2003 Mercedes-Benz 208 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 2003 Mercedes-Benz 208, 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
- Body & structure125.0%
- Brakes125.0%
- Exterior lighting125.0%
- Tires & wheels125.0%
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
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A PT CRUISER 2003 AND I NOTICED ABOUT 7 MONTHS AGO THAT THE DASHBOARD HAD A VERY BIG CRACK GOING STRAIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE. I AM THE ONLY PERSON THAT DROVE THE CAR SO I KNEW I DIDN'T DO IT. I THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF WEAR AND TEAR. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. THEN, I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE SUN. I WAS READING OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND REALIZED THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE DASHBOARD GOING TO PIECES AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT CHRYSLER WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS IMPERFECTION ON THEIR PART. I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE FIXED. I AM CURRENTLY FINANCING THE CAR AND COULD NOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER DASHBOARD, THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I WOULD LIKE T FOR CHRYSLER TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
SBC STOP WORKING CALL MBUSA AND THEY SAY THE FIXED THAT AND THE WARRANTY IS OUT WICH THIS JUST NOW HAPPENED I DIDN'T HAPPENED BEFORE 10 YEARS NOW WE HAVE TO PAY ON OUR OWN
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS ON MY 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SLK CONTINUALLY GO OUT. THE LIGHTS ARE NOT BURNING OUT, BUT IT APPEARS THE CONNECTIONS ON THE LIGHTS GET TO HOT AND BURN UP. *NM
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
I HAVE HAD TWO COMPLETE SETS OF CONTI -TOURING CONTACT ECO PLUS CONTI SEAL (P225/60 R 18 99H CH95) ON MY 2004 CHRYSLER 300 C AUTO IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE FIRST SET CAME WITH THE CAR. THE SECOND SET, WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE DUE TO DANGEROUS TIRE WEAR AND INSTABILITY, HAS NOW GONE BAD. THEY MUST BE REPLACED. MY CAR ONLY HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE NOW GONE THROUGH TWO COMPLETE SETS OF CONTINENTAL TIRES. TWO CHRYSLER DEALERS (ONE IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA AND THE OTHER IN GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FLORIDA) REFUSES TO REPLACE THESE TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. THEY PASS THE RESPONSIBILITY ON TO CONTINENTAL. CONTINENTAL WANT TO PUT THEIR NEW TIRES ON MY CAR, AT A REDUCED PRICE. I WILL NOT PUT CONTINENTAL TIRES ON MY CAR AGAIN. WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE OTHER THAN TAKING LEGAL ACTION? PLEASE ADVISE. *NM
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 .