FaultScore

1995 Mercedes Benz 280 engine problems

10 of the 65 complaints about the 1995 Mercedes Benz 280 are about the engine — 15% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 116,600 miles.

F

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine 4 40.0%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 3 30.0%
Engine 2 20.0%
Gasoline 1 10.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 202,122 miles Denver, CO Fire 1 injured

ENGINE

CAR HAS BEEN A GOOD RUNNING CAR FRO SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES, HOWEVER TODAY IT STARTED, WHAT SEEM TO BE A MISFIRE. I CHECKED THE SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, IGNITERS AND THEY WERE ALL IN GOOD CONDITION SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED RECENTLY. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT 35 MILES AN HOUR THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKED AND SMOKE FILED THE INSIDE AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ON A BUSY CROSS ROAD, SO INSTANT PANIC SET IN, BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF VISION AND UNABLE TO BREATH FROM THE FUMES. I SUFFER FROM MIGRAINES AND HAD TO GO TO THE DOCTOR FOR A CHECK UP BECAUSE MY HEALTH HAS NOT BEEN THE SAME SINCE. AS DAYLIGHT CAME I FINALLY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE AND IT WAS THE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON CERTAIN YEARS OF MERCEDES BENZ, PER THE VAST AMOUNT OF INFORMATION REGARDING THE ISSUE AND HOW I AM NOW WRITING ABOUT IT. THE CAR HAS BEEN A GOOD RUNNING CAR, BUT MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10471970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Seeatle, WA

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C280. WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA complaint #10458447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 106,100 miles SAN Diego, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1.TEMPERATURE AND FUEL GAUGE HAS INTERMITTENT ISSUES. ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ONE COLD MORNING. 2. ENGINE STALLS / STUTTERS WHEN COLD. LOST POWER TO CAR AND ALMOST HIT A WALL TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. 3 3. NO MONEY TO CORRECT THE ISSUE YET. I DRIVE A DIFFERENT CAR DAILY AND TRY TO AVOID USING THIS ONE.

NHTSA complaint #10244954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 104,000 miles Walnut Creek, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT/BLOWN HEAD GASKET. BAD O2 SENSOR. EVENTUALLY TRACED TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. MAYBE THIS IS WHY THE MERCEDES 280C IS SINGLED OUT FOR SMOG ONLY CHECK IN CA.

NHTSA complaint #10208159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 132,000 miles Indianapolis, IN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

MY CAR ACTS HAZARDOUS. FROM TIME TO TIME INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCUR LIKE ENGINE STALLS,ENGINE ERRATICALLY INCREASE RPM, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR NO REASON, GAUGES NOT WORKING FROM TIME TO TIME, WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINES SEEMS TO STALL BUT RUNS ON 3 CYLINDERS I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT IT OFF TO RESTART. MY CAR WENT OFF AND TOOK 6 TRIES TO GET THE CAR STARTED. REPLACED HEAD GASKET AT 130K ANOTHER MERCEDES BENZ PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10172882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 71,000 miles Saginaw, MI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

IN FOR OIL CHANGE HEAD GASKET BAD NEED $1500 KNOW MONEY FOR WORK .

NHTSA complaint #10089014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 127,100 miles Studio City, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

8182225555: MERCEDES C 280 LEMON RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON 3/26/03/. I WALKED INTO ACURA AFTER TEST DRIVING THIS CAR W/ ERIK ON 3/27. I DROVE IT FOR 3 WEEKS. THE SRS LIGHT (AIRBAGS ) KEPT COMING ON W/ BUZZ NOISE. ON THE 5TH DAY, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE HEAD RESTRAINTS AND REAR BUTTONS DID NOT WORK. THE RADIO FREQUENTLY GOES IN AND OUT ON SEVERAL STATIONS. THE 3RD WEEK, THERE WAS A HEAVY OIL LEAK, LEAKING FROM THE OIL PAN AND HEAD GASKET. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND DOES NOT MEET USED CAR SAFETY STANDARDS. THE POWER STEERING HAD A LEAK. THE BRAKES WERE WORN BELOW 50%, THE BRAKE SENSORS WERE BAD AND THE ROTORS WERE WORN. THE SHOCKS LEAKED GAS FROM THE FRONT AND ARE WEAK IN THE BACK. CAR ENGINE IDLE HAS A WATER PUMP LEAK. THE BUYERS GUIDE STATED ABOVE. 4/16/04, I DROVE TO ACURA TO TALK TO VERN. VERN TOLD ME THAT MERCE ALWAYS HAS OIL LEAKS. VERN SIGNED A FORM THAT STATED HE WOULD HAVE UNION 76 MECHANIC CHANGE OIL PAN GASKET, CHECK OUT PWR STR PUMP, BRAKES, MISFIRE. 4/20/04, I HEARD VERN TELL UNION 76 TO FIX THE OIL LEAK, CHANGE ALL 4 STRUTS, CHANGE THE ROTORS, BRAKES, AND SENSORS, CHECK PWR STEERING, AND CHECK THE IDLE. WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK ON 4/21/04, THE MECHANICS MESSED UP THE IDLE, THE CAR WAS SHAKING . THE CAR WAS NOT LIKE THIS BEFORE. VERN HAD UNION 76 MESS UP THE CAR. THE STRUTS WERE NOT CHANGED. THE OIL LEAK WAS NOT FIXED. THE OIL PAN WASN'T TIGHTENED. THIS IS AUTO REPAIR FRAUD. ON 4/22/04 I TALKED TO KURT KEENER. HE TRIED TO TO DRAG THIS ORDEAL TILL THE WARR PERIOD RAN OUT. 4/22/04, I BROUGHT A MALE WITNESS W/ ME, I DROPPED OFF THE CAR AND REQUESTED A REFUND OF $8,012.09 FOR THE CAR AND FOR CAR INSURANCE THE AMOUNT OF $421.00. VERN WAS AWARE OF MAJOR OIL LEAK IN HEAD GASKET/PISTONS, DECEPTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES. THIS WAS VERIFIED AT CALABASAS MOTORS ON 4/29 BY TONI PENKINS. TONI SAID THERE WERE OTHER LEAKS TOO. 8185912377.

NHTSA complaint #10068188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 19,240 miles Amherst, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE- NEEDED CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WITH 19240 MILES ON MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ C280! CALLED BUFFALO DEALER, OUT OF WARRANTY,NO HELP WANTED APPROX $1400. TO REPAIR! FOUND CAR HAS HAD 3 SERVICE BULLETTINS ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. FOUND AUTO DEALER TO FIX FOR $1034.04

NHTSA complaint #10058505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Palo Alto, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I HAVE PURCHASED A MERCEDES BENZ C280 THIS PAST WEEK. I HAVE FIND OUT THAT THE ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL. ACCORDING TO 2 DIFFERENT MECHANICS, ONE OF THEM IS AN EMPLOYEE OF A LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER, ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH C-CLASS MODELS. THE HEAD GASKET LEAKS OIL OVERTIME AND ENGINE OIL WILL SEEP INTO AN OIL PAN UNDER THE ENGINE. SINCE I AM NOT A MECHANIC, IT IS HARD FOR ME TO TELL THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH PROBLEM. BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT AN ENGINE WITHOUT THE OIL WILL FAIL. IT MAY WELL HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON A ROADWAY WITH HIGH TRAFFIC, CAUSING A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR ACTION ON THIS MATTER, SINCE MERCEDES BENZ REPRESENTATIVES ARE RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT THIS A TAKE ACTION. BEST REGARDS, HAKAN AKIN

NHTSA complaint #712981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenlawn, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED TWO TIMES. ONCE AFTER 2 YEARS AT 21,000 MILES, AND AGAIN AT 48,000 MILES AFTER ABOUT 18 MONTHS.

NHTSA complaint #708278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1995 Mercedes Benz 280 problems

← Full 1995 Mercedes Benz 280 report