1997 Ford Taurus vs 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Ford Taurus | 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 770 | 63 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 251 | 31 |
| Investigations | 0 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 64 | 4 |
| Fire reports | 12 | 3 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 19–21 | 20 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 85,000 mi | 115,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Taurus | Mercedes-Benz E320 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 214 | 5 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 145 | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 67 | 1 |
| Electrical System | 62 | 5 |
| Steering | 59 | 1 |
| Suspension | 28 | 32 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 58 | 0 |
| Visibility | 57 | 1 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 48 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 33 | 13 |
| Shifting problems | 20 | 0 |
| Overheating | 20 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 19 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 18 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 17 | 0 |
| Steering problems | 14 | 0 |
1997 Ford Taurus
1997 Mercedes-Benz E320
Compare all Ford Taurus vs Mercedes-Benz E320 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.