RoadVitals

2002 Mercedes-Benz 240 Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints 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.
8
Latest May 13, 2008
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
31%
of 26 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Mercedes-Benz 240 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed May 13, 2008

I PURCHASED MY CAR ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO . I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM . I HAD SERVICE DONE ON THE CAR AND I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE SENSORS. THE LIGHTS KEEP SHORTING OUT . I REPLACE THE BULBS AND IT SHORTS OUT AGAIN . ALSO BRAKE SENSORS KEEP WEARING OUT CAUSING THE BRAKE SENSOR TO KEEP COMING ON . NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE OIL LEVEL SENSOR IT IS SAYING REDUCE OIL LEVEL I HAD THIS DONE AND NO CHANGE . THINKING IT MAY NEED THE OIL CHANGED I TOOK IT IN. SAME NO CHANGE OIL WAS CHANGED AND REDUCE THE OIL LEVEL AS THE CAR STATED AND THERE WAS NO CHANGE STILL . THIS CAR HAS HAD PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM. THAT IS COSTING 500.00 EACH TIME TO HAVE SERVICE AND AMONG OTHER THINGS DONE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10227597
Incident
May 13, 2008
Mileage
84,448 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 26, 2007
Crash reported

CAR SAFETY ISSUE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATES CUSTOMER STATES THAT HIS CAR WAS INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM**NAR**CC THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HOPED THE CAR WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE OR SOLD TO ANYONE THAT WAS NOT INFORMED OF PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED A LETTER FROM THE ATTORNEY OF THE MANUFACTURER STATING THAT THE CLIENT POSITION ON THE MATTER STANDS AND WILL NOT BE RESPONDING TO ANY FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10195719
Incident
Apr 8, 2007
Mileage
34,075 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed May 29, 2007
Crash reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ 240. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AT 2 MPH, THE CONTACT'S WIFE DROVE OVER THE CURB THROUGH A NINE FOOT HIGH FENCE, SPED DOWN A THREE FOOT EMBANKMENT, DROVE ACROSS AN ABANDONED RAIL ROAD TRACK, AND INTO A CHAIN LINKED FENCE. SHE THEN CRASHED INTO A POST WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE PARAMEDIC AND POLICE WERE CALLED. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND SUNNY. A SEPARATE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON APRIL 8, 2007. THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT 2 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. SHE CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR. THE VIN, PURCHASE DATE, ENGINE SIZE, AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 34,275. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. UPDATED 06/26/07. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED MERCEDES BENZ WAS WILLING TO BUY THE VEHICLE BACK, BUT HE WANTS TO KNOW SHOULD HE KEEP THE VEHICLE IN HIS POSSESSION. THE CONSUMER WANTS A STATUS ON HIS COMPLAINT. UPDATED 06/27/07. *JB THE CONSUMER IS STILL AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM MB. UPDATED 07/10/7.*JB THE DEALER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BACK FROM THE CONSUMER AT A WHOLESALE OFFER. UPDATED 07/16/07. *JB

NHTSA ID
10191974
Incident
Apr 8, 2007
Mileage
34,075 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 10, 2005

PURCHASED THE USED 2002 USED VEHICLE IN MARCH 2005. BY APRIL 2005, THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS/HARNESS THAT CONNECTS THE SRS, TELE-AID AND OTHER COMPUTERIZED COMPONENTS STARTED DRAINING THE BATTERY WHCIH CAUSES A SLOW STALL BEFORE AN IMMEDIATE STOPPAGE ON THE HIGHWAY. MERCEDES BENZ MECHANICS HAVE DISCONNECTED THE SRS (AIRBAGS), TELE-AID AND MOST OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO NO AVAIL, WHICH IS CAUSING ADDITIONAL HAZARDOUS AND SAFETY ISSUES. I HAVE VISITED 4 MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE CENTERS IN NY, NJ, PA AND VA FOR A TOTAL OF 8 TIMES AND NO ONE HAS ABLE TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE DIAGNOSIS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE LAST VISIT TO AN MB SERVICE CENTER WAS JULY 7, 2005, IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS OR INJURIES TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. THE MODEL IS A C240.

