1991 Mercedes-Benz 190E 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 1991 Mercedes-Benz 190E, 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
- Engine220.0%
- Airbags220.0%
- Electrical110.0%
- Fuel system110.0%
- Seat belts110.0%
- Tires & wheels110.0%
- Visibility110.0%
- Driver assistance110.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING VEHICLE CUTS OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND HAS REPLACED THREE HEAD GASKETS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
PLASTIC NECK FOR UPPER RADIATOR HOSE FRACTURED WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF COOLANT. *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 AT ABOUT 45-50 MPH CONSUMER HAD A HIGH IMPACT HEAD-ON COLLISON. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SID AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS JUST AWARE THAT AIRS BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE TRANSPORTING FOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, I HEARD A LONG BANGING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE CAR. THE CAR TRAVELED ABOUT 6 FEET AND STOPPED. AFTER THE CAR STOPPED, THE DRIVERSIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSING SEVERE BRUSING, ABRASIONS, AND BURNS TO MY LEFT ARM. CLIFFORD BLAKEMORE, SERVICE MANAGER AT LONG OF CHATTANOOGA CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY UNDER THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED AND AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD STOPPED. HE STATED THAT THE FLEXDISK WHICH CONNECTS THE DRIVE SHAFT TO THE TRANSMISSION PROBABLY CAME LOOSE AND RESULTED IN THE DRIVE SHAFT HITTING THE TRANSMISSION TUNNEL. THIS WOULD HAVE EXPLAINED THE LOUD, BANGING NOISE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED FROM ANOTHER SOURCE THAT THE CONTROL UNIT FOR THE AIRBAG RESIDES ON TOP OF THE TRANSMISSION TUNNEL. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE AIRBAG COULD HAVE DEPLOYED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION RESULTING IN MUCH MORE SEVERE INJURIES OR EVEN FATALITIES. I QUESTION WHETHER THE AIRBAG COULD ACCIDDENTLY BE DEPLOYED BY THE CAR STRIKING AN OBJECT ON THE ROAD OR HITTING A POTHOLE AND BELIEVE THE DESIGN OF THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT POSES A SERIOUS THREAT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
MECEDES BENZ 190E PRESENTS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD TO THE OCCUPANTS AND OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. ENGINE STALLS. STALLING OCCURS OUT IN TRAFFIC. THE AUTO IS EITHER MAKING A TURN AT AN INTERSECTION OR STALLS WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. WHEN FIRST THE PROBLEM WAS ENCOUNTERED, WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED COMPONENTS, BUT TO NO AVAIL.(WE PAID FOR THESE) WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE DEALER WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO JUST KEEP REPLACING PARTS UNTIL IT WAS REPAIRED ( THE COST OF THESE EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENTS LABOR IN & OUT, IF THE PART DID NOT WORK, WOULD FALL ON US). WE HAVE REPLACED PARTS WITH STILL NO CURE FOR THE STALLING PROBLEM.WE HAVE FOLLOWED ALL THE MANUFACTURE'S OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PROCEEDURES.THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TWICE BY ME. ONCE THEY SAID THAT THE SAN DIEGO REP. WOULD CONTACT THE DEALER ON ANOTHER OCASSION I LEFT MESSAGES THAT WERE NOT RETURNED. I AM A RETIRED TEACHER AND CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE AND LOOSE ALL THAT HAS BEEN INVESTED IN THIS AUTO. MORE THAN THAT, THE AUTO IS A DANGER TO DRIVE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE AFTER OVERNIGHT PARKING. WHEN I ACTIVATED IGNITION THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION UNDER THE HOOD WHICH BLEW OFF MOST OF THE INSULATION LINING AND IGNITED A FIRE AROUND THE AIR INTAKE COVER. *AK I WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP RELAY SWITCH FAILED. THIS AND THE FULE PUM WERE REPLACED BUT NOW VEHICLE WILL INTERMITENTLY ACCELERATE WHEN IDLING AND OR MOVING AT AROUND 25MPH.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELT LATCH FAILURE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. HOWEVER, CONSUMER KEPT CONTROL OF VEHICLE.TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE AFINITY. *AK
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
THE HEATER CORE IN THE VEHICLE RUPTURED, CAUSING BOILING HOT COOLANT TO POUR ONTO THE DRIVER'S FEET. THE BOILING COOLANT CAUSED BURNS TO THE DRIVER'S FOOT ANKLE AND LEG.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
1991 MERCEDES 190E IDLED OUT OF CONTROL. CANT FIND ANYONE WHO KNOWS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR OR HOW TO FIX IT. ITS A HAZARD AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHEN IT IDLES UP SO HIGH, THE CAR ACTUALLY PEELS OUT IF YOU LET YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BRING IT TO A FULL STOP. *TR
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 .