turning off the car and turning it back on, screen still black and no back-up camera when I put the car in Reverse. I tried turning on / off the infotainment system and no change, screen still black.…
2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class electrical problems
moderate Owners of the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 E-Class | 35 |
| 2015 E-Class | 4 |
| 2016 E-Class | 8 |
| 2017 E-Class | 22 |
| 2018 E-Class (this page) | 11 |
| 2019 E-Class | 9 |
| 2021 E-Class | 7 |
| 2022 E-Class | 3 |
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe a range of electrical failures, some life-threatening. One owner experienced total power loss while driving 80 mph in Jersey City traffic—steering wheel froze, brakes failed, dashboard displayed "inoperable" warning. The family pushed the car to the shoulder and called for a tow; technician phone support couldn't help.
Another owner's E63S reports brake assist, blind spot assist, distance assist, and cruise control all going "inoperable" intermittently. The systems are genuinely disabled when warnings appear, creating false confidence in safety features that suddenly quit. Mercedes dealership has offered no fix.
Backup cameras fail mid-maneuver, infotainment screens go black and boot slowly, and digital instrument clusters flicker out completely—one owner at 43,000 miles was quoted $6,100 for cluster replacement. A dealer confirmed this "is not uncommon" on 2018 E400 models.
An alternator failed at 23,000 miles while the engine was running, shutting down the car and requiring a 35-mile tow. One owner's battery was never replaced since 2018, contributing to electrical malfunctions when purchased as used in 2022. A dealer flagged an engine harness as a possible manufacturing defect on another vehicle with just 38,900 miles. Dealers consistently cannot diagnose or replicate many of these failures.
Same Mercedes-Benz E-Class electrical reports on nearby years: 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Complete electrical system shutdown / steering and brake lockout
Vehicle loses all power while driving. Dashboard lights illuminate with 'inoperable' warning, steering wheel freezes, brakes fail to respond. Owners must manually shift to neutral and push vehicle to safety.
When: ~25,000 miles and in-use; May 2020 incident reported
Symptoms owners cite: all dashboard lights illuminate simultaneously; steering wheel becomes frozen / unresponsive; brakes fail to function; vehicle stalls in traffic; vehicle unresponsive to restart attempts
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mercedes-Benz service unable to diagnose; towing required; no resolution offered
Intermittent ADAS and cruise control failures
Safety systems—brake assist, blind spot assist, distance assist, cruise control—report 'inoperable' on dashboard. Systems are genuinely non-functional when warnings appear, creating false sense of security. Issues occur intermittently and persist across multiple dealer visits.
When: In-service; condition remains after dealer service
Symptoms owners cite: brake assist reports inoperable but does not function; blind spot assist reports inoperable but does not function; distance assist reports inoperable but does not function; cruise control stops working; warnings appear intermittently on highway and city driving
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mercedes-Benz notified multiple times; no assistance provided
Backup camera failure and infotainment blackout
Backup camera screen goes completely black during reversing maneuver. Infotainment display becomes unresponsive and slow to power on. Issue repeats across multiple occasions despite repeated dealer service attempts.
When: In-service; occurs intermittently
Symptoms owners cite: backup camera screen goes black mid-maneuver; screen unresponsive to inputs (park/reverse toggle, power cycling); infotainment system screen boots slowly; backup camera unavailable when needed
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to fix despite multiple service visits
Digital instrument cluster blackout
Digital dashboard displaying speed, mileage, engine temperature, fuel level, and tire information goes completely blank, flickers on briefly, then goes dark again. Recurring issue on vehicle with only 43,000 miles.
When: 43,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: digital instrument cluster goes blank; display flickers on for seconds then goes dark; speed, fuel, temperature, mileage display unavailable; software reboot does not resolve
Repairs/costs cited: Mercedes-Benz dealer quoted $6,100 to replace instrument cluster unit
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mercedes-Benz dealer stated this is not uncommon on 2018 E400
Alternator failure
Alternator fails while engine is running, causing vehicle to shut down mid-drive. Requires emergency towing to dealer.
When: 23,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: vehicle shuts down while engine running; loss of charging system
Repairs/costs cited: Required towing 35 miles to dealer service
Battery defect / age
Original battery from 2018 manufacture date never replaced, despite being sold as a used vehicle in 2022. Battery defect contributed to electrical system malfunctions.
When: 2018 manufacture; found during 2022 purchase inspection; vehicle age 4 years at inspection
Symptoms owners cite: electrical system malfunctions; vehicle performance degradation
Repairs/costs cited: Mercedes-Benz confirmed battery had not been replaced since 2018
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mercedes-Benz confirmed the original battery status
Engine harness defect
Engine harness identified as possible manufacturing defect by Mercedes-Benz dealer. Vehicle has minimal mileage.
When: 38,900 miles
Symptoms owners cite: electrical system malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: Mercedes-Benz dealer identified as possible engine harness manufacturing defect
Unexplained electrical and engine failures
Vehicle experiences intermittent electrical and engine failures with vibration at highway speed. Dealer unable to reproduce failures during diagnostic. Owner also reported carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms and suspected CO leakage into cabin.
When: ~25,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: uncontrollable vibration at 80 mph; unknown electrical failures; unknown engine failures; owner reported carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms; suspected carbon monoxide leakage into vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to duplicate failure on multiple occasions; two front tires experienced blowouts during diagnostic inspection
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified on numerous occasions; no assistance offered
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
The digital dash, which shows my speed, mileage, engine temperature, rims and fuel level goes blank. Then comes on for a few seconds and goes dark again. Vehicle only has 43k miles. MB dealer said this is not uncommon condition with the 2018 mb e400. Car is not safe to drive. MB dealer wants $6,100.00 to replace the unit. A software reboot will not work.
Alternator failed on my E400 cabriolet 23,000 miles resulting in car shutting down while engine running. Required a tow to dealer service area, 35 miles away.
Backup camera does not work sometimes. A picture of the camera with a slash mark across it comes up on a black command screen. This is a big safety issue when I back up
Had electrical trouble with your 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 14,308 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/Mercedes-Benz/E-Class.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.