1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 seat belts problems
10 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the seat belts on the 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 — 16% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Driver seatbelt exploded while buckled up as the car was going about 30 mph on a 4 lane street. No warning and was very traumatic. I had to pull over when I smelled something burning. When I released seatbelt to get out of the car it would not buckle up when I tried to get back in the seat. Had to…”
filed Jan 27, 2023
“Was driving slow like 10 mph and preparing to make a right turn and there was a loud explosion as the passenger seat belt retracted with such force that it slammed into the sternum of my 73 year old mother, who almost had an episode of cardiac arrest, both from the impact of the belt pushing on her…”
filed Nov 26, 2017
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Seat belt extender toothed rack sluggish or makes noises
LI91 45-P-066075 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 23, 2018
Seat Belts problems in other E320 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 E320 | 2 | 5% |
| 2005 E320 | 3 | 1% |
| 2004 E320 | 2 | 1% |
| 2003 E320 | 4 | 2% |
| 2001 E320 | 1 | 3% |
| 1996 E320 | 1 | 2% |
Other reported problem areas on the 1997 Mercedes-Benz E320
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.