Total Complaints
10 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 190 · model year
1988 MERCEDES-BENZ 190
10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988MERCEDES-BENZ190 carries 10 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 1988 190 is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1) and fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system (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 1988 190. 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.
10
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20071011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. FIRST, THE WINDOWS WOULDN'T ROLL UP OR DOWN, THEN THE RADIO BEGAN SHORTING OUT WHEN I DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR OPENED THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. NEXT THE A/C, HEATER & ECONOMY EVENT ALL CEASED WORKING AND THE RADIO WOULD TURN ON ONLY 1-2 PER WEEK RANDOMLY. NEXT ALL MY GAUGES ON MY CONSOLE WENT OUT (GAS GAUGE, RPM GAUGE, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE). THE SUNROOF STOPPED WORKING AS WELL AND I WAS STUCK IN THE SUMMER TIME WITH NO WAY TO ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN, NO AIR SOURCE OF ANY SORT WHATSOEVER & A SUNROOF THAT WOULDN'T OPEN IN THE SWELTERING HEAT. *TR
20041126FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
1988 190E MERCEDES BENZ--NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING CAR WILL TURN COMPLETELY OFF OR ACCELERATION WILL STOP AND CAR WILL ACCELERATE AFTER BRIEF PAUSE (ALL WHILE DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEED). NOT ACCELERATOR CABLE OR FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM. VERY DANGEROUS AS THERE IS NO WARNING & NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATE. *AK
Mileage: 193,000
20020327ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ON-GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE STALLING WHILE DRIVING, DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. NLM
19991009SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19991009FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19991009POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19991009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19991009VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19991009UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19990411ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON AT ANY GIVEN SPEEDS. WHILE THE LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR STARTS TO CHOKE OR BUCK, LIKE NO GAS IS GETTING THRU. THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN NUMEROUS DRIVING SITUATIONS, FROM STOPPING FOR A LIGHT, TO DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY. AFTER CAR BUCKS, OR "CHOKES" THE VEHICLE STALLS. IT STARTS RIGHT UP AGAIN, WITH NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO PULL OF A HIGHWAY NUMEROUS TIMES, TO AVOID STALLING, WITH CONTINUOUS TRAFFIC COMING BEHIND ME. LIKE I STATED PREVIOUSLY, THERE IS NO REASON, NOR DO I GET ANY WARNINGS THAT THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE. I HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT BRANDS OF GAS, SO I DON'T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO TAKEN THE CAR TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS AMD DEALERS, AND NOBODY SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM ACCURATELY.
Compare 1988MERCEDES-BENZ190 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 MERCEDES-BENZ 190 have?▼
The 1988 MERCEDES-BENZ 190 has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 MERCEDES-BENZ 190?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 MERCEDES-BENZ 190 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
Is the 1988 MERCEDES-BENZ 190 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.