The Lemon IndexThe crankcase ventilation (PCV) system isn't controlling pressure the way it should. Full P052E page
93 owner complaints · the #1 code Mercedes-Benz C-Class owners name · 65% of Mercedes-Benz C-Class complaints that name a code (every car: 1.1%)
2015–2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class · most: 2016 (32), 2017 (26), 2015 (22)
Mercedes-Benz C-Class owners named P052E in 93 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2016, 2017 and 2015 model years. The part they name most is the PCV valve or oil separator (29 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class model years that report P052E
Owner complaints naming P052E, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the PCV valve or oil separator, in 29 of the 93 complaints (31%). 15 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 1 say the problem came back afterwards.
- PCV valve or oil separator29 complaints15 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back
33 complaints mention a recall and 12 mention a warranty.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P052E
53% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Stalls or shuts off3%3 of 93 complaints
- Shakes, runs rough or misfires3%3 of 93 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P052E whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Keep going
- P052E: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class reliability by year
- 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class problems and recalls
P052E on other cars
Mercedes-Benz GLK/GLC (33) · Mercedes-Benz GLA (13) · Mercedes-Benz CLA (12)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P052E means
The crankcase ventilation (PCV) system isn't controlling pressure the way it should.
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
- Failed PCV valve or oil separator
- Cracked PCV hose
- Vacuum leak
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11725960, 11709871, 11704880, 11669468, 11665952, 11649919, 11642081, 11637178, 11635775, 11623039, 11613466, 11612421 and 81 more.
Quick answers
What does P052E mean on a Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
Positive Crankcase Ventilation Regulator Valve Performance. The crankcase ventilation (PCV) system isn't controlling pressure the way it should.
Which Mercedes-Benz C-Class years have the most P052E complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2016 (32), 2017 (26), 2015 (22) Mercedes-Benz C-Class named P052E most (93 complaints in all, 2015–2018). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P052E on a Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
Owners most often name the PCV valve or oil separator (29 of 93 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
Can I drive my Mercedes-Benz C-Class with P052E?
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P052E on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.