Total Complaints
1 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 129 · model year
1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 129
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997MERCEDES-BENZ129 carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 129 is visibility with 1 filings. Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1997 129. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090130VISIBILITY
THE INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR HAS INADEQUATELY SIZED SPRING CLIP POSTS RESULTING IN EASY BREAKAGE, WITH LEAVES THE MIRROR VERY LOOSE, DISTRACTING AND UNUSABLE IN DAILY DRIVING. THE SNAP-ON MIRROR GLASS SURROUND TRIM WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED SPRING CLIP POSTS IS MARKED WITH P/N 129 811 0635, AND WOULD HAVE A LIKELY PRICE OF AROUND $15, HOWEVER MERCEDES BENZ ONLY SUPPLIES THE MIRROR ASSY @ $942. TWO M/B DEALERS AND AN INDEPENDENT M/B GARAGE SAYS THIS MIRROR IS USED ON MANY OF THEIR PRODUCTS, AND THE CLIP BREAKAGE IS VERY COMMON. THEY ALSO INDICATED IT WAS RARE/NEVER THE CASE WHERE A CUSTOMER WOULD SPEND $1000 (INCL LABOR) TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THEREFORE THIS COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN TERMS OF SAFETY AND DRIVER DISTRACTION. AT THE DIRECTION OF THE 2ND M/B DEALER, I CALLED M/B NA AND THEY BASICALLY SAID THEY HAD NO INTENTION OF MAKING THE POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE PART AVAILABLE AS A SERVICE PART... EITHER SPEND THE $1000 OR DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR. *TR
Mileage: 43,134
Compare 1997MERCEDES-BENZ129 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 129 have?▼
The 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 129 has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 129?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 129 is VISIBILITY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 129 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.