RoadVitals

1998 Mercedes-Benz 280

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.
3
Latest Aug 31, 2001
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz 280, most frequently naming the tires & wheels, fuel system and visibility categories.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Tires & wheels250.0%
  • Fuel system125.0%
  • Visibility125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

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

Fuel systemTires & wheels
Filed Aug 31, 2001

RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND HIT FIREPLUG, FIRESTONE AFFINITY, P215/60R15, CLAIM 35-W577-593. *SLC

NHTSA ID
6900295
Incident
Dec 26, 2000
Visibility
Filed Aug 28, 2001

THE DRIVER HEARD A PING NOISE, NOT VERY LOUD AND SUBSEQUENTLY A SMALL STAR LIKE MARK ON THE WINDSHIELD APPEARED, WITHIN A COUPLE HOURS LONG FREEFORM CRACK LINES ON THE WINDSHIELD HAD EMANATED FROM THAT SMALL STAR LIKE PING EARLIER ON, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, THE WINSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED. NLM

NHTSA ID
562814
Incident
Aug 16, 2001
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 17, 1999

ALL 4 TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED EVEN BEFORE 20,000 MILES OR THE CAR 2 YRS OLD. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205/60 15 )

NHTSA ID
713430
Incident
Jun 1, 1999

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mercedes-Benz 280 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2000600
1999300
1998Viewing300
1997500
1996130037.7
1995470040.7
1994180045.7
1988001
1987001
1986001
1985001
1984001
1976010
1973020
1972010
1971030

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.