NHTSA ID
10128235
Incident
Apr 25, 2005
Mileage
47,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 22, 2004
Crash reported

(1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE ARE UNKNOWN. THE CAR IS BRAND NEW AND HAS ABOUT 25,000 MILES. THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WAS STARTING TO RAIN. (2) ON THE HIGHWAY, A BAS AND ESP MALFUNCTION ERROR OCCURRED. THE CAR THEN 10 SECS LATER SPUNG OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING THE CAR TO HIT THE GAURD RAIL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN THE REAR, FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. (3) CURRENTLY, THE CAR IS WORKING. NO MALFUNTION ERRORS ARE OCCURRING. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS STILL UNKNOWN. NO PARTS WERE REPAIRED OR REPLACED THAT DEAL WITH THE BAS AND ESP SYSTEM IN THE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID
10082492
Incident
May 1, 2004
Body & structureDriver assistanceElectrical+3 more
Filed Dec 1, 2003

I HAVE HAD A STRING OF PROBLEMS EVER SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2002 MERCEDES C240. I HAVE HAD THE PANIC ALARM FAIL IN A PARKING LOT (FORTUNATELY I HAD PEPPER SPRAY), I HAVE HAD MY SEAT RETRACT ALL THE WAY BACK AND GET STUCK (I HAVE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER WITH PILLOWS AND BLANKETS BEHIND ME) AND HAVE HAD TO TURN OFF THAT CAR FEATURE SO IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN! MY KEY STOPPED UNLOCKING MY DOOR DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE KEY SO I WAS HAVING TO LEAVE MY DOORS UNLOCKED. MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FOR DOORS, SUNROOF, ETC. COMES UNSYNCED ABOUT ONCE EVERY OTHER MONTH, MY SUNROOF MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, I HAD A LEAK IN THE BACK OF MY CAR SOAKING THE BACK SEATS, CUP HOLDER QUIT RETRACTING, FUEL LINE BLOCKAGES THAT CAUSE THE CAR TO RUN BADLY, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE LATCH ESSEMBLY IN MY TRUCK, AND OTHER LITTLE STRANGE THINGS. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP A RIDICULOUS NUMBER OF TIMES IN ITS FIRST TWO YEARS, AND AFTER THE PANIC ALARM INCIDENT, I AM TOO AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, AND MERCEDES JUST REFERS ME TO THE PARTS PEOPLE WHEN I COMPLAIN. I LIVE A HOUR A WAY FROM A DEALER AND END UP HAVING TO SPEND THE DAY IN THE WAITING ROOM WHILE THEY FIX THE PROBLEMS. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. THE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO MY STATE'S ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10048979
Incident
Nov 1, 2003
Electrical
Filed Oct 17, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AND CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE AND THE CONSUMER WAS FORCE TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

NHTSA ID
8021010
Incident
Oct 3, 2002
Electrical
Filed Jun 25, 2002

THERE IS AN ERROR MESSAGE !'1 MALFUNCTION!( DISPLAYED AT THE FRONT DIGITAL PANEL AS I CHOSE NOT TO ACTIVE THE !'TELE-AID!( PROGRAM. I WAS NEVER DISCLOSED BY THE MERCEDES DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM. MERCEDES GIVES ONE YEAR FREE OF SERVICE TO ACTIVE FOR THE 1ST YEAR, BUT THE MESSAGE WILL START TO SHOW AGAIN AFTER DE-ACTIVATING IT. THIS MISLEADING ERROR MESSAGE WOULD SERIOUSLY CAUSE IGNORANCE OF REAL PROBLEMS SUCH FROM ENGINE, MECHANICS OR ELECTRONICS IF THE SERVICE IS DE-ACTIVATED AFTER 1ST YEAR. I CAN FORESEE MY HUGE LIABILITY IN THE FUTURE. I SUGGEST TO DMV TO FORCE MERCEDES TO CAL BACK ALL 2002 MODEL FOR SAFETY REASONS.*AK

NHTSA ID
763458
Incident
Jun 17, 2002

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

Data on this page last refreshed .