RoadVitals

1988 Mercedes-Benz 190

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.
5
Latest Oct 11, 2007
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.
1
Latest Aug 20, 1991
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.
1
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 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Mercedes-Benz 190, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and fuel system categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

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

  • Electrical222.2%
  • Engine222.2%
  • Fuel system222.2%
  • Brakes111.1%
  • Transmission111.1%
  • Visibility111.1%

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

Safety recalls

1 campaign 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
91V137000

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL

Aug 20, 1991
96,541 units potentially affected
The defect: THE DESIGN OF THE PARKING BRAKE GRIP MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO DISTORT THE GRIP AND PINCH THE BRAKE RELEASE KNOB. IF THE RELEASE KNOB STICKS IN A PARTIAL ENGAGE/RELEASE POSITION BECAUSE OF THE PINCHED GRIP, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE LEVER TO RELEASE UNINTENTIONALLY WITH A CORRESPONDING REDUCTION IN PARKING BRAKE FORCE.
The risk: IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT PROPERLY PARKED WITH THETRANSMISSION IN THE CORRECT POSITION, AND IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A GRADE,REDUCTION IN PARKING BRAKE FORCE COULD LEAD TO UNINTENTIONAL ROLLAWAY AND ANACCIDENT.
The remedy: REPLACE THE PARKING BRAKE GRIP WITH A NEW GRIP TYPE.
MERCEDES-BENZ USA, INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA88034ClosedEngineering Analysis

SUDDEN ACCELERATION

Opened Jul 15, 1988
Closed Jul 31, 1990

THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY PETITIONED NHTSA TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTOSUDDEN ACCELERATION ON VARIOUS MERCEDES-BENZ MODELS.THE PETITION WASGRANTED WITH RESPECT TO THE 1986-1987 300E MODEL AND ENGINEERING ANALYSISEA88-003 WAS OPENED COVERING JUST THE 1986 AND 1987 300 E VEHICLES.SUBSEQUENTLY, CFAS REPETITIONED NHTSA TO EXPAND ITS INVESTIGATION TO COVERALL 1984 THROUGH 1987 MERCEDES GASOLINE POWERED VEHICLES.DEFECT PETITIONNUMBER DP88-013 WAS THEN ASSIGNED.ON JULY 14, 1988, THE CFAS WAS ADVISEDTHAT PETITION DP88-013 HAD BEEN GRANTED AND THAT A NEW ENGINEERING ANALYSIS(EA88-034) HAD BEEN OPENED.THE PRECEDING PETITIONS AND THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAVE BEEN MERGED INTOEA88-034.===

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

Recent owner complaints

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

Electrical
Filed Oct 11, 2007

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. FIRST, THE WINDOWS WOULDN'T ROLL UP OR DOWN, THEN THE RADIO BEGAN SHORTING OUT WHEN I DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR OPENED THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. NEXT THE A/C, HEATER & ECONOMY EVENT ALL CEASED WORKING AND THE RADIO WOULD TURN ON ONLY 1-2 PER WEEK RANDOMLY. NEXT ALL MY GAUGES ON MY CONSOLE WENT OUT (GAS GAUGE, RPM GAUGE, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE). THE SUNROOF STOPPED WORKING AS WELL AND I WAS STUCK IN THE SUMMER TIME WITH NO WAY TO ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN, NO AIR SOURCE OF ANY SORT WHATSOEVER & A SUNROOF THAT WOULDN'T OPEN IN THE SWELTERING HEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10205423
Incident
Apr 28, 2006
Fuel system
Filed Nov 26, 2004

1988 190E MERCEDES BENZ--NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING CAR WILL TURN COMPLETELY OFF OR ACCELERATION WILL STOP AND CAR WILL ACCELERATE AFTER BRIEF PAUSE (ALL WHILE DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEED). NOT ACCELERATOR CABLE OR FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM. VERY DANGEROUS AS THERE IS NO WARNING & NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10100569
Incident
Oct 13, 2004
Mileage
193,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 27, 2002

THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ON-GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE STALLING WHILE DRIVING, DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. NLM

NHTSA ID
8006455
Incident
Jul 1, 2001
BrakesElectricalFuel system+2 more
Filed Oct 9, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
713049
Incident
Sep 15, 1995
Engine
Filed Apr 11, 1999

WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON AT ANY GIVEN SPEEDS. WHILE THE LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR STARTS TO CHOKE OR BUCK, LIKE NO GAS IS GETTING THRU. THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN NUMEROUS DRIVING SITUATIONS, FROM STOPPING FOR A LIGHT, TO DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY. AFTER CAR BUCKS, OR "CHOKES" THE VEHICLE STALLS. IT STARTS RIGHT UP AGAIN, WITH NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO PULL OF A HIGHWAY NUMEROUS TIMES, TO AVOID STALLING, WITH CONTINUOUS TRAFFIC COMING BEHIND ME. LIKE I STATED PREVIOUSLY, THERE IS NO REASON, NOR DO I GET ANY WARNINGS THAT THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE. I HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT BRANDS OF GAS, SO I DON'T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO TAKEN THE CAR TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS AMD DEALERS, AND NOBODY SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM ACCURATELY.

NHTSA ID
705517
Incident
Oct 5, 1994

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

PSIMBNA4020M

TIRES

UPDATED INFORMATION TO REFLECT ADDITON OF APPROVED TIRES. *YC

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mercedes-Benz 190 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1999500—
1997100—
1995300—
1993700—
1992300—
1991600—
1990400—
1989110047.8
1988Viewing511—
1987141361.0
1986825—
1985102466.3
1984433—

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.