Known APK problem

Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212: wheels and wheel bearings

On the Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212 the APK inspector finds wheels and wheel bearings problems 6.2× as often as on cars of the same age: at 11–12 years 0.7%, against about 0.1% nationally.

Illustration Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Play or noise in the wheel bearings, or damaged wheels.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

On the test drive, listen for a humming noise that rises with speed.

Ask the seller: Have any wheel bearings been replaced?

By age

Share of inspected Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212s with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	E-Klasse W212/S212	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
7 – 8 years	B	0.2%	0.1 – 0.5%	0.5%	0.4×	2,177
9 – 10 years	A	0.3%	0.1 – 0.5%	0.1%	3.1×	2,681
11 – 12 years	A	0.7%	0.4 – 1.1%	0.1%	6.2×	2,572
13 – 15 years	A	0.6%	0.4 – 0.8%	0.2%	3.8×	4,822
16+ years	A	0.6%	0.3 – 1.0%	0.3%	2.2×	1,917

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 11–12 years

Model	Wheels and wheel bearings	Vs. national
Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212	0.7%	6.2×
Volkswagen Scirocco III	2.7%	2.6×
Toyota Prius III	0.4%	0.4×

Looking at a Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212s of the same age.

All weak spots of the Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212 · Wheels and wheel bearings: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212 often have wheels and wheel bearings problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 11–12 years the inspector found a wheels and wheel bearings defect on 0.7% of inspected Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212s, against about 0.1% of all cars of the same age (6.2×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the wheels and wheel bearings on a used Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212?

On the test drive, listen for a humming noise that rises with speed.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know