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.
8
Latest Mar 28, 2016
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
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 May 31, 2012
What this page shows
Our database holds 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 300E. 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 1–8 of 8
Electrical
Filed Mar 28, 2016
I HAVE BEEN AN ARDENT SUPPORTER OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ LINE FOR MANY YEARS AND MODELS. CURRENTLY I OWN A 1993 300SE AND MY "SUMMER CAR," A 1978 450SL. BOTH OF MY CARS ARE MAINTAINED TO THE HIGHEST OF STANDARDS, IT IS NOT A EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT YOU COULD EAT OFF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF EITHER CAR. WHICH IS WHY I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN THE FOLLOWING CHAIN OF EVENTS: PROBLEM: 1993 MERCEDES BENZ 300SE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND THROTTLE ACTUATOR WIRING . THE WIRE INSULATION USED ON THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR IN MY CAR HAS BADLY DEGRADED, AND IS CRUMBLING! THIS CAUSES SHORTS IN THE ELECTRONICS OF THE VEHICLE AND PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRIC THROTTLE SYSTEM. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS SITUATION ACROSS THE UNITED STATES (VIA THE INTERNET) AND I HAVE FOUND WEB FORUMS THAT ARE FULL OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS. WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT FROM 1991-1997 MERCEDES BENZ USED A BIO-DEGRADABLE INSULATION ON THE WIRING OF THESE VEHICLES. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BUT IT DIDNT STAND UP TO THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE BAY. EVERY ONE OF THESE CARS (91-97) WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THERE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS DUE TO THIS "DESIGN FLAW" BUILT INTO THESE CAR'S. NOTHING HAS DONE BY MERCEDES TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM EXCEPT TO OFFER TO SELL ME A NEW WIRING HARNESS FOR $1000 DOLLARS!!!.. THIS VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS RECALL BY MERCEDES BEFORE SOMEBODY'S THROTTLE GETS STUCK AND THEY GET HURT/KILLED, OR BEFORE THEIR CAR AND THEY CATCH ON FIRE.
NHTSA ID
10851914
Incident
Mar 17, 2016
Mileage
123,000 mi
ElectricalSuspension
Filed Dec 3, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MERCEDES BENZ 300E (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE WHAT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER AND THE REAR STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,690.
NHTSA ID
10808147
Incident
Jan 19, 1996
Mileage
46,690 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 23, 2015
EARLY IN MORNING AS COLD TEMPERATURE, THE STATER NOT WORKING . LATER IN THE MORNING, ABOUT 1000 AM AS TEMPERATURE GET WARMER...IT WORK....MY GOD....
NHTSA ID
10806145
Incident
Nov 23, 2015
ElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 12, 2015
Fire reported1 injury reported
WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IN SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10705157
Incident
Jan 19, 2015
Mileage
134,344 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 24, 2013
MY ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS HAS CRUMBLING INSULATION, AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. THIS OBVIOUSLY COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FIRES, STALLING, SUDDEN ACCELERATION, LOSS OF POWER, ETC. MY VEHICLE HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE FREEWAY AND IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS. THIS PROBLEM IS HEAVILY DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET WITH ALL 91-96 MERCEDES MODELS. *JS
NHTSA ID
10545187
Incident
Sep 24, 2013
Mileage
149,500 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 22, 2013
CAR IS MIS-FIRING AND WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE ENGINE HARNESS JUST CRUMBLED WHEN HE TOUCHED IT. THE ENTIRE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
NHTSA ID
10494386
Incident
Jan 22, 2013
Mileage
145,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 30, 2012
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AS THE SECOND OWNER. THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE IN NEAR MINT CONDITION COSMETICALLY AS WELL AS MECHANICALLY. UPON INSPECTION MY LOCAL MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE AND BATTERY WIRING HARNESSES WERE DETERIORATING, CAUSING MULTIPLE PROBLEMS INCLUDING SURGING/ROUGH IDLE, SHORTING OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, INTERMITTENT POOR PERFORMANCE AND RISK OF FIRE/CRASH/INJURY. AFTER THIS INCIDENT THE VEHICLE QUIT RUNNING FOR A FEW DAYS AND SAT. AFTER FUMBLING WITH THE SHODDY HARNESS I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, PURCHASE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER (JUST IN CASE) AND DRIVE 75 MILES IN LIMP MODE (REDUCED POWER) TO A MERCEDES SPECIALIST. THE SPECIALIST REPLACED THE SAID DEFECTIVE HARNESSES AT MY OWN EXPENSE OF $1,528.50. THE SPECIALIST ALSO REPLACED ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT HAD BEEN DAMAGED FROM THE ELECTRICAL SHORTS AT ADDITIONAL EXPENSE. UPON RESEARCHING THE ISSUE I FIND THAT WIRING HARNESSES ARE A COMMON DEFECTIVE ITEM ON THIS YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE. SURPRISINGLY NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH I SAW MULTIPLE FAILURES IN VEHICLES NEWER AND WITH MUCH LESS MILEAGE THAN MINE. PEOPLE KEEP SUCH VEHICLES BECAUSE THEY RUN FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES, HOWEVER THEIR WIRING HARNESSES COMMONLY FAIL BEFORE THEY REACH 100K. I SAVED THE DEFECTIVE HARNESSES TO PROVE HOW SERIOUS THE CONDITION IS IF THE NEED ARISES TO PRODUCE THEM. THE SHEATHING AROUND THE COPPER WIRES HAD DETERIORATED ALLOWING MULTIPLE WIRES TO CONTACT THEREFORE RISKING A FIRE/CRASH/INJURY. SIMPLY TOUCHING THE SHEATHING CAUSES IT TO CRUMBLE. *TR
NHTSA ID
10463852
Incident
Jun 9, 2012
Mileage
152,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed May 31, 2012
PURCHASED 1993 MERCEDES BENZ 300E AND IT DEVELOPED ENGINE MISS. TOOK TO MECHANIC FOR TUNE UP AND WAS ADVISED THAT UNABLE TO TUNE UP DUE TO ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION DISINTEGRATION. A COMMON DEFECT WITH THESE MODELS SINCE THEY WERE NEW. THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. CALLED MERCEDES BENZ USA AND WAS ADVISED TO TOW CAR TO NEAREST MERCEDES DEALER ( ROMANO MERCEDES FAYETTEVILLE NY) FOR INSPECTION . THEY INSPECTED AND FOUND INSULATION IN HARNESS TO BE BAD, AND SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE IT FOR $2600.00. WE THEN CALLED MERCEDES USA BACK AND THEY DENY PROBLEM AND HELP. VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE,HAS BARE WIRES EXPOSED, FIRE HAZARD/RISK, RUNS INTERMITTENTLY/RUFF/STALLS, ACCIDENT HAZARD. *TR
NHTSA ID
10460188
Incident
May 30, 2012
Mileage
103,000 mi
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.
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