RoadVitals

1986 Mercedes-Benz 300E

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.
11
Latest Nov 13, 2009
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.
1
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.
1
6 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 11 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300E, most frequently naming the airbags, fuel system and interior & seats categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it.

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

  • Airbags423.5%
  • Fuel system211.8%
  • Interior & seats211.8%
  • Other / unspecified15.9%
  • Powertrain (other)15.9%
  • Seat belts15.9%
  • Steering15.9%
  • Suspension15.9%

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.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE87001ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

SUDDEN ACCELERATION

Opened Oct 2, 1986
Closed Jan 14, 1987

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA(MBNA) REPORTED AN ADDITIONAL 4 CASES OF ALLEGED SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THESUBJECT VEHICLES IN ADDITION TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TO NHTSA.ALLCASES WERE INVESTIGATED BY MBNA REPRESENTATIVES, AND NO TRENDS OR NOTABLESIMILARITIES WERE FOUND IN THE APPARENT CAUSES OF THE ALLEGED INCIDENTS.NO GEOGRAPHIC OR VEHICLE MILEAGE TRENDS WERE NOTED AMONG THE INCIDENTSREPORTED. MBNA CONDUCTED TESTS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF OPEN THROTTLE, OPENENGINE IDLE BYPASS VALVE, AND BRAKE APPLICATION UNDER VARYING CONDITIONSOF VEHICLE MOTION ON ASPHALT AND GRASSY SURFACES.THE RESULTS OF THESETESTS WERE PROVIDED TO NHTSA, AND INDICATE THAT THE SERVICE BRAKES WEREFULLY EFFECTIVE IN BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP FROM 30 MPH WITH A FULLYOPEN THROTTLE.IN ADDITION THE TESTS DEMONSTRATED A MAXIMUM ATTAINABLEVEHICLE SPEED OF ABOUT 5 MPH WITH A FULLY OPEN IDLE SPEED AIR VALVE.ANALYSIS:MBNA'S EVALUATIONS OF THE EIGHT VEHICLES REPORTED TO HAVEEXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION INCLUDED UNDERHOOD INSPECTIONS TO IDENTIFYANY APPARENT CAUSES OF THE ALLEGED INCIDENTS; MECHANICAL INTERFERENCE OFCOMPONENTS WAS FOUND IN TWO VEHICLES, NEITHER OF WHICH RELATED TO A DESIGNDEFICIENCY.TESTS PERFORMED BY MBNA DEMONSTRATED THE CAPACITYOF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES TO BE CONTROLLED UNDER CONDITIONS OF HIGH ENGINEIDLE SPEED AND WITH A FULLY OPEN THROTTLE.PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE ASDOCUMENTED BY MBNA'S TESTS, TOGETHER WITH THE LACK OF A STRONG FAILURETREND SUGGESTS THAT FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE EFFORT IS NOT WARRANTED ON THISISSUE.PROPOSED ACTION:CLOSE THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.===

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 11
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 13, 2009

SUDDEN ACCELERATION SYNDROME. I BELIEVE I ELIMINATED THIS PROBLEM BY DISCONNECTING THE CRUISE CONTROL AMP LOCATED UNDER THE DASH BOARD BY UNPLUGGING CABLE ATTACHED TO THE UNIT. WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BY RECONNECTING THE ATTACHED CABLE. BELIEVE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEMS DESIGN DEFECTIVE. AT PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUND SOME COMPLAINTS REGARDING SUDDEN ACCELERATION SYNDROME PERTAINING TOO THIS VEHICLE- MODEL- YEAR. LUCKY MINE IS A STICK SHIFT IN THAT REGARD. DAIMLER AND NHTSA BOTH WERE NOTIFIED. DAIMLER WOULD CHARGE FOR THE DIAGNOSES AND REPAIR. APPARENTLY THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO WARRANT A RECALL. LAW IS COMPLICATED. I CAN LIVE WITHOUT THE LUXURY OF CRUISE CONTROL AND EXORBITANT REPAIR COST. *TR

NHTSA ID
10292058
Incident
Jan 1, 2005
Mileage
150 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jan 12, 2006

I JUST EXPERIENCED MY 4TH FUEL TANK FRACTURE OVER 5 YEARS. THE FRACTURES OCCUR IN THE SURFACE OF THE TANK NOT CAUSED BY WEAR OF ANY SORT. THEY JUST SPONTANEOUSLY OCCUR. THE TANK IS COMPLETELY FACTORY INSTALLED IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR THIS ALLOWS FUMES TO ENTER THE ENTIRE CAR. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A FRACTURED TANK IN ANY BRAND IN 40 YEARS OF DRIVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER. *JB

NHTSA ID
10147609
Incident
Jan 4, 2006
Mileage
180,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 12, 2005

I HAVE EXPERIENCED HAIRLINE CRACK FAILURES IN THREE (3) SEPARATE FUEL TANKS PLACED INTO MY 1986 MERCEDES 300E 4 DOOR SEDAN OVER 6 YEARS. THESE CRACKS NEVER ALLOWED LIQUID TO ESCAPE, BUT FUMES DID REPEATEDLY EMIT INTO THE CAR TRUNK AND PASSENGER CABIN. AFTER BEING IN PLACE FOR 9 MONTHS THE 3RD TANK IS NOW LEAKING FUMES AND I HAVE DISCOVERED STAINING WHERE THE CRACKS EXIST. THIS IS, BY ITSELF, A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. TO HAPPEN THREE TIMES WITH THREE DIFFERENT REPLACEMENT TANKS IS EXCEPTIONAL! I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THIS INDICATES THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM INDICATING THAT THEIR MIGHT BE AN ORIGINAL DESIGN DEFECT IN THE TANK, ITS LOCATION (IT MIGHT BE GETTING SCRAPED BY SURROUNDING SHEET METAL), OR ITS BASIC MATERIAL CONSTITUTION; IE, TOO THIN OR POORLY ENGINEERED MATERIALS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10132581
Incident
Aug 10, 2005
Mileage
100,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Nov 28, 2004

BLOWOUT, WITH 4/32 TREAD LEFT, OF SCHWAB Z800 ULTRA RADIAL WITH 100,000 MILE WARRANTY, AT APPROX 50,200 MILES, OCCURRED AS DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ON FREEWAY WITH NO IMPACT OR PRIOR DAMAGE TO TIRE. 11/27/2004. TIRES PURCHASED 6/29/99 AS PAIR. ROTATED AND KEPT PROPERLY INFLATED, WHEELS ALIGNED. ON 4/25/03 A SCHWAB Z800 PLUS TIRE, WITH 47,000 MILES(100,000 WARRANTY), PURCHASED 2/20/98, SAME CONDITIONS OF TREATMENT, BLEW OUT ON SAME CAR UNDER SAME CIRCUMSTANCES, NAMELY DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ON FREEWAY. BOTH TIRES LEFT REAR WHEEL AT TIME OF BLOWOUT. SCHWAB REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY ON GROUNDS LACK OF DOCUMENTATION TIREST ROTATED EVERY 5000 MILES. NO EVIDENT CONCERN ABOUT SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10100655
Incident
Nov 27, 2004
Mileage
196,640 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 2, 2001

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A COLLISION OCCURRING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
893281
Transmission
Filed Jun 4, 1999
Crash reported

WHIILE REACHING INTO VEHICLE FOR A POCKET BOOK THE STRAP PULLED SHIFT LEVER INTO GEAR WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH NO KEY IN IT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLIP INTO GEAR AND ROLL DOWN HILL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
838879
Other / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Sep 11, 1998

RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BECAME SEPARATED AT THE BALL JOINT AND THE TIE ROD BROKE OFF CAUSING WHEEL TO BECOME LOOSE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).

NHTSA ID
540876
Incident
Aug 17, 1998
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 17, 1998

THE POWER SEATS MOVE BACK AND FORWARD ON THEIR OWN. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
820635

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mercedes-Benz 300E by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1993800—
1991700—
1990300—
1989110035.3
1986Viewing110151.6

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.