1991 Mercedes-Benz 560 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 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560, 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
- Body & structure125.0%
- Electrical125.0%
- Powertrain (other)125.0%
- Steering125.0%
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
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE FRONT END PULLS TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE PAINT ON THE TOP WINDOW NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. MOLDING AROUND THE BRAKE LIGHT LOCATED IN THE BACK WINDOW TO BE PLACED CORRECTLY IN ITS GROOVE. THE CLEAR BRA ON THE RIGHT FRONT OVER THE HEADLIGHT IS COMING APART.*TS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
1991 560 SEC HAS INTERMITTENT ROUGH IDLE DURING ALL OPERATING TEMPERATURES. AFTER BEING DRIVEN WITH A/C ON FOR ABOUT 8 MILES IN TRAFFIC AND PARKED FOR UNDER TWO HOURS IN HOT WEATHER, CAR FIRST REFUSES TO START - A/C SWITCHED OFF. THE CAR STARTS AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS AND HAS EXTREMELY ROUGH IDLE. START TO DRIVE AND CAR SOON STALLS REFUSING TO START. A FEW MORE ATTEMPTS, CAR STARTS AND GOES TO EXTREMELY ROUGH IDLE CONDITION. CAR DRIVES A SHORT DISTANCE AND DIES. AFTER MANY MORE RESTART ATTEMPTS, CAR STARTS GOES TO EXTREMELY ROUGH IDLE. REVVING THE ENGINE TO ABOUT 3000 RPM FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS SEEMS TO BRING BACK THE NORMAL ROUGH IDLE WITH BETWEEN 2-4 FOUR REVVING ATTEMPTS AND RESULTING REDUCED COOLANT TEMPERATURE. CAR DRIVES ROUGHLY AND THEN SUDDENLY SMOOTHES OUT. INTERNET INVESTIGATION POINTS TO BIODEGRADABLE WIRING HARNESS. SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. LUCKILY THE 18 WHEELER THAT WAS ABOUT TO CRUSH ME DURING THE LAST STALL EPISODE WAS ABLE TO CHANGE LANES JUST IN TIME. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN WINTER TIME. FOR A CAR THIS EXPENSIVE, THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. I NEVER HAD SUCH A SAFETY AND ENGINE FIRE POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH MY 1982 380SEC. THE WIRING HARNESS IS AN UNCONSCIONABLE EXPENSIVE ITEM THAT SEEMS TO HAVE THE SAME SERVICE LIFE AS A $30 SERPENTINE BELT, BUT COSTS OVER $1000. THIS IS ALSO A MAJOR EMISSIONS PROBLEM THAT COULD DESTROY THE EQUALLY EXPENSIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. DOES SOMEBODY DIE FOR YOU PEOPLE TO DEMAND A RECALL. OR DOES THE CAR HAVE TO BECOME A SUPER POLLUTER? I COULD HAVE DIED FROM THIS PROBLEM AND MY CAR IS A SUPER POLLUTER WHEN THIS INTERMITTENT HOT PROBLEM OCCURS. I'M GOING TO WRITE MY STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS. DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED WITH A RECALL. BIODEGRADABLE WIRING! HOW STUPID IS THAT? *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATED THE DIFFERENTIAL BRACKET FELL FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR ONTO THE AXLE.*YH *DT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE FRONT END PULLS TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE PAINT ON THE TOP WINDOW NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. MOLDING AROUND THE BRAKE LIGHT LOCATED IN THE BACK WINDOW TO BE PLACED CORRECTLY IN ITS GROOVE. THE CLEAR BRA ON THE RIGHT FRONT OVER THE HEADLIGHT IS COMING APART.*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 .