Mercedes-Benz 320 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 225 consumer complaints across the 9 model years of the Mercedes-Benz 320 (1994–2002) that have at least 5 complaints. 1994 has the most, with 49. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (84 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All 320 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 11 | 47,631 | 0 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
| 2001 | 17 | 52,737 | 0 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 2000 | 17 | 92,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1999 | 30 | 51,000 | 0 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 39 | 104,500 | 0 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 19 | 190,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1996 | 14 | 108,921 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1995 | 29 | 85,000 | 0 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 49 | 136,202 | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Electrical system84 38%
- Engine cooling26 12%
- Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)22 10%
- Air bags22 10%
- Steering19 8.6%
- Brakes17 7.7%
- Transmission and drivetrain16 7.3%
- Suspension14 6.4%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2001: “Car is a 2001 c320 mercedes. Battery keeps dying despite replacing with brand new batteries on 2 occasions, only 2 weeks apart. Dealer says it's the seat module draining the battery. My car will not start if I don't drive it for a day or longer. These modules are a defect and needs to be recalled. Fix is to disconnect seat power, which is a safety issue.”
NHTSA complaint #10300110, filed 2010-01, 93,000 miles1994: “I was changing spark plugs and saw the bad wires in the harness. I taped up where I could but when I touched the wire the insulation just fell off the wires. I was able to get car running for awhile but now it runs bad. I am in the process of trying to replace harness at this time. This is clearly a mfg. Defect and a potentially dangerous one.”
NHTSA complaint #10240735, filed 2008-09, 125,000 miles1999: “This is a correction to the submission made earlier this morning. Just like the GM cars that are currently being recalled, my car turned itself off while I was traveling at 60 MPH on a limited access road. Fortunately for myself and my passenger, traffic was light, I was in the right lane, and there was a wide shoulder. I could not restart the car, which had to be towed. The mechanic knew immediately what was wrong, and the same thing had happened to a mercedes he repaired the week before.”
NHTSA complaint #10568001, filed 2014-03, 59,463 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
658 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology