RoadVitals

1996 Mercedes-Benz 280 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
13
Latest Sep 19, 2007
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.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Mar 25, 1996

What this page shows

Our database holds 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Mercedes-Benz 280. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–13 of 13

Electrical
Filed Sep 19, 2007

EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS MERCEDES C280 1996 THREE YEARS AGO (2004) IT HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS AND IT IS JUST TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE IT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10203462
Incident
Jul 1, 2004
Electrical
Filed Jul 1, 2007

DURING A RECENT SERVICE OF MY VEHICLE AT AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE CENTER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE INSULATION COVERING MY WIRES WERE DECOMPOSING AND THE WIRES WERE EXPOSED TO THE ENGINE, HENCE CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM, AND THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES IF THE WIRES CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A MATERIAL DEFECT. HE REVEALED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME HE HAD OBSERVED THIS PROBLEM WITH 1996 280C- CLASS. SINCE THIS APPEARED TO BE A HABITUAL DEFECT WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL; I ASKED IF A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED TO REPLACE THIS DECOMPOSING WIRE HARNESS. HE REPLIED "NO." I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE HARNESS REPLACED. IT IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE PAID BY THE MANUFACTURER. I HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY OTHER OWNERS, @ MERCEDESHOP.COM SITE, HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 280C CLASS. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME? *TR

NHTSA ID
10195095
Incident
Jun 26, 2007
Mileage
90,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 12, 1998

AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD OR ROCKS BACKWARD, PROBLEM STILL EXIST.

NHTSA ID
512075
Transmission
Filed Oct 28, 1997
Crash reported

ON SLIGHT INCLINE, AFTER GEAR SHIFT WAS PUT INTO PARK, KEY REMOVED AND SHUT DOOR WHILE WALKING TOWARD HOUSE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN THE HILL, HITTING TWO TREES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK *NLM

NHTSA ID
817824
Incident
Oct 15, 1997
Visibility
Filed Oct 27, 1997

WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID SENSOR FAILED.

NHTSA ID
605203
Incident
May 1, 1996
Electrical
Filed Sep 18, 1997

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS HAS NUMEROUS FAILURES SINCE OWNER PURCHASED VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
603983
Incident
Jan 1, 1996
Suspension
Filed Jul 17, 1997

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE VEHICLE WILL START TO VIBRATE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
814343
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed May 16, 1997

DRIVING VEHICLE; AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. HAD THE SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAGS REPLACED; TOOK TO DEALER WHO HAD REPAIRED PROBLEM TEMPORARILY, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
812335
Incident
Feb 28, 1997
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Apr 28, 1997

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED.

NHTSA ID
603263
Incident
May 21, 1996
Tires & wheels
Filed Apr 10, 1997

MICHELIN TIRE FAILED. (SIZE P195/65R15)

NHTSA ID
603190
Incident
Dec 30, 1996
Airbags
Filed Feb 28, 1997
Crash reported1 injury reported

NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG IN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
515177
Incident
Dec 19, 1996
Engine
Filed Feb 12, 1997

FAN BELT FAILED.

NHTSA ID
602536
Incident
Nov 27, 1996
Brakes
Filed Mar 25, 1996

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND CAR CONTINUES TO MOVE. *AK

NHTSA ID
981194

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .