1985 Mercedes-Benz 190 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance327.3%
- Engine218.2%
- Visibility218.2%
- Airbags19.1%
- Suspension19.1%
- Transmission19.1%
- Body & structure19.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE VEHICLE SURGED INTO A BRICK WALL. WHILE IN PARK, CONSUMER WENT TO PUT THE VEHILCE INTO TEH DRIVE GEAR FROM PARK. WIHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THIS TYPE OF SURGING ACTION WOULD HAPPEN WHILE IN MOTION ALSO. CONSUMER FEELS SOME RETRIBUTION IS OWED. *JG
WHEN CAR IS ON CRUISE CONTROL THE CAR ACCELERATES SOMETIMES . TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON 05-03-2011 WHILE DRIVEING MY MERCEDES BENZ190 SERIES /1985- THE HEATING COIL BURST POURING &SPRAYING HOT RADIATOR COOLANT FROM UNDER THE DASH/OVER THE FIRE WALL ONTO MY LEGS AND FEET. BURNING AND BLISTERING 2ND DEGREE BURNS OVER MY LEGS AND FEET. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM ,THIS JUST HAPPENED OUT OF THE BLUE. THE CAR HAS NEVER GIVEN ME ANY PROBLEM WITH OVER HEATING OR GAUGES. FIRST TIME. I HEARD A HISSIING LIKE SOUND 3 OR 4 SECOUNDS BEFORE MY LEGGS STARTED BURNING. THANKFULLY MY KIDS AND GRANDCHILD WHERE NOT INJURED OR ANY OTHER DRIVER ON THE ROAD -THIS HAS BEEN A HORRIBLE EXPERIANCE AND NOT ABLE TO WORK-MEDICAL BILLS-NO CAR-AND THE PAIN-HOW COULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. WHAT I'VE LEARNED SINCE THIS IS ,APARENTLY THIS YEAR CAR AND MAKE 1985 THE HEATING COIL SITS UP AGAINST THE DASH WALL-SO ANYONE ELSE BETTER BE PAPAIRED FOR THE WORST ,I HOPE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANY ONE ELSE-ITS HORRABLE *WAITING ON RESPONSE FROM MERCEDES BENZ TO SEE IF THEY WILL FIX PROBLEM. AND IF THERE WILL BE A RECALL.* THE DOCTOR AT THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM SAID ANOTHER MAN CAME INTO EMERGENCY ROOM THE MONTH BEFORE ,HIS MERCEDES DID THE SAME THING AND THE MAN WAS BURNT SEVERLY LIKE ME. *TR
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING HEATER CORE BLEW, CAUSING HOT COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S LEGS, CAUSING THIRD DEGREE BURNS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN HOT ANTI-FREEZE & WATER LEAKED ONTO GAS PEDAL AND DRIVER'S FOOT, BURNING IT. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, MECHANIC INDICATED THAT HEATER CORE CRACKED & WAS LEAKING. WAS INFORMED TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. WENT TO EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TREATMENT OF FOOT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND WITHOUT A COLLISION OCCURRING, AIR BAG SENSOR WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE VEHICLE EXPLODED, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR SUBFRAME IS CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE. WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, A METAL TO METAL SOUND IS EXPERIENCED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .