RoadVitals

1993 Mercedes-Benz 300SD 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.
7
Latest Aug 22, 2019
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 Jul 20, 2000

What this page shows

Our database holds 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 300SD. 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 1–7 of 7

Electrical
Filed Aug 22, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSULATION HAD EXPOSED AND BURNT WIRES. THE CONTACT CALLED ARLINGTON MERCEDES-BENZ (585 N GLEBE RD, ARLINGTON, VA 22203, (703) 525-2100) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY NO LONGER HAD PARTS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,172.

NHTSA ID
11245793
Incident
Nov 13, 2018
Mileage
141,172 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 10, 2016

THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1993 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SD HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT AND IS BEGINNING TO SHORT-CIRCUIT WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND FIRE. I HAVE READ MANY REPORTS OF OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ CARS OF THE SAME AGE RANGE 1992-1997 HAVING THE EXACT SAME DEFECT "ECO WIRING". JUST LOOK AT ANY ONLINE FORUM OR TALK TO ANY MERCEDES TECHNICIAN. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES THAT THEY REFUSE TO RECALL.

NHTSA ID
10905561
Incident
Jan 1, 2016
Mileage
189,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 21, 2009

I PURCHASED A 1993 MERCEDES 300SD IN AUGUST 2009. THE CAR HAD 58,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. I WAS THE SECOND OWNER. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL IMPORT CAR/MERCEDES SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OVER. THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT THAT THE MAIN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND THE GLOW PLUG WIRING HARNESS HAD SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THE WIRES HAD SERIOUS CRACKS AND MUCH OF THE INSULATION WAS MISSING. I WAS INFORMED THAT UNLESS THESE WIRING HARNESSES WERE REPLACED THERE WOULD BE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. I REPLACED BOTH SETS OF WIRES. THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE INSULATION ON MB ENGINE WIRES. THIS CAR HAD SAT IN A GARAGE MOST OF ITS' 15 YEARS AND THE INSULATION DETERIORATED BECAUSE MB USED A DEFECTIVE INSULATION AND SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THIS CAR SOLD FOR OVER $64,000 NEW, AND FOR THE INSULATION TO DROP OFF THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL WIRES IS COMPELLING THAT MBUSA SHOULD HAVE TO RECALL AND REPAIR THEIR DEFECTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10259519
Incident
Feb 20, 2009
Mileage
58,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 29, 2005

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. APPARENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 100 OF THESE REPORTED BUT NO ACTION. WHY? *JB

NHTSA ID
10141195
Incident
Sep 26, 2005
Mileage
254,260 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 7, 2000
Crash reported

WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AND VIBRATING. ALSO, LOST CONTROL FOR A FEW MONUTES. HE STEERED T VEHICLE TO SAFETY. DRIVER'S REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK

NHTSA ID
869893
Incident
Jul 6, 2000
Engine
Filed Sep 7, 2000

I PURCHASED A 1993 MERCEDES BENZ-300SD THROUGH A LOCAL BUSINESS MAN IN COLUMBIA, SC WHO HAD THE CAR ON LEASE. I PAID THE LEASING COMPANY, MERCEDES CORPORATION FOR THE CAR. THIS CAR HAD TO HAVE A NEW MOTOR AT 46,000 MILES. I AM NOW TOLD THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER MOTOR. I HAVE HAD TO REPACE THE MOTOR FOR THE FAN THAT RUNS THE AIR/HEAT; REPLACE UNITS THAT CONTROLS THE FACTORY INSTALLED TELEPHONE AND NOW AM BEING TOLD THAT THE NEW MOTOR WILL COST FROM $10,000 TO $12,000. I AM HAVING PROVLEMS KEEPING FREON IN THE AIR CONDITIONER AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS MIGHT COST UP TO $2,500; ALSO I WAS TOLD THAT I NEED BUSHINGS WHICH HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT $2,000. I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE A LEMON SITUATION. I DID CONTACT THE COMPANY'S REPRESENTATIVE AND HE TELLS ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO. I NEED YOUR HELP VERY DESPERATELY. WHATEVER YOU CAN DO, CONTACT THEM OR WHATEVER WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT I SPOKE WITH WAS RICE BYERLY.

NHTSA ID
730628
Incident
May 1, 1994
Steering
Filed Jul 20, 2000

UNCONTROLABLE STEERING SHAKE AT 50 MPH

NHTSA ID
725746

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 .