Owners filed 22 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the vehicle speed control. It has been recalled 1 time.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Diesel
2
0
0
0
Electrical System › Wiring
2
0
1
0
Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery
2
0
0
0
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control › Cables
1
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control
1
0
0
0
Unknown or Other
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Suspension › Front
1
0
0
0
1 safety recall
Part 573 reports
Visibility96V175000
Filed Sep 19, 199628,874 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Inc.
Defect. IF ONE OF THE HEADLAMP WIPER ARMS BECOMES MISALIGNED, THE WIPER BALDE CAN LODGE IN THE GROOVE UNDER THE HEADLAMP. IF THE WASHERS ARE ACTIVATED WITH THE WIPER BLADE IN THE MISALIGNED AND LODGED POSITION, THE WASHER PUMP WILL RUN CONTINUOUSLY EXPELLING ALL AVAILABLE FLUID.
Risk. PUMP OPERATION IN THE ABSENCE OF FLUID CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP WASHER PUMP ON THESE VEHICLES.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Electrical SystemFire
Filed Apr 1, 2011CA
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM BENEATH THE HOOD AND INTO THE VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. AFTER EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE THE CAR NO LONGER STARTED. UPON INSPECTION ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HAD MELTED. *TR
Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery
Filed Apr 12, 2005109,000 milesMD
WHILE DRIVING MY BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE REPLACED MY BATTERY TWICE IN A 2-YEAR PERIOD. INITIALLY, MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN WHILE MY CAR WAS OFF, SOMETHING WAS CONSANTLY RUNNING CAUSING MY BATTERY TO FAIL. I HAD MY NEW BATTERY REPLACED AND MY INIGNITION CHECK AND THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BATTERY REPLACED. THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN. CAR IS SLOW TO START AND BATTERY LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF AT INTERVALS.*AK
Tires
Filed Jul 19, 2004CA
FAILURES OF GOODYEAR AQUATRED TIRES.*MR WHILE ON A TRIP THE TREAD OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE CAME LOOSE FROM THE STEEL CORD. THIS CAUSED A WOBBLE WHILE DRIVING. THE NEXT DAY THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEWOUT AT THE SIDEWALL. *NM
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Diesel
Filed Jul 18, 2004130,000 milesGA
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, I SLOWED TO TURN OFF HIGHWAY. AFTER COMPLETING TURN TRIED TO ACCELERATE BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR OFF ROADWAY AT IDLE RPM ONLY. CAR TOWED TO LOCAL SHOP. A PLASTIC PIECE ON THE END OF THE ACCELERATOR CABLE HAD DISINTEGRATED CAUSING THE ACCELERATOR CABLE TO BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE ENGINE THROTTLE LEVER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. THE PLASTIC PIECE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE OF METAL. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF A SIX LANE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED?
Visibility
Filed Nov 3, 2003FL
FAILURE OF VEHICLE PART ON 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 300D.*MR THERE WAS ANOTHER RECALL REGARDING THE HEADLAMP WIPER ARM (VISIBILITY). *TS *JB *CB
Vehicle Speed Control › Cables
Filed Aug 26, 2003FL
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED. A MECHANIC AT AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE. AFTER THIS INCIDENT THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE ACCELERATOR CABLE, STATING COULD CAUSE SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION IF BROKEN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
Filed Jan 29, 2003118,152 milesCA
THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, WHICH INCLUDED THE MOTOR.*JB PH
Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Feb 27, 2002NC
WIRING HARNESS IS EXPOSED OUTSIDE OF HOOD AREA. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT INSULATION IS CRACKING AND FALLING OFF ALL WIRING AROUND THE ENGINE. *YD
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Diesel
Filed May 22, 2001NJ
WHILE DRIVING WOULD HEAR METAL CLANKING NOISES. HAD VEHICLE CHECKED BY MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED THAT ENGINE BLOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LOSING COMPRESSION FOR DIESEL. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Apr 23, 2001CA
THERE ARE MULTIPLE MODELS OF THE SAME CAR THAT HAVE THE SAME FAILURE, PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ASAP, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCEDENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Sep 29, 2000CA
THIS IS THE SECOND 1992 300SD THAT I KNOW OF THAT HAS HAD THE SAME FAILURE, IN THE RELATED CASE MBZ REPLACED THE ENTIRE ENGINE DUE TO FAILED HEAD GASKET AND CRANKSHAFT BEING TOO SOFT, OR NOT STRONG ENOUGH, BUT THEY REFUSE TO HELP US, HE OTHER CASE WAS AN ACQUAINTANCE FROM CONNETICUT
Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 10, 2000CA
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc
Filed Nov 3, 1999PA
FRONT PADS REPLACED EVERY 10000 MILES AND ROTORS EVERY 20000 MILES. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Fan
Filed Jan 8, 1999MA
INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC IS REPORTING AN OVERHEATED RESISTOR FROM THE COOLING FAN WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK
Air Bags › FrontalCrash
Filed Feb 10, 1998AK
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT 25-30 MPH, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Electrical System › WiringFire
Filed Dec 15, 1997NV
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVEWAY IT CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON PASENGER'S COMPARTMENT 8-10 HOURS AFTER IT WAS DRIVEN.CAUSE OF FIRE APPEARED TO BE ELECTRICAL. *AK
Suspension › Front
Filed Sep 22, 1997CT
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30-60 MPH THE VEHICLE VIBRATED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *AK *SLC
Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery
Filed Nov 5, 1996CA
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY EXPLODED. *AK
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jul 22, 1996NJ
DESIGN OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALLOWS FOR VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARD WHILE ON INCLINE.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation ComponentsCrash
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Sep 19, 1996. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.