1995 Mercedes-Benz 220 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 1995 Mercedes-Benz 220, 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
- Electrical1055.6%
- Driver assistance211.1%
- Fuel system211.1%
- Body & structure15.6%
- Airbags15.6%
- Engine15.6%
- Visibility15.6%
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
CAR REFUSED TO START. MECHANIC "JIGGLED" THE WIRING HARNESS. THE CAR STARTED, AND CONTINUES TO START. HOWEVER, THE HARNESS IS MADE OF BIODEGRADEABLE MATERIALS, AND IS CRACKED AND TURNING INTO DUST. NEEDS REPLACING. UNDERSTAND IT COULD CATCH FIRE. THIS IS AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM WITH M-B, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED YET. *TR
DRIVING AND CAR STALLED IN INTERSECTION - SMELT SMOKE - WOULD NOT START, TOWED HOME THEN SURPRISINGLY STARTED NEXT DAY, THIS PROBLEM CONTINUED OVER AND OVER DESPITE REPLACING FUEL PUMP, TUNE-UP - MECHANIC RAN A OBD PROGRAM WHICH SHOWED MANY ERRORS, THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME (AND SHOWED ME) THE WIRING HARNESS AND TOLD ME TO "GET RID OF THE CAR" IT WAS DISINTEGRATING - EXPOSED WIRE AND INSULATION ON WIRES WAS CRACKED AND CRUMBLING AND IN SOME PLACES WIRES WERE COMPLETELY EXPOSED. I COULD NOT AFFORD THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND SO MY CAR SAT FOR A LONG TIME AND NOW I HAD A NEW MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION INSTALLED AND FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THIS ADDITIONAL AND VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. *TR
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING AND CAR STALLED IN INTERSECTION - SMELT SMOKE - WOULD NOT START, TOWED HOME THEN SURPRISINGLY STARTED NEXT DAY, THIS PROBLEM CONTINUED OVER AND OVER DESPITE REPLACING FUEL PUMP, TUNE-UP - MECHANIC RAN A OBD PROGRAM WHICH SHOWED MANY ERRORS, THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME (AND SHOWED ME) THE WIRING HARNESS AND TOLD ME TO "GET RID OF THE CAR" IT WAS DISINTEGRATING - EXPOSED WIRE AND INSULATION ON WIRES WAS CRACKED AND CRUMBLING AND IN SOME PLACES WIRES WERE COMPLETELY EXPOSED. I COULD NOT AFFORD THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND SO MY CAR SAT FOR A LONG TIME AND NOW I HAD A NEW MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION INSTALLED AND FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THIS ADDITIONAL AND VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. *TR
WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, ENGINE WENT INTO HIGH IDLE AND ACCELERATED FORWARD, LOST CONTROL, WENT INTO INBANKMENT/GLAZE AND TREE, IMPACT 1:00. *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
DRIVING AND CAR STALLED IN INTERSECTION - SMELT SMOKE - WOULD NOT START, TOWED HOME THEN SURPRISINGLY STARTED NEXT DAY, THIS PROBLEM CONTINUED OVER AND OVER DESPITE REPLACING FUEL PUMP, TUNE-UP - MECHANIC RAN A OBD PROGRAM WHICH SHOWED MANY ERRORS, THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME (AND SHOWED ME) THE WIRING HARNESS AND TOLD ME TO "GET RID OF THE CAR" IT WAS DISINTEGRATING - EXPOSED WIRE AND INSULATION ON WIRES WAS CRACKED AND CRUMBLING AND IN SOME PLACES WIRES WERE COMPLETELY EXPOSED. I COULD NOT AFFORD THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND SO MY CAR SAT FOR A LONG TIME AND NOW I HAD A NEW MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION INSTALLED AND FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THIS ADDITIONAL AND VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. *TR
FUEL LINE LEAKS, PROBLEMS WITH MUFFLER, WATER PUMP AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS NOISY AND SMELLING. *MR *SC *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
PLASTIC RUNNING BOARD CRACKED 3 TIMES. *TT
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
MY MERCEDES BENZ WAS DRIVEN ON HIGHWAY 5 TOWARDS STOCKTON CA AT 65 MILES / HOUR. THE TRAFFIC SUDDENLY STOPPED!. THE DISTANCE TO FRONT VEHICLE WAS MUCH SHORTER TO RESPOND QUICKLY BY PRESSING THE BRAKE. THE MERCEDES REAR ENDED AND CRUSHED THE FRONT CHEVROLET, PUSHED IT INTO A COUPLE OF MORE CARS AHEAD IN THE SAME LANE. THE FRONT OF THE MERCEDES PART SIDE TOTALLY JAMMED AND WAS TOTALED AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO OPEN!, AND THE IMPACT RESULTED IN CHEST, NECK AND BACK INJURY TO MERCEDES BENZ DRIVER.
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
FUEL LINE LEAKS, PROBLEMS WITH MUFFLER, WATER PUMP AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS NOISY AND SMELLING. *MR *SC *JB
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
VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING, ALSO HEAT SYSTEM MAKES A NOISE. TT
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 .