FaultScore

FaultScore report

1989 Mercedes Benz 300E problems

Owners have filed 14 complaints about the 1989 Mercedes Benz 300E with NHTSA between 1995 and 2014. The largest single group is the airbags.

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

14

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

How 1989 compares with every other Mercedes Benz 300E

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1989 Mercedes Benz 300E

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Airbags 4 28.6%
Engine & Cooling 3 21.4%

0 crashes, 1 fires · median 145,856 mi

Acceleration & Cruise Control 2 14.3%

Median failure at 158,900 miles

Seat Belts 1 7.1%
Wheels 1 7.1%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 1 7.1%
Fuel & Propulsion 1 7.1%
Transmission & Drivetrain 1 7.1%

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.

Jun 1995 peak 2 Mar 2014

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

East Lyme, CT Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #489326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 145,856 miles Glen Allen, VA

ENGINE

CAR CUTS OFF AFTER A LONG DRIVE WHEN COASTING TO A STOP OR WHEN TURNING. WHEN ENGINE CUTS OFF POWER STEERING NO LONGER FUNCTIONS (VERY UPSETTING WHILE TURNING WHICH IS USUALLY WHEN IT CUTS OFF). HAVE TAKEN IT TO PRIVATE SHOP AND MERCEDES DEALER BUT NOTHING RESOLVED THE ISSUE. CAR IS DRIVEN RARELY NOW DUE TO THIS ISSUE AND ISSUE IS STILL ACTIVE IN CAR. I HAVE FIVE RECEIPTS FROM PRIVATE AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND MERCEDES BENZ DEALER DOCUMENTING EACH TIME CAR WAS TAKEN FOR THIS ISSUE DATING BACK TO 2003.

NHTSA complaint #10572854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 158,900 miles SAN Jose, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SUDDEN ACCELERATION . A 1989 MERCEDES BENZ 300E WITH AROUND 158,900 MILES. SINCE THE PAST 6 WEEKS HAS BEEN EXHIBITING THE APPARENTLY HARD TO PROOF CASE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON HIGHWAY 101. THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTION GOING ON SO THE TRAVELING SPEED ON THAT STRETCH OF THE HIGHWAY WAS REDUCED TO AROUND 50MPH. AFTER DRIVING FOR SOME MINUTES WITH MY SPEED AROUND 50MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED WITH THE SPEEDOMETER RISING. I WASN'T IN ANYWAY ACCELERATING. I WAS MAINTAINING MY CURRENT SPEED, THE SUDDEN SURGED MADE ME REMOVED MY LEG COMPLETELY FROM THE PEDAL. WITH THE SPEEDOMETER STILL RISING I DROVE THE NEXT FOUR/ FIVE MILES WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STEERED THE CAR TO SIDE LANE AND PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL.I HAVE HAD 4 SUBSEQUENT OCCURRENCES SINCE THEN. IT NOW HAPPENS LIKE TWICE EVERY WEEK. I HAD A MECHANIC DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL THINKING THAT WAS THE FAULT.THE LAST OCCURRENCE WAS TODAY. DRIVING OUT OF MY HOUSE WITH LESS THAN 30MPH. THE CAR SURGED AGAIN,I MANEUVERED THE CAR TO THE ROAD SIDE CHANGED THE GEAR TO PARKING. THIS TIME THE REF WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE RED ZONE WITH THE CAR IN PARKING GEAR.I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ ABOUT IT ,BUT AS USUAL NOBODY LISTENS TO COMMON PEOPLE .ANYWAYS TODAY I BOUGHT A HANDY VIDEO RECORDER TO BE IN MY CAR ,MAYBE WITH EVIDENCE THE UNSOLVED ISSUE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAN FINALLY BE ADDRESSED AND CLASSIFIED AS BEEN REAL AND NO MORE A BOGUS MAKE UP STORY. .A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY DRIVING EXPERIENCE , I DRIVE TAXI CAB IN SAN FRANCISCO AND IN TOTAL HAVE 20YEARS OF DRIVING CARS WITH A CLEAN RECORD. THANKS

NHTSA complaint #10263812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brewster, MA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE OR SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND AT THE DEALER ONCE, HOWEVER, AND NEITHER OF THEM COULD RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.*AK WHEN TURNING ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE SRS AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATE. THE TACHOMETER PERFORMED ERRATICALLY. THE ALTERNATOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE NOISE WAS CAUSED BY A BOLT IN THE WATER PUMP WHICH WAS TOO LONG AND HIT AGAINST THE PUMP.

NHTSA complaint #10101215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Detroit, MI

WHEELS

PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. *MR (OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT) THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *SCC

NHTSA complaint #10042069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dwight, NC

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES BY ITSELF WITHOUT DRIVER ASSISTANCE ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #8002498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Portsmouth, VA

AIR BAGS

UNTIL I READ ABOUT OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT, I ASSUMED THIS WAS NORMAL. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER ABOUT IT, AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OVER $2500 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY -- I INTENDED FOR THE DATE SHOWN TO INDICATE WHEN THE DASHBOARD LIGHT FIRST CAME ON.

NHTSA complaint #742102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Walsh, CO

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE SITTING AT A STOP AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER'S DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHP WHERE THE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #850227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

South Hadley, MA

AIR BAGS

THE DASH INDICATOR RESTRAINT SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. DEALER SAYS SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAG UNIT ARE DEFECTIVE. THE CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED AT 1350 PLUS LABOR. PLEASE ADD VIN#.

NHTSA complaint #836990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

South Hadley, MA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

THE DASH INDICATOR RESTRAINT SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. DEALER SAYS SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAG UNIT ARE DEFECTIVE. THE CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED AT 1350 PLUS LABOR. PLEASE ADD VIN#.

NHTSA complaint #836990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edmond, WA

AIR BAGS

SRS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED.

NHTSA complaint #513985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edmond, WA

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

SUNROOF SQUEAKS.

NHTSA complaint #513985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Petersburg, VA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE SLIPS OUT OF GEAR ON AN FLAT PLANTFORM, WHEN THIS OCCURS THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARD. OWNER HAS HEARD THE VEHICLE SLIP OUT OF GEAR MANY TIMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY DID MINOR WORK. ALSO THEY TOLD HER TO PUT ON HER EMERGENCY BRAKES.

NHTSA complaint #807173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Lyme, CT

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

ALUMINUM COMPONENT OF FUEL TANK FAILED UNDER FIRE CONDITIONS, EXPENDING GASOLINE T0 ADDITIONALLY FUEL THE FIRE. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #489326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Lyme, CT Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #489326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.