Total Complaints
2 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 202 · model year
1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 202
2 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996MERCEDES-BENZ202 carries 2 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1996 202 is electrical system with 2 filings. Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1996 202. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
Recent Complaints
20110903ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE INSULATION OF THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS GETS BRITTLE AND CRUMBLES CAUSING THE ENGINE TO EITHER NOT RUN PROPERLY OR JUST QUIT RUNNING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE ON THE ROAD. MERCEDES BENZ IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE W202 BODY (AND I BELIEVE OTHER BODY STYLES) BETWEEN 1994 THRU 1996 +- MODEL YEARS. AT ONE POINT THEY WERE DOING A GOOD-FAITH REPLACEMENT OF THESE HARNESSES BUT STOPPED. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE ARE ABOUT 1.5 M CARS IN THE US AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. *TR
20081103ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I OWN A 1996 MERCEDES C280. HAD THE CAR SINCE 50,000. NOW AT 99,000 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. HOOKED THE SDS DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE FOUND THAT CODES ARE NOT IRRELAVENT. DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING AROUND THE SENSORS WERE FALLING APART!! WTF!! ORDERED A NEW WIRING HARNESS AND WAITING AND HOPEFULLY WILL FIX THE PROBLEMSSSSSSS. AND I WILL COMPLAIN AND SEE IF MERCEDES WILL HELP PAY FOR THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. SELL THE CAR AND BUY A GOOD OL TOYOTA!!!!! *TR
Mileage: 99,300
Compare 1996MERCEDES-BENZ202 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 202 have?▼
The 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 202 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 202?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 202 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 202 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 202; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.