Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1988 Mercedes Benz 190
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Fuel & Propulsion
220.0%
Median failure at 193,000 miles
Electrical System
220.0%
Engine & Cooling
220.0%
Other & Unspecified
110.0%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
110.0%
Brakes
110.0%
Transmission & Drivetrain
110.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Apr 1999peak 6Oct 2007
NHTSA investigations into the 1988 Mercedes Benz 190
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY PETITIONED NHTSA TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTOSUDDEN ACCELERATION ON VARIOUS MERCEDES-BENZ MODELS.THE PETITION WASGRANTED WITH RESPECT TO THE 1986-1987 300E MODEL AND ENGINEERING ANALYSISEA88-003 WAS OPENED COVERING JUST THE 1986 AND 1987 300 E VEHICLES.SUBSEQUENTLY, CFAS REPETITIONED NHTSA TO EXPAND ITS INVESTIGATION TO COVERALL 1984 THROUGH 1987 MERCEDES GASOLINE POWERED VEHICLES.DEFECT PETITIONNUMBER DP88-013 WAS THEN ASSIGNED.ON JULY 14, 1988, THE CFAS WAS ADVISEDTHAT PETITION DP88-013 HAD BEEN GRANTED AND THAT A NEW ENGINEERING ANALYSIS(EA88-034) HAD BEEN OPENED...
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Mission Viejo, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. FIRST, THE WINDOWS WOULDN'T ROLL UP OR DOWN, THEN THE RADIO BEGAN SHORTING OUT WHEN I DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR OPENED THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. NEXT THE A/C, HEATER & ECONOMY EVENT ALL CEASED WORKING AND THE RADIO WOULD TURN ON ONLY 1-2 PER WEEK RANDOMLY. NEXT ALL MY GAUGES ON MY CONSOLE WENT OUT (GAS GAUGE, RPM GAUGE, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE). THE SUNROOF STOPPED WORKING AS WELL AND I WAS STUCK IN THE SUMMER TIME WITH NO WAY TO ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN, NO AIR SOURCE OF ANY SORT WHATSOEVER & A SUNROOF THAT WOULDN'T OPEN IN THE SWELTERING HEAT.
NHTSA complaint #10205423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 193,000 milesWest Haven, CT
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
1988 190E MERCEDES BENZ--NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING CAR WILL TURN COMPLETELY OFF OR ACCELERATION WILL STOP AND CAR WILL ACCELERATE AFTER BRIEF PAUSE (ALL WHILE DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEED). NOT ACCELERATOR CABLE OR FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM. VERY DANGEROUS AS THERE IS NO WARNING & NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATE.
NHTSA complaint #10100569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sommerville, NJ
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ON-GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE STALLING WHILE DRIVING, DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #8006455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FL
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #713049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FL
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #713049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FL
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #713049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #713049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #713049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FL
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #713049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Queens, NY
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON AT ANY GIVEN SPEEDS. WHILE THE LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR STARTS TO CHOKE OR BUCK, LIKE NO GAS IS GETTING THRU. THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN NUMEROUS DRIVING SITUATIONS, FROM STOPPING FOR A LIGHT, TO DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY. AFTER CAR BUCKS, OR "CHOKES" THE VEHICLE STALLS. IT STARTS RIGHT UP AGAIN, WITH NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO PULL OF A HIGHWAY NUMEROUS TIMES, TO AVOID STALLING, WITH CONTINUOUS TRAFFIC COMING BEHIND ME. LIKE I STATED PREVIOUSLY, THERE IS NO REASON, NOR DO I GET ANY WARNINGS THAT THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE. I HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT BRANDS OF GAS, SO I DON'T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO TAKEN THE CAR TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS AMD DEALERS, AND NOBODY SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM ACCURATELY.
NHTSA complaint #705517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.