Showing the 2008 R-Class R350: EPA's R350 and R350 4matic (3.5 L, 4WD or RWD). Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
16–17 mpgcombined; city 15, highway 19–20; the R350
Five years of fuel
$23,670–$25,150U.S. average; Ohio $22,310–$23,700 at local prices; the R350; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2008 R-Class. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 37 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 R-Class. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Suspension
12
0
0
0
Steering
10
0
0
0
Engine
6
0
0
0
Electrical system
5
0
0
0
Service brakes
5
0
0
0
Air bags
2
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
2
0
0
0
Unknown or other
2
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
2 more parts
Power train
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2008 R-Class over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist
NHTSA campaign 24V298000 · reported Apr 26, 2024 · 15,604 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Do not drive until repaired
Remedy: 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.
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.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
NHTSA campaign 22V315000 · reported May 9, 2022 · 350,294 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Do not drive until repaired
Remedy: 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.
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.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 74 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2008 R-Class, the latest on Sep 22, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: exterior lighting (15), engine and engine cooling (11), power train (9), electrical system (7), steering (7).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2008 R-Class.
EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
R320 CDI 4matic 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic 7-spd
Diesel
18 / 24 / 21
R350 Rear-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 7-spd
Premium Gasoline
15 / 20 / 17
R350 4matic 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 7-spd
Premium Gasoline
15 / 19 / 16
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data