RoadVitals

1994 Mercedes-Benz 220

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 Jun 29, 2008
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.
0
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.
0
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 1994 Mercedes-Benz 220, most frequently naming the electrical, driver assistance and suspension categories. 2 manufacturer communications are 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

  • Electrical350.0%
  • Driver assistance116.7%
  • Suspension116.7%
  • Transmission116.7%

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

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

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

Electrical
Filed Jun 29, 2008

MY 1994 C220 HAS HAD ITS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON FOR AWHILE AND THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE CAR EITHER NOT STARTING PROPERLY, STRANGE NOISES WHEN I TURN THE RADIO ON WHEN THE ANTENNA GOES UP, THE HEAT AUTOMATICALLY TURNS ON, THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT, THE CAR HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO IN GEAR OR FROM NEUTRAL TO IN GEAR OR PARK OR REVERSE. I WAS TOLD BY A LICENSED MERCEDES SERVICE CENTER THAT THEY CAN NOT REPAIR ANY OTHER ITEMS UNDER MY HOOD UNTIL THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS IS TOTALLY REPLACED SINCE IT HAS WORN INSULATION AND FRAYED AND BARE WIRES. THEIR POLICY IS TO DO NOTHING TO THE CAR UNTIL HARNESS IS REPLACED. TOO DANGEROUS, FIRE HAZARD, ETC. *TR

NHTSA ID
10232616
Incident
Jun 27, 2008
Mileage
174,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 19, 2008

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD HAS DETERIORATING INSULATION, CAUSING THE WIRES TO RUB TOGETHER SHORTING OUT WITH ONE ANOTHER. WIRING INSULATION BEGUN CRACKING WHEN CAR WAS ONE YEAR OLD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10225002
Incident
Jan 12, 1995
Mileage
12,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 4, 2007

MY 1994 C220 MERCEDES QUIT RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD MY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR CAR. THIS CAR WAS ALWAYS SERVICED AT A MERCEDES DEALER SHIP. WHY COULD THIS HAVE NOT BEEN POINTED OUT BEFORE I GOT STRANDED? I AM ALSO TOLD THIS IS A VERY EXTREME FIRE HAZARD. *JB

NHTSA ID
10184175
Incident
Feb 26, 2007
Mileage
113,000 mi
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Apr 13, 2001

WHEN GETTING CLOSE TO A STOP VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. CONSUMER HAS TO PLACE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL TO CONTROL VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
885899
Incident
Apr 12, 2001
Suspension
Filed Mar 22, 1996

THE VEHICLE PULLS TO LEFT WHILE DRIVING .PLEASE DESCRIBE. )AK

NHTSA ID
981075
Incident
Mar 22, 1996

Manufacturer communications

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

463040

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

FLOW NOISES FROM AREA OF POWER STEERING PUMP AND/OR FOAMING OF POWER STEERING OIL IN RESERVOIR. *TT

MBNA82/81

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

BONDING HEADLAMP LENS TO HOUSING. *TW

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 220 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2003000—
2002000—
2001100—
2000201—
1997000—
1996500—
1995140046.7
1994Viewing500—
1993000—
1988001—
1987001—
1986001—
1985001—
1984001—
1973010—
1972010—
1971010—
1968010—

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.