KnownCarProblemsHome › Mercedes-Benz › R350 › 2006
2006 Mercedes-Benz R350 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Mercedes-Benz R350, most often about the engine (33% of complaints, typically around 80,000 miles). It is the most complained-about R350 model year since 2000 and has 2 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory2 recalls for this car came with a do-not-drive warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2006 Mercedes-Benz R350 problems
Engine
33 complaints · 33%Half of these problems showed up before 80,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system.
My car has always been service by mercedes dealership. I barely drive my R350 mercedes. My check engine light came on and I was told that my balance shaft and intake manifold needed to be replaced. The dealer said its a common problem that occur with the 2006 and they are not sure why its not a recall.
My 2006 mercedes benz R350 was diagnosed with a counter balance shaft/gear problem. It has 85000 miles... Which doesn't seem like a lot for a car that is 5 years old and supposed to last forever. Plus I have maintained the car with oil changes, tires, etc and am the original owner. I see on line that there is a class…
Suspension
26 complaints · 26%Half of these problems showed up before 81,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2006 mercedes benz R350. The contact stated that when driving approximately 55 MPH or higher, the rear end of the vehicle would lower to the ground. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileage were…
Yesterday, while parked, I noticed the car is leaning towards left side. Mechanic checked and found the air spring bag was leaking. Also, the strut on right got shot. Many owners have the same complaint. I'm scared to travel with my kids and grand kids in the car. These cars must be recalled for suspension problems.…
Electrical
14 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 82,000 miles. Parts named most often: wiring.
While driving, smelled burning odor but saw no smoke or fire. Driver's side seat heater was on at time odor was noticed. Turned it off immediately and stopped vehicle. Odor went away but noticed upper left of seat back had two burn holes. Made appointment for service.
The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz R350. The contact discovered that the rear tailgate area was burned. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the problem. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Transmission
13 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 72,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
The contact owns a 2006 mercedes benz R350. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the check engine warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the balanced shaft was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not…
The contact owns a 2006 mercedes benz R350. Regular service and maintenaince has been performed by the dealer only. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the check engine warning lamp illuminates. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the balance shaft was defective and…
Seats
9 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 105,000 miles. Parts named most often: front assembly.
While driving, smelled burning odor but saw no smoke or fire. Driver's side seat heater was on at time odor was noticed. Turned it off immediately and stopped vehicle. Odor went away but noticed upper left of seat back had two burn holes. Made appointment for service.
The contact owns a 2006 mercedes benz R350. When the contact parked the vehicle, she noticed that the driver seat became hot and burned through, creating a hole on the seat. There was no warning indicator illuminated and the contact was not injured. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the…
Lights
7 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 36,000 miles.
Headlamps shine too close to car. Only shine 40-50 feet out to the front and at night, especially in rain, you absolutely cannot see the road or hazards in it, such as deer.
Our 2006 R350 had all the tail lights burn out at the same time resulting in a safety issue. There appears to be a common issue with this model and year with a wire harness that controls the rear brake lights. When this harness fails the tail lights stop working. Mercedes knows about the issue and has a tsb on it, but…
Steering
5 complaints · 5%While I was driving, I lost power steering. I had to pull over and saw that my engine belt was off my engine and a pulley came off my engine. This is after the dealership had already replaced my belt just less than 10,000 before. It was a good thing that no one was hurt. It seems like this engine is defective and…
The contact owns a 2006 mercedes benz R350. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the steering wheel seized without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. In addition, the contact stated that…
Fuel system
4 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: fuel injection system.
: the contact stated while driving for an extended period of time, there was a tapping noise from the engine compartment area. The vehicle was seen by a dealer for inspection who determined there was a problem with the fuel injection system and this was replaced. Afterwards, while applying brake pressure at various…
The vehicle indicated check engine light and the error code shows p0016 which is shaft balance issue. The dealer and manufacturer would not attend to it despite the fact that it a known error from factory. The issue would reoccur because of poor material and could cause the car to stall while in travel.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2006 Mercedes-Benz R350 recalls
Brakes: vacuum
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on may 24, 2024. Owners may contact mbusa customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Mmusa's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22v-315.
Full defect summary
Mercedes-benz USA, llc (mbusa) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ml, gl, and r-class vehicles. Please refer to mbusa's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.
Brakes: vacuum
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed june 30, 2022. Owners may contact mbusa customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Mbusa's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.
Full defect summary
Mercedes-benz USA, llc (mbusa) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ml-class, gl-class, and r-class vehicles. Please refer to mbusa's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2006 Mercedes-Benz R350
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mercedes-Benz R350?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (33 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles); suspension (26 complaints, typically around 81,000 miles); electrical (14 complaints, typically around 82,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2006 Mercedes-Benz R350 have?
- 2 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from April 26, 2024 (brakes). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2006 a bad year for the Mercedes-Benz R350?
- It is the most complained-about R350 model year since 2000, with 99 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.