2001 Mercedes-Benz 230 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 2001 Mercedes-Benz 230, 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
- Airbags120.0%
- Brakes120.0%
- Electrical120.0%
- Exterior lighting120.0%
- Seat belts120.0%
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
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TURNING VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. PROBABLE SPEED 55 - 60 MPH, MOSTLY IMPACTED ON FRONT, BUT SIDE AS WELL. NEITHER FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH OWNER RECEIVIING HEAD INJURIED DUE TO SEAT BELT NOT HOLDING. DRIVER WAS THROWN AROUND INSIDE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *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
THERE WAS A RECALL ON A TAIL LAMP ON THE MERCEDES SLK 230. PRIOR TO THE RECALL MY TAIL LAMP CAUGHT FIRE AND MELTED THE ENTIRE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY. WATER GOT IN TO THE TAIL LAMP AND LEAKED TO THE WIRING OF THE ERP PUMP BELOW THE TAIL LAMP IN THE TRUNK. WIRES SHORTED AS A RESULT AND ERP PUMP NOW NEEDS REPLACING. MERCEDES WILL NOT REPLACE THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE FAULTY TAIL LAMP THAT CAUGHT FIRE PRIOR TO THE RECALL. HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE CORROSION NOW IN THE WIRING OF THE ERP PUMP COULD SPARK AND IGNITE THE FUEL TANK ALSO LOCATED DIRECTLY BELOW THE WIRING. *TR
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
THERE WAS A RECALL ON A TAIL LAMP ON THE MERCEDES SLK 230. PRIOR TO THE RECALL MY TAIL LAMP CAUGHT FIRE AND MELTED THE ENTIRE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY. WATER GOT IN TO THE TAIL LAMP AND LEAKED TO THE WIRING OF THE ERP PUMP BELOW THE TAIL LAMP IN THE TRUNK. WIRES SHORTED AS A RESULT AND ERP PUMP NOW NEEDS REPLACING. MERCEDES WILL NOT REPLACE THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE FAULTY TAIL LAMP THAT CAUGHT FIRE PRIOR TO THE RECALL. HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE CORROSION NOW IN THE WIRING OF THE ERP PUMP COULD SPARK AND IGNITE THE FUEL TANK ALSO LOCATED DIRECTLY BELOW THE WIRING. *TR
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
I SEE THAT YOU ARE INVESTIGATING FAILURES OF REAR LIGHTS ON MERCEDES C-CLASS CARS MADE BETWEEN 2008 AND 2011 POSSIBLY CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL CONTACT. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE REAR LIGHTS (BREAK LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, AND TURN SIGNALS) ON MY 2002 MERCEDES C230 FAILED. THE DEALER FOUND A BURNED UP ELECTRICAL CONTACT WHICH WAS REPLACED. THIS COULD BE COINCIDENCE, BUT IT COULD MEAN THAT YOUR MODEL YEAR RANGE IS TOO SMALL. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TURNING VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. PROBABLE SPEED 55 - 60 MPH, MOSTLY IMPACTED ON FRONT, BUT SIDE AS WELL. NEITHER FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH OWNER RECEIVIING HEAD INJURIED DUE TO SEAT BELT NOT HOLDING. DRIVER WAS THROWN AROUND INSIDE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
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 .