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 560
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Acceleration & Cruise Control
323.1%
3 crashes, 0 fires
Brakes
323.1%
2 crashes, 0 fires · median 62,400 mi
Engine & Cooling
215.4%
Equipment & Accessories
17.7%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
17.7%
Lights
17.7%
Suspension
17.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain
17.7%
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.
Mar 1995peak 3Dec 2010
NHTSA investigations into the 1986 Mercedes Benz 560
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...
PE88032Opened 10 Mar 1988Closed 2 May 1988SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
ABS FAILURES
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
at 62,400 milesVillanova, PACrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND IT CRASHED INTO A POLE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #10117787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Louisville, KYCrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #840679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Louisville, KYCrash1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #840679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mineola, NY1 injured
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR FAILED CAUSING INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #533314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Port Republi, VACrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #982268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Lake VI, CACrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION INTO REVERSE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #961771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Chatsworth, CA
EQUIPMENT
1986 MERCEDES BENZ 560SL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAIL TO MY FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 560SL OWNER. THIS IS DUE TO THE WORN OUT / DEFECT OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER THAT HOLD THE VISOR.
NHTSA complaint #10372402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chatsworth, CA
VISIBILITY
1986 MERCEDES BENZ 560SL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAIL TO MY FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 560SL OWNER. THIS IS DUE TO THE WORN OUT / DEFECT OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER THAT HOLD THE VISOR.
NHTSA complaint #10372402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 62,400 milesVillanova, PACrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND IT CRASHED INTO A POLE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #10117787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Portland, OR
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #899851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Portland, OR
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #899851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Portland, OR
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #899851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Louisville, KYCrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #840679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Louisville, KYCrash1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #840679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mineola, NY1 injured
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR FAILED CAUSING INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #533314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacrmento, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.
NHTSA complaint #810124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacrmento, CA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.
NHTSA complaint #810124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Port Republi, VACrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #982268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Lake VI, CACrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION INTO REVERSE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #961771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.