1999 Mercedes-Benz 300 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 1999 Mercedes-Benz 300, 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
- Electrical233.3%
- Airbags116.7%
- Engine116.7%
- Fuel system116.7%
- Transmission116.7%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ 300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO LOCK THE DOORS BUT NOTICED THAT THE KEY WAS NOT WORKING. THE CONTACT USED THE SPARE KEY AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE MAIN KEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE KEY WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
WITHOUT WARNING THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE DUE TO A FAULTY BASE CIRCUIT. *JB *TS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE CONSOLE, CONSUMER CONTACTED MERCEDES AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT AN AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*JB *TS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
ENGINE FUEL LINE LEAKING, CAUSING FUEL TO FUME INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH MAY RESULT IN A FIRE. DEALER CANNOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON MAY 26, 2006, MY MERCEDES BENZ 1999 300D LOST ALL POWER DURING ROUTINE OPERATION. THE CAR STALLED WHILE IN MOTION IN REGULAR TRAFFIC, AND WAS REQUIRED TO BE TOWED TO A MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP. I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE WAS A DEFECTIVE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. PART NUMBER 003-153-74-28. THE PART WAS REPLACED. WHEN THE CAR WAS RETURNED, IT WAS DRIVEN NO MORE THAN 12 MILES WHEN THE EXACT SAME CONDITION RE-OCCURRED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION IN TRAFFIC. THE CAR WAS TOWED AGAIN AND REPAIRED ON JUNE 2, 2006 AT A MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP, AND THIS TIME THE REASON GIVEN FOR THE FAILURE WAS A BROKEN PRE-FILTER AND MAIN FUEL FILTER. PARTS NUMBER 601-092-01-05, 601-090-16-52, AND 601 997-01-48. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER PROMPTLY, AS THERE APPEARS TO BE A CONDITION WHICH CAN CAUSE THE LOSS OF ALL POWER WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION FAILED.*JB *TS
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 .