Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 170 · model year
1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 170
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999MERCEDES-BENZ170 carries 3 consumer safety complaints 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 1999 170 is visibility with 1 filings, followed by visibility/wiper (1) and visibility:rearview mirrors/devices (1). 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 1999 170. 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.
3
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 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120730VISIBILITY/WIPER
THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN MY 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK 230 (R170 MODEL) IS A SELF-DIMMING MIRROR THAT HAS NO MANUAL BACKUP. THE MIRROR CONTAINED A FLUID WHICH LEAKED OUT CAUSING THE SELF-DIMMING MIRROR TO FAIL TO PROVIDE DIMMING AGAINST REAR APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS RESULTING IN THE DRIVER TO EITHER BE BLINDED OR TO HAVE TO TURN THE MIRROR AWAY WHICH GREATLY ELIMINATES REAR VIEW CAPABILITY IN THE INTERIOR. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THESE MIRRORS FAILING IN VARIOUS MAKES AND MODELS AS A RESULT OF USUALLY FROM THE INTERNAL FLUID LEAKING. THIS SPECIFIC CAR, THAT I PURCHASED NEW, HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY GARAGED AND SELDOM DRIVEN AT NIGHT. THIS VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 25,000 MILES. GIVEN THE LOW ROAD-HEIGHT OF THE DRIVING POSITION, LIGHTS FROM BEHIND, WITH NO WAY TO DIM THE MIRROR, POSE A VERY DANGEROUS HAZARD AT NIGHT. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO REPAIR THE MIRROR, AND IF SUCH DEFECT IS AS COMMON AS IT APPEARS, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE THE AUTO-DIMMING
Mileage: 24,200
20120730VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES
THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN MY 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK 230 (R170 MODEL) IS A SELF-DIMMING MIRROR THAT HAS NO MANUAL BACKUP. THE MIRROR CONTAINED A FLUID WHICH LEAKED OUT CAUSING THE SELF-DIMMING MIRROR TO FAIL TO PROVIDE DIMMING AGAINST REAR APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS RESULTING IN THE DRIVER TO EITHER BE BLINDED OR TO HAVE TO TURN THE MIRROR AWAY WHICH GREATLY ELIMINATES REAR VIEW CAPABILITY IN THE INTERIOR. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THESE MIRRORS FAILING IN VARIOUS MAKES AND MODELS AS A RESULT OF USUALLY FROM THE INTERNAL FLUID LEAKING. THIS SPECIFIC CAR, THAT I PURCHASED NEW, HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY GARAGED AND SELDOM DRIVEN AT NIGHT. THIS VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 25,000 MILES. GIVEN THE LOW ROAD-HEIGHT OF THE DRIVING POSITION, LIGHTS FROM BEHIND, WITH NO WAY TO DIM THE MIRROR, POSE A VERY DANGEROUS HAZARD AT NIGHT. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO REPAIR THE MIRROR, AND IF SUCH DEFECT IS AS COMMON AS IT APPEARS, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE THE AUTO-DIMMING
Mileage: 24,200
20090106VISIBILITY
THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN MY 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK 230 (R170 MODEL) IS AN ELECTRO CHROMIC SELF-DIMMING MIRROR THAT HAS NO MANUAL BACKUP. THE MIRROR CONTAINED A FLUID WHICH LEAKED OUT CAUSING THE SELF-DIMMING MIRROR TO FAIL TO PROVIDE DIMMING AGAINST REAR APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS RESULTING IN THE DRIVER TO EITHER BE BLINDED OR TO HAVE TO TURN THE MIRROR AWAY WHICH GREATLY ELIMINATES REAR VIEW CAPABILITY IN THE INTERIOR. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THESE MIRRORS FAILING IN VARIOUS MAKES AND MODELS AS A RESULT OF USUALLY FROM THE INTERNAL FLUID LEAKING. I CONTACTED THE OEM MIRROR MAKER, AND SPOKE WITH A STEVE CHENLO, FROM MAGNA DONNELLY (HIS DIRECT LINE IS 616-786-7495), WHO REFUSED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM. HIS ADVICE WAS TO PURCHASE ANOTHER MIRROR AT APPROXIMATELY $200, AND PAY FOR INSTALLATION, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY $100 FROM THE DEALERSHIP. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I HAVE DOCUMENTATION THAT MAGNA DONNELLY WAS REPLACING THESE MIRRORS FOR FREE BUT STOPPED FOR UNKNOWN
Mileage: 85,000
Compare 1999MERCEDES-BENZ170 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 170 have?▼
The 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 170 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 170?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 170 is VISIBILITY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY/WIPER and VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES.
Is the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 170 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.