1996 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 1996 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
- Heating & air conditioning116.7%
- Driver assistance116.7%
- Electrical116.7%
- Fuel system116.7%
- Interior & seats116.7%
- Visibility116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE.
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES BENZ C220. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, HE ACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND ATTEMPTED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.
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
MY 1996 MERCEDES C220 HAS 190,000 MILES ON IT. THE WIRING HARNESS COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED AND I WAS TOLD BY MY REPAIR SHOP THAT THE FAULTY WIRING HARNESS SHORTED OUT THE COMPUTER. I CALLED MERCEDES CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SENT A LETTER TO PAUL HALATA. THEY WERE VERY SORRY, BUT THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY GARAGE - NOT RUNNING. *NM
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
FUEL PUMP FAILED TWICE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILED.
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
POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILED.
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 .