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.
47
Latest Apr 1, 2014
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.
6
3 injuries, 0 deaths reported
Overview
Our database contains 47 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz 280, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and fuel system categories.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
Monthly complaints peaked at 3 in Nov 2006. Most recent month: 1.View as table
Monthly owner complaints for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz 280
Month
Complaints filed
Cumulative
Feb 1995
1
1
Mar 1995
1
2
Aug 1995
1
3
Sep 1995
1
4
Oct 1995
1
5
Jul 1996
1
6
Sep 1998
1
7
Jul 1999
1
8
Oct 1999
1
9
Jun 2000
1
10
Dec 2000
1
11
Jul 2002
1
12
Feb 2003
1
13
Oct 2003
1
14
Feb 2004
1
15
May 2004
1
16
Aug 2004
1
17
Sep 2004
1
18
Nov 2004
1
19
Apr 2006
1
20
Jul 2006
1
21
Aug 2006
1
22
Oct 2006
1
23
Nov 2006
3
26
Dec 2006
1
27
Feb 2007
1
28
Apr 2007
1
29
Aug 2007
3
32
Sep 2007
1
33
Oct 2007
1
34
Nov 2007
3
37
Apr 2008
1
38
Sep 2008
1
39
Oct 2008
2
41
Mar 2011
1
42
Apr 2012
1
43
May 2012
1
44
Aug 2012
1
45
Sep 2012
1
46
Apr 2014
1
47
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
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
THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THE THE BALL JOINT IS ATTACHED BROKE DETACHING THE WHEEL AND CAUSING THE TIRE TO COLLAPSE. A MERCEDES-BENZ SPECIALIST IN MY AREA WHO REPAIRS ONLY MERCEDES-BENZ ADVISED ME THAT THIS IS ALL TOO COMMON WITH THIS SERIES OF MERCEDES-BENZ HAS RANGING FROM 1994 TO 1998 IN BOTH C CLASS AND E CLASS VEHICLES. THE REPAIR SHOP THAT REPLACED THE CONTROL ARM WAS ALSO SURPRISED ON HOW THIN THE SHEET METAL CONTROL ARM IS WHERE THE BALL JOINT MOUNTING IS WELDED ONTO THE SHEET METAL. OVER TIME RUST FORMS ON THE INSIDE OF THE SHEET METAL WHICH IS HOLLOW. TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME REPAIR SHOP HAD ANOTHER CUSTOMER COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ON A 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ. MERCEDES-BENZ HAS NEVER MADE A RECOIL, AND DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS SERIES OF VEHICLES. WHICH IN REALITY IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *TR
NHTSA ID
10576310
Incident
Jan 15, 2014
Mileage
286,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 24, 2012
WHILE TRAVELING, CAR GRADUALLY LOST POWER UNTIL COMPLETELY SHUT-OFF. MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROADWAY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN ON AGAIN. NO POWER AT ALL. COULD NOT EVEN TURN ON HAZARDS. THANKFULLY, A GOOD SAMARITAN PULLED UP BEHIND ME WITH THEIR FLASHERS ON AND PROVIDED ME WITH A BOOST THAT POWERED UP MY VEHICLE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE MAIN ROADWAY. HOWEVER, ONCE I STOPPED AT THE NEXT STOP SIGN THE CAR SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. AGAIN, THE SAME GUY CAME TO MY AID. THIS TIME WE LET THE BATTERY CHARGE FOR A MUCH LONGER TIME. I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR BUT, THE RPM'S WERE GOING CRAZY. THE DIALS WERE GOING UP AND DOWN. THE CAR WAS REVVING UP AND DOWN. THE FUEL GAUGE, ODOMETER AND OTHER GAUGES WERE AT ZERO. ODD. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT I NEEDED A NEW WIRING HARNESS AS HE SHOWED ME THE INSULATION ON MINE HAD COMPLETELY DETERIORATED WAS CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT. HE STATED THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM FOR THESE VEHICLES AND THAT IT MAY CAUSE A FIRE OR A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD. THIS REPAIR IS COSTING ME $1700. MB CUSTOMER SERVICE ARE NO HELP. *TR
NHTSA ID
10476841
Incident
Sep 14, 2012
Mileage
130,000 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Aug 23, 2012
Fire reported1 injury reported
