Mercedes-Benz 300 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 185 consumer complaints across the 14 model years of the Mercedes-Benz 300 (1983–1999) that have at least 5 complaints. 1993 has the most, with 39. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (47 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All 300 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 6 | 74,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1997 | 5 | — | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1996 | 8 | 160,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1995 | 16 | 163,756 | 0 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1993 | 39 | 103,756 | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 22 | 118,152 | 1 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1991 | 19 | 119,000 | 2 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1990 | 5 | — | 4 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1989 | 5 | 170,000 | 1 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1988 | 7 | — | 1 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1987 | 29 | 167,110 | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 13 | — | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1985 | 5 | 140,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1983 | 6 | — | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Electrical system47 26%
- Engine cooling39 21%
- Air bags26 14%
- Vehicle speed control19 10%
- Transmission and drivetrain16 8.7%
- Tires13 7.1%
- Brakes13 7.1%
- Fuel system11 6.0%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1993: “My research indicate that this engine wiring harness problem is an ongoing issue for many mercedes benz, 300 e, and 300se cars with the twin cam engines made between the years of 1993-1995. Not only I am unable to have routine maintenance done, but I am told by the repair facility that this presents a safety problem, because there is a risk of fire associated with this defect.”
NHTSA complaint #10417754, filed 2011-08, 37,854 miles1987: “I was driving home from work (it's a ten mile drive one way) when the car started to go faster and faster until it reached about 110 MPH. I couldn't get it to stop. I forced it to slow down enough to exit the freeway, leaving skid marks in the road, and was able to turn the car off. I waited for a friend to come and see if they could help. When they got there they had me turn the car on in park. The engine started to revved really fast so I turned the car off to keep the valves from being damaged. We towed the car ourselves the last half mile home. …”
NHTSA complaint #10807860, filed 2015-12, 303,000 miles1992: “While driving my battery light comes on. I have replaced my battery twice in a 2-year period. Initially, my car wouldn't start. I was told that even while my car was off, something was consantly running causing my battery to fail. I had my new battery replaced and my inignition check and things associated with the battery replaced. The problem is happening again. Car is slow to start and battery light flashes on and off at intervals.”
NHTSA complaint #10116806, filed 2005-04, 109,000 milesOther Mercedes-Benz models
3,965 complaintsMercedes-Benz E350
2,215 complaintsMercedes-Benz E320
1,164 complaintsMercedes-Benz ML350
952 complaintsMercedes-Benz GLK350
901 complaintsMercedes-Benz ML320
740 complaintsMercedes-Benz C250
725 complaintsMercedes-Benz GLC 300
659 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology