Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1986 Mercedes Benz 300E
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Airbags
526.3%
Seats
210.5%
Fuel & Propulsion
210.5%
Median failure at 140,000 miles
Suspension
210.5%
Transmission & Drivetrain
210.5%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Seat Belts
15.3%
Wheels
15.3%
Tires
15.3%
Median failure at 196,640 miles
Acceleration & Cruise Control
15.3%
Median failure at 150 miles
Steering
15.3%
Engine & Cooling
15.3%
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
125.0%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
125.0%
150,000+ miles
250.0%
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.
Sep 1996peak 8Nov 2009
NHTSA investigations into the 1986 Mercedes Benz 300E
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.
PE87001Opened 2 Oct 1986Closed 14 Jan 1987VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
SUDDEN ACCELERATION
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA(MBNA) REPORTED AN ADDITIONAL 4 CASES OF ALLEGED SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THESUBJECT VEHICLES IN ADDITION TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TO NHTSA.ALLCASES WERE INVESTIGATED BY MBNA REPRESENTATIVES, AND NO TRENDS OR NOTABLESIMILARITIES WERE FOUND IN THE APPARENT CAUSES OF THE ALLEGED INCIDENTS.NO GEOGRAPHIC OR VEHICLE MILEAGE TRENDS WERE NOTED AMONG THE INCIDENTSREPORTED. MBNA CONDUCTED TESTS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF OPEN THROTTLE, OPENENGINE IDLE BYPASS VALVE, AND BRAKE APPLICATION UNDER VARYING CONDITIONSOF VEHICLE MOTION ON...
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Jackson, MSCrash
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
WHIILE REACHING INTO VEHICLE FOR A POCKET BOOK THE STRAP PULLED SHIFT LEVER INTO GEAR WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH NO KEY IN IT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLIP INTO GEAR AND ROLL DOWN HILL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #838879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unknown, UN1 injured
AIR BAGS
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG RESULTING IN INJURIES (BURNS) TO FACE AND CHEST AND DAMAGES TO VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #512460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Danville, CA1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT IMPACT AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK
NHTSA complaint #804850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA4 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, CAUSING INJURIES AFTER RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA4 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, CAUSING INJURIES AFTER RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA4 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, CAUSING INJURIES AFTER RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 150 milesSAN Francisco, CA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION SYNDROME. I BELIEVE I ELIMINATED THIS PROBLEM BY DISCONNECTING THE CRUISE CONTROL AMP LOCATED UNDER THE DASH BOARD BY UNPLUGGING CABLE ATTACHED TO THE UNIT. WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BY RECONNECTING THE ATTACHED CABLE. BELIEVE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEMS DESIGN DEFECTIVE. AT PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUND SOME COMPLAINTS REGARDING SUDDEN ACCELERATION SYNDROME PERTAINING TOO THIS VEHICLE- MODEL- YEAR. LUCKY MINE IS A STICK SHIFT IN THAT REGARD. DAIMLER AND NHTSA BOTH WERE NOTIFIED. DAIMLER WOULD CHARGE FOR THE DIAGNOSES AND REPAIR. APPARENTLY THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO WARRANT A RECALL. LAW IS COMPLICATED. I CAN LIVE WITHOUT THE LUXURY OF CRUISE CONTROL AND EXORBITANT REPAIR COST.
