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.
14
Latest Aug 10, 2012
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 Jan 30, 1996
What this page shows
Our database holds 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Mercedes-Benz 320. 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 1–14 of 14
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 10, 2012
CAR WENT COMPLETED "DEAD" AT STOP SIGN. COULD NOT RESTART ENGINE. CALLED MECHANIC AND WIRES WITHIN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAD SHORTED OUT DUE TO WIRE INSULATION CRACKING AND BREAKING OFF AND SHORTING WITH OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS. MECHANIC STRIPPED OUT WIRE AND SPLICED IT. STATED THE WIRES ARE IN BAD SHAPE DUE TO THE TYPE OF INSULATION MERCEDES USED FROM 1991 TO 1997. HE STATED I SHOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AS IT WOULD CONTINUE TO SHORT OUT COMPONENTS AND WOULD BE NOT ONLY A DRIVING HAZARD BUT ALSO A FIRE HAZARD. *TR
NHTSA ID
10470163
Incident
Jul 20, 2012
Mileage
108,921 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 17, 2008
CRACKED WIRING HARNESS. DISCOVERED WHEN REAR LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK. *TR
NHTSA ID
10224829
Incident
Jan 15, 2007
Mileage
54,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 20, 2008
Fire reported1 injury reported
MY 1996 MERCEDES BENZ S320 CAUGHT ON FIRE 3/16/08 DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HARNESS WIRING THAT CAUSE BURNED WIRES IN THE CONSOLE, UNDER THE SEAT, THE DOOR PANELS, DAMAGED THE VACUUM LINES, SIDE VIEW MIRROR AND POTENTIALLY THE CONTROL UNITS. YOUR NHTSA HAS RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE MERCEDES VEHICLES [EARLY 1990 MODELS]. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT AT MERCEDES HEADQUARTERS TWO OF THEM DENIED A PROBLEM WITH WIRING CATCHING ON FIRE AND TWO DEALERSHIPS SAID THAT THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF ANY CASES INVOLVING FAULTY WIRING. THE MECHANIC THAT SPOKE HONESTLY SAID THAT THERE ARE AS MANY AS 30,000 VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BUT MERCEDES IS IN DENIAL AND ARE AVOIDING A MAJOR RECALL. THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN AMONG DEALERS AND MECHANICS WHO ARE TRAINED TO REPAIR MERCEDES VEHICLES. I WANT MY COMPLAINT ADDED TO THE OTHERS THAT ARE ON YOUR LIST AND COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS THE NHTSA SAYING ABOUT THIS MERCEDES PROBLEM AND WHAT IS THE NEXT MOVE TO DEAL WITH A MANUFACTURERS PROBLEM THAT ENDANGERS OUR LIVES ON THE HIGHWAY. MY VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING IN BURNING WHILE ENROUTE TO ALBANY, GA FROM AMERICUS, GA. THE EXPERIENCE WAS FRIGHTENING AND IT COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF LIFE. I AM A PRACTICING PHYSICIAN AND I HOPE YOUR ADMINISTRATION CAN GET MERCEDES TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM LIKE SO MANY OTHER CAR MANUFACTURERS HAVE DONE. THANK YOU *TR
NHTSA ID
10221826
Incident
Mar 16, 2008
Mileage
139,044 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 11, 2002
SRS DID NOT DEPLOY UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITION.*AK
NHTSA ID
8007457
Incident
Apr 1, 2002
Engine
Filed Oct 22, 1997
ELECTRONIC SENSOR FAILED.
NHTSA ID
604408
Incident
Jun 30, 1996
Visibility
Filed Sep 22, 1997
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED.
NHTSA ID
605151
Incident
Mar 1, 1996
Other / unspecified
Filed Mar 18, 1997
TWO RIMS FAILED.
NHTSA ID
515704
Seat belts
Filed Feb 24, 1997
REAR SEAT BELT FAILED.
NHTSA ID
602613
Incident
May 1, 1996
Filed Feb 12, 1997
REMOTE CONTROL RECEIVER INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA ID
602850
Incident
Jun 1, 1996
Filed Feb 12, 1997
ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED TWICE DUE TO DEFECTIVE CHIP.
NHTSA ID
602728
Incident
Aug 1, 1996
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 9, 1997
DRIVER'S RIGHT KNEE BOLSTER UNCOMFORTABLE.
NHTSA ID
513469
Transmission
Filed Aug 16, 1996
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT PULL OUT OF LOW GEAR WHEN COLD. *AK
NHTSA ID
506764
Brakes
Filed Aug 15, 1996
PARKING BRAKES REPLACED.
NHTSA ID
507579
Incident
Nov 8, 1995
Body & structure
Filed Jan 30, 1996
WHEN DOORS ARE NOT PROPERLY CLOSED THERE IS NO INDICATION OF THE DOOR BEING OPEN. TT
NHTSA ID
978408
Incident
Jan 30, 1996
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.