RoadVitals

1992 Mercedes-Benz 124

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest Aug 7, 2010
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest May 11, 2009
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 1992 Mercedes-Benz 124, most frequently naming the interior & seats category. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Interior & seats1100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
09E025000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

May 11, 2009
42,540 units potentially affected
The defect: DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
The risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
DOPE, INC.View on NHTSA.gov
95V031000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Feb 21, 1995
50,000 units potentially affected
The defect: THE FRONT PASSENGER METAL FOOT REST CAN, OVER TIME, ABRADE THROUGH THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE FOOT REST CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO SHORT CIRCUIT.
The risk: A SHORT CIRCUIT CAN CAUSE THE WIRES TO OVERHEAT, STALL THE ENGINE, OR INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY AN AIRBAG, ANY OF THESE INCREASES THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL ADDITIONAL WIRING HARNESS CABLE FASTENER TIES AND EDGE PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR SHARP EDGES OF THE METAL FOOT REST.
MERCEDES-BENZ USA, INC.View on NHTSA.gov
93V108000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Jun 23, 1993
480 units potentially affected
The defect: DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DO NOT MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 208.
The risk: SEAT OCCUPANTS RELYING ON THE INSTALLED AIRBAG WOULD NOTBE PROTECTED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THAT OF FMVSS 208 COMPLIANT AIRBAG, ANDCOULD HAVE AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.
The remedy: REPLACE THE AIRBAGS WITH AIRBAGS THAT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 208.
MERCEDES-BENZ USA, INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Interior & seats
Filed Aug 7, 2010

DRIVER'S POWER SEAT MOVES UNEXPECTEDLY, WITHOUT DRIVER TOUCHING THE SEAT CONTROL BUTTONS. SEAT HAS FEATURE TO PLACE SEAT IN A "MEMORIZED" POSITION UPON DEMAND. SOMETIMES THE SEAT MOVES FORWARD, SOMETIMES BACK, SOMETIMES IN A ROCKING MOTION. APPROXIMATELY 20-30 SUCH INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED. TWICE, THE SEAT MOVED ALL THE WAY FORWARD ON ITS TRACK, CROWDING ME UP TO THE DASH AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MOVE MY FEET. BEHAVIOR BEGAN THIS SUMMER AND SEEMS MOST LIKELY WHEN THE CAR INTERIOR IS HOT, FROM SITTING IN THE SUN. MOST INCIDENTS OCCURRED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF STARTING THE CAR ON A HOT DAY WHEN THE INTERIOR WAS HOT AT THE START. AT LEAST ONE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MINUTES WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON, AND INTERIOR HAD COOLED SOMEWHAT. (WEATHER HAS BEEN MOSTLY VERY HOT SINCE BEHAVIOR BEGAN, SO TEMPERATURE MAY BE A COINCIDENCE.) IN SOME INSTANCES, THE CONTROL SWITCHES CAN OVERRIDE THE SEAT MOTION, SOMETIMES THEY COULD NOT. USUALLY THE CONTROL SWITCH IS INOPERATIVE FOR SOME MINUTES AFTER AN INCIDENT. IN THE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT, THE SEAT MOVED ALL THE WAY FORWARD, THE SEAT SWITCH COULD NOT STOP IT, AND THE SEAT CONTROLS REMAINED INOPERABLE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE CONTROL SWITCH WAS REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE OWNER ATTEMPTED A REPAIR BY REPLACING THE SEAT CONTROL MODULE BENEATH THE SEAT. (THE MODULE STORES THE SEAT POSITION FOR RECALL BY THE MEMORY SWITCHES, AND IS THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE SWITCH AND THE SEAT MOTORS.) THE REPLACEMENT MODULE WAS FROM THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR, FROM A WRECKED VEHICLE. THE ASSUMPTION WAS MADE THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY THE WRECKED VEHICLE HAD THE SAME DEFECT. BUT THE BEHAVIOR CONTINUES AFTER REPLACING THE MODULE, SO EITHER THE CAUSE IS NOT THE MODULE, OR BOTH MODULES HAVE THE SAME FAILURE. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SUCH INCIDENTS IN SAME MAKE CAR, IN THIS AND OTHER MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10347908
Incident
Jun 26, 2010
Mileage
133,200 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mercedes-Benz 124 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2001100—
1995620—
1994220—
1993030—
1992Viewing130—
1991010—
1990010—
1989010—
1988010—
1987010—
1986010—
1985010—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.