NHTSA complaint #10292058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 180,000 milesSAN Francisco, CA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
I JUST EXPERIENCED MY 4TH FUEL TANK FRACTURE OVER 5 YEARS. THE FRACTURES OCCUR IN THE SURFACE OF THE TANK NOT CAUSED BY WEAR OF ANY SORT. THEY JUST SPONTANEOUSLY OCCUR. THE TANK IS COMPLETELY FACTORY INSTALLED IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR THIS ALLOWS FUMES TO ENTER THE ENTIRE CAR. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A FRACTURED TANK IN ANY BRAND IN 40 YEARS OF DRIVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #10147609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 100,000 milesSAN Francisco, CA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
I HAVE EXPERIENCED HAIRLINE CRACK FAILURES IN THREE (3) SEPARATE FUEL TANKS PLACED INTO MY 1986 MERCEDES 300E 4 DOOR SEDAN OVER 6 YEARS. THESE CRACKS NEVER ALLOWED LIQUID TO ESCAPE, BUT FUMES DID REPEATEDLY EMIT INTO THE CAR TRUNK AND PASSENGER CABIN. AFTER BEING IN PLACE FOR 9 MONTHS THE 3RD TANK IS NOW LEAKING FUMES AND I HAVE DISCOVERED STAINING WHERE THE CRACKS EXIST. THIS IS, BY ITSELF, A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. TO HAPPEN THREE TIMES WITH THREE DIFFERENT REPLACEMENT TANKS IS EXCEPTIONAL! I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THIS INDICATES THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM INDICATING THAT THEIR MIGHT BE AN ORIGINAL DESIGN DEFECT IN THE TANK, ITS LOCATION (IT MIGHT BE GETTING SCRAPED BY SURROUNDING SHEET METAL), OR ITS BASIC MATERIAL CONSTITUTION; IE, TOO THIN OR POORLY ENGINEERED MATERIALS.
NHTSA complaint #10132581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 196,640 milesSeattle, WA
TIRES
BLOWOUT, WITH 4/32 TREAD LEFT, OF SCHWAB Z800 ULTRA RADIAL WITH 100,000 MILE WARRANTY, AT APPROX 50,200 MILES, OCCURRED AS DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ON FREEWAY WITH NO IMPACT OR PRIOR DAMAGE TO TIRE. 11/27/2004. TIRES PURCHASED 6/29/99 AS PAIR. ROTATED AND KEPT PROPERLY INFLATED, WHEELS ALIGNED. ON 4/25/03 A SCHWAB Z800 PLUS TIRE, WITH 47,000 MILES(100,000 WARRANTY), PURCHASED 2/20/98, SAME CONDITIONS OF TREATMENT, BLEW OUT ON SAME CAR UNDER SAME CIRCUMSTANCES, NAMELY DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ON FREEWAY. BOTH TIRES LEFT REAR WHEEL AT TIME OF BLOWOUT. SCHWAB REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY ON GROUNDS LACK OF DOCUMENTATION TIREST ROTATED EVERY 5000 MILES. NO EVIDENT CONCERN ABOUT SAFETY ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10100655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rocky Mount, NC
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A COLLISION OCCURRING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #893281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jackson, MSCrash
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
WHIILE REACHING INTO VEHICLE FOR A POCKET BOOK THE STRAP PULLED SHIFT LEVER INTO GEAR WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH NO KEY IN IT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLIP INTO GEAR AND ROLL DOWN HILL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #838879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unknown, UN1 injured
AIR BAGS
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG RESULTING IN INJURIES (BURNS) TO FACE AND CHEST AND DAMAGES TO VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #512460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Laughlinto, PA
WHEELS
RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BECAME SEPARATED AT THE BALL JOINT AND THE TIE ROD BROKE OFF CAUSING WHEEL TO BECOME LOOSE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).
NHTSA complaint #540876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Laughlinto, PA
STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING
RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BECAME SEPARATED AT THE BALL JOINT AND THE TIE ROD BROKE OFF CAUSING WHEEL TO BECOME LOOSE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).
NHTSA complaint #540876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Roslyn, NY
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
THE POWER SEATS MOVE BACK AND FORWARD ON THEIR OWN. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #820635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Danville, CA1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT IMPACT AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK
NHTSA complaint #804850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA4 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, CAUSING INJURIES AFTER RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA
SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT/REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA4 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, CAUSING INJURIES AFTER RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
RIGHT FRONT SEAT BACK WILL NOT ADJUST.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA
SUSPENSION:REAR
FRONT/REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
DRIVESHAFT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inglewood, CA4 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, CAUSING INJURIES AFTER RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #508048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.