2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class 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 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class, 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
- Electrical222.2%
- Interior & seats222.2%
- Airbags111.1%
- Seat belts111.1%
- Transmission111.1%
- Engine111.1%
- Brakes111.1%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A BUG BITING MY REAR SIDE, ENDING UP BEING THE SEAT ON FIRE! I HAD TURNED ON THE SEAT WARMER AND NOT EVEN A MINUTE OR TWO LATER, THE WIRE IN THE SEAT WAS ON FIRE WHEN I PULLED OVER AND LEFT A HOLE IN MY SEAT. CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE AND I FEEL AS THOUGH I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. IT COULD'VE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, HAD I BEEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY OR ON A ROAD THAT I COULDN'T PULL OVER ON. CHILDREN IN THE CAR VERY WORRIED. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, I SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM OF MERCEDES OWNER, ALL HAPPENING ON THE LOWER LEFT SIDE. ANY RECALLS? NOT WEAR AND TEAR! *TR
A 2 MONTH OLD 2007 MERCEDES R320 CDI REAR TIRE EXPLODES IN PRIVATE DRIVEWAY ON JANUARY 20, 2007 DURING A COLORADO BLIZZARD. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MERCEDES OF COLORADO SPRINGS. WE HAVE FOUND OUT BY A FORENSIC EXPERT THAT A DEFECT IN THE CAR CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. A DEFECTIVE MERCEDES "4MATIC" SYSTEM CAUSED THE REAR TIRE TO EXPLODE CAUSING $25,000 IN CAR DAMAGE AND $1500 DAMAGE TO HOME. THE MERCEDES DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS OUR FAULT, BUT THE FORENSIC TIRE EXPERT WE HIRED HAS FOUND THAT THE CAR IS DEFECTIVE. PICTURES AND COMPLETE FORENSIC EXPERT REPORT AT: HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320 AND HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320/MERCEDES R320 TIRE EXPLOSION ROBSON FORENSICREPORT.PDF
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A BUG BITING MY REAR SIDE, ENDING UP BEING THE SEAT ON FIRE! I HAD TURNED ON THE SEAT WARMER AND NOT EVEN A MINUTE OR TWO LATER, THE WIRE IN THE SEAT WAS ON FIRE WHEN I PULLED OVER AND LEFT A HOLE IN MY SEAT. CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE AND I FEEL AS THOUGH I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. IT COULD'VE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, HAD I BEEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY OR ON A ROAD THAT I COULDN'T PULL OVER ON. CHILDREN IN THE CAR VERY WORRIED. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, I SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM OF MERCEDES OWNER, ALL HAPPENING ON THE LOWER LEFT SIDE. ANY RECALLS? NOT WEAR AND TEAR! *TR
A 2 MONTH OLD 2007 MERCEDES R320 CDI REAR TIRE EXPLODES IN PRIVATE DRIVEWAY ON JANUARY 20, 2007 DURING A COLORADO BLIZZARD. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MERCEDES OF COLORADO SPRINGS. WE HAVE FOUND OUT BY A FORENSIC EXPERT THAT A DEFECT IN THE CAR CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. A DEFECTIVE MERCEDES "4MATIC" SYSTEM CAUSED THE REAR TIRE TO EXPLODE CAUSING $25,000 IN CAR DAMAGE AND $1500 DAMAGE TO HOME. THE MERCEDES DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS OUR FAULT, BUT THE FORENSIC TIRE EXPERT WE HIRED HAS FOUND THAT THE CAR IS DEFECTIVE. PICTURES AND COMPLETE FORENSIC EXPERT REPORT AT: HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320 AND HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320/MERCEDES R320 TIRE EXPLOSION ROBSON FORENSICREPORT.PDF
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
A 2 MONTH OLD 2007 MERCEDES R320 CDI REAR TIRE EXPLODES IN PRIVATE DRIVEWAY ON JANUARY 20, 2007 DURING A COLORADO BLIZZARD. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MERCEDES OF COLORADO SPRINGS. WE HAVE FOUND OUT BY A FORENSIC EXPERT THAT A DEFECT IN THE CAR CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. A DEFECTIVE MERCEDES "4MATIC" SYSTEM CAUSED THE REAR TIRE TO EXPLODE CAUSING $25,000 IN CAR DAMAGE AND $1500 DAMAGE TO HOME. THE MERCEDES DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS OUR FAULT, BUT THE FORENSIC TIRE EXPERT WE HIRED HAS FOUND THAT THE CAR IS DEFECTIVE. PICTURES AND COMPLETE FORENSIC EXPERT REPORT AT: HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320 AND HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320/MERCEDES R320 TIRE EXPLOSION ROBSON FORENSICREPORT.PDF
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
RADIAN XTSL BY SUNSHINE KIDS....SUPER LATCH MECHANISM COMING LOOSE VERY EASILY BY 2 1/2 YEAR OLD. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2007, MAKE=MERCEDES, MODEL=R CLASS). *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
A 2 MONTH OLD 2007 MERCEDES R320 CDI REAR TIRE EXPLODES IN PRIVATE DRIVEWAY ON JANUARY 20, 2007 DURING A COLORADO BLIZZARD. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MERCEDES OF COLORADO SPRINGS. WE HAVE FOUND OUT BY A FORENSIC EXPERT THAT A DEFECT IN THE CAR CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. A DEFECTIVE MERCEDES "4MATIC" SYSTEM CAUSED THE REAR TIRE TO EXPLODE CAUSING $25,000 IN CAR DAMAGE AND $1500 DAMAGE TO HOME. THE MERCEDES DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS OUR FAULT, BUT THE FORENSIC TIRE EXPERT WE HIRED HAS FOUND THAT THE CAR IS DEFECTIVE. PICTURES AND COMPLETE FORENSIC EXPERT REPORT AT: HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320 AND HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320/MERCEDES R320 TIRE EXPLOSION ROBSON FORENSICREPORT.PDF
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED RUNNING VERY ROUGH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME IT WAS SOME SORT OF BALANCE SHAFT/CAM GEAR PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT WAS A TERRIBLE DESIGN FLAW THAT AFFECTED MANY, MANY CARS. THEY SAID DRIVING IT WAS RISKY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
A 2 MONTH OLD 2007 MERCEDES R320 CDI REAR TIRE EXPLODES IN PRIVATE DRIVEWAY ON JANUARY 20, 2007 DURING A COLORADO BLIZZARD. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MERCEDES OF COLORADO SPRINGS. WE HAVE FOUND OUT BY A FORENSIC EXPERT THAT A DEFECT IN THE CAR CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. A DEFECTIVE MERCEDES "4MATIC" SYSTEM CAUSED THE REAR TIRE TO EXPLODE CAUSING $25,000 IN CAR DAMAGE AND $1500 DAMAGE TO HOME. THE MERCEDES DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS OUR FAULT, BUT THE FORENSIC TIRE EXPERT WE HIRED HAS FOUND THAT THE CAR IS DEFECTIVE. PICTURES AND COMPLETE FORENSIC EXPERT REPORT AT: HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320 AND HTTP://WWW.LANDXML.ORG/R320/MERCEDES R320 TIRE EXPLOSION ROBSON FORENSICREPORT.PDF
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 .