2002 Mercedes-Benz 215 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 2002 Mercedes-Benz 215, 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
- Electrical150.0%
- Engine150.0%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
ELECTRONIC KEY FAILED TO TURN IN IGNITION. DEALER SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT MAY BE IGNITION SWITCH PRONE TO FAILURE. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER : PB805711 FOR THE IGNITION SYSTEM. IN THE LIGHT OF SERIOUS GM RECALL CONTROVERSY I AM CONCERNED THAT IF IGNITION FAILURE IS OCCURRING AT START TIME, IT MAY ALSO FAIL AT RUNNING SPEED CAUSING ENGINE, AIRBAGS, BRAKES AND STEERING TO STOP WORKING. GM FAILURE SEEMS TO BE MECHANICAL AND WHILE MERCEDES SEEMS TO BE ELECTRONIC, THE EFFECT COULD BE JUST AS DISASTROUS WITH RESULTING ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS. *TR
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
BOTH COIL PACKS DEFECTIVE, THE GARAGE TOLD ME THAT THE ONE DISINTEGRATED, AND THE OTHER COIL PACK, I SMELLED WHAT SMELLED LIKE A FIRE DURING TEST DRIVE AFTER THE FIRST COIL PACK WAS REPLACED. THE SECOND ONE WENT BAD, THEY SAID IT WAS ARCING, AND WOULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. ALTHOUGH, IT WAS AT A MERCEDES DEALER IN ROCHESTER NY, THEY DIDN'T OFFER TO PAY FOR THE DEFECTIVE PART. THROUGH RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FIND THAT THESE COIL PACKS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR GOING BAD WITH LOW MILEAGE. ONE DISINTEGRATED AND CAUSED MISFIRE, AND THE OTHER APPARENTLY CAUSED A FIRE THAT CAUSED IT TO GO BAD. *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 .