2017 Mercedes-Benz B 250E problems & reliability
20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz B 250E, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine → | 11 | 55% |
| Power Train → | 10 | 50% |
| Electrical System | 8 | 40% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 25% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 5% |
| Suspension | 1 | 5% |
| Unknown OR Other | 1 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“In November 2024, the vehicle indicated "add coolant". The vehicle was brought to Mercedes Benz of Scottsdale for servicing. The dealership apparently added coolant without advising me that the B250-E has a 100% chance of failure to the Drive Unit / coolant intrusion unless a small part is replaced before coolant…”
Power Train · filed Dec 15, 2025
“On Wednesday [XXX] I was driving my electric vehicle to work. I exited the freeway and as soon as I stopped at the light for the off ramp a warning light indicator appeared stating Coolant Low. I found this odd as I was unaware of Electric Vehicles using Coolant. I clicked the OK button on the steering wheel and the…”
Power Train · filed Jan 3, 2025
“While driving a notice to park the car and call for maintenance came up then while I was trying to get to safe stopping point the car went on to neutral and shut down while I was at speed. I turned the car back on and moved it to safety and called for roadside assistance”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Dec 15, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
54 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz B 250E. The 10 most recent:
Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in attachment Cause…
LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2026
Dear Mercedes-Benz USA Dealers, The part numbers listed in the chart below should no longer be installed, and any existing stock must be returned to your facing PDC. The deadline for all dealer returns is no later than…
PSL-NCU Return Parts 6/19 · Other · issued Jun 19, 2026
Complaint After successful commissioning of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) with XENTRY Diagnosis DVD 03/2026, the message "SOS - service not activated" appears on the instrument cluster. In addition, the following two…
LI82.85-P-080507 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 26, 2026
Complaint The customer requests deactivation of the N112/9 HERMES communication module Note: Deactivation of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) is not supported for gray-market vehicles. Cause Before deactivating the…
LI82.85-P-080559 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 26, 2026
Complaint There are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance: A: Wiper blades squeaking, chattering, shuddering B: The windshield is not wiped completely (streaking) C: During…
LI82.30-P-059239 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged. Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
Complaint Customer states the AC either does not cool/has poor performance or heat is insufficient. Cause Many possible root causes Remedy *Note - This Li does not apply if there are other Li's that apply to your…
LI83.30-P-079850 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2026
Complaint Customer states the AC either does not cool/has poor performance or heat is insufficient. Cause Many possible root causes Remedy AC Diagnosis (General) Initial Steps Verify Customer Concern • Confirm the issue…
LI83.30-P-079850 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 15, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz B 250E has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2017 Mercedes-Benz B 250E?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.