CAR HAS BEEN A GOOD RUNNING CAR FRO SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES, HOWEVER TODAY IT STARTED, WHAT SEEM TO BE A MISFIRE. I CHECKED THE SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, IGNITERS AND THEY WERE ALL IN GOOD CONDITION SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED RECENTLY. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT 35 MILES AN HOUR THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKED AND SMOKE FILED THE INSIDE AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ON A BUSY CROSS ROAD, SO INSTANT PANIC SET IN, BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF VISION AND UNABLE TO BREATH FROM THE FUMES. I SUFFER FROM MIGRAINES AND HAD TO GO TO THE DOCTOR FOR A CHECK UP BECAUSE MY HEALTH HAS NOT BEEN THE SAME SINCE. AS DAYLIGHT CAME I FINALLY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE AND IT WAS THE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON CERTAIN YEARS OF MERCEDES BENZ, PER THE VAST AMOUNT OF INFORMATION REGARDING THE ISSUE AND HOW I AM NOW WRITING ABOUT IT. THE CAR HAS BEEN A GOOD RUNNING CAR, BUT MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ID
10471970
Incident
Aug 22, 2012
Mileage
202,122 mi
Engine
Filed May 14, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C280. WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
NHTSA ID
10458447
Incident
Aug 18, 2010
Mileage
130,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 12, 2012
Fire reported
THE WIRE HARNESS ON MY VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY DETERIORATED. IT ACTUALLY CAUGHT FIRE BY THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CONNECTOR. ALL OF THE INSULATION ON THE HARNESS IS GONE. *TR
NHTSA ID
10455008
Incident
Apr 1, 2008
Mileage
60,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Mar 8, 2011
THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAS BADLY DETERIORATED DUE TO USING POOR MATERIALS. THIS IS A VERY HIGH OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT IT CAN CAUSE STALLING, SUDDEN ACCELERATION, FIRE AND IT CAN ALSO CAUSE VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS TO OTHER VEHICLE SYSTEMS. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM OUT OF CONCERN FOR CONSUMER SAFETY, AND EXPENSE.
NHTSA ID
10389389
Incident
Feb 25, 2011
Mileage
150,000 mi
ElectricalFuel systemTires & wheels
Filed Oct 31, 2008
ROTTED DISINTEGRATED WIRING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ELECTRICAL PROBLEM--DASHBOARD LIGHTS THAT GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY---- ABS, CLOCK, OUTSIDE TEMP GAUGE, REAR DEFROSTER. HAD PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION---WIRING WAS "PATCHED UP" AS BEST AS IT COULD BE AND STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A 1995 C-280 WITH APPROX. 118000 MI. I HAVE ALSO HAD AN UNRELATED PROBLEM WHICH, ACCORDING TO MY BENZ MECH, JUST LIKE THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THESE CARS,WAS A DISINTEGRATING GAS HOSE THAT HAD GASOLINE SPEWING EVERYWHERE. THE THREE (EXPENSIVE) HOSES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO SHOW RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE PROBLEMS. PERHAPS A CLASS ACTION SUIT MIGHT STIR THEM UP. *TR
NHTSA ID
10247400
Incident
Mar 1, 2008
Mileage
10,900 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Oct 9, 2008
1.TEMPERATURE AND FUEL GAUGE HAS INTERMITTENT ISSUES. ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ONE COLD MORNING. 2. ENGINE STALLS / STUTTERS WHEN COLD. LOST POWER TO CAR AND ALMOST HIT A WALL TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. 3 3. NO MONEY TO CORRECT THE ISSUE YET. I DRIVE A DIFFERENT CAR DAILY AND TRY TO AVOID USING THIS ONE. *TR
NHTSA ID
10244954
Incident
Oct 3, 2008
Mileage
106,100 mi
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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.