Skip to content
Mercedes-Benz 300Model year report

1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 Problems

Complaints
5filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
—no mileage reported
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl RWD · 15 city / 17 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 3 complaints (60% of the total), followed by air bags (1) and visibility (1). NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “I drop my car to the service station for smog check, next day I called mechanic,to see if my car is done. He said no it still have a high reading on hydro emission. He said he will try to inject water and or some kind of chemical into the engine to rejuvenate the catalytic converter. Next day he called me and said that my car needs a new catalytic converter. He said I can have one put in for $480.00. I said it's too high. I told him I wil have my other mechanic from california muffler install one on it. …”

NHTSA complaint #761289, filed 2002-04

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

19951997199920022
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
300CE RWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic152017$4,850
300SE RWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic151716$5,150
300SEL RWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic151716$5,150
300SL RWD3.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic152017$4,850
300SL RWD3.0L 6-cyl5-speed manual142016$5,150
300TE RWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic151916$5,150
300TE 4Matic 4WD/AWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic151816$5,150
300D 2.5 Turbo RWD2.5L 5-cyl · diesel4-speed automatic233026$3,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

No technical service bulletins are on record for the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300.

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz 300

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
1999674,0000———Not enough data
19975—0———Not enough data
19968160,0000———Not enough data
199516163,7560———Stable
199339103,7561—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199222118,1521—17—Stable
199119119,0002—17—Stable
19905—4—16—Not enough data
19895170,0001—16—Not enough data
19887—1—18—Not enough data
198729167,1101—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198613—0—22—Not enough data
19855140,0000—21—Not enough data
19836—0———Not enough data

All Mercedes-Benz 300 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 have?

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 3 complaints (60% of the total), followed by air bags with 1.

Has the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 get?

The EPA rates the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300 (300SE, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 15 city and 17 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

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. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.