Total Complaints
4 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 208 · model year
2003 MERCEDES-BENZ 208
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003MERCEDES-BENZ208 carries 4 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 2003 208 is exterior lighting:tail lights with 1 filings, followed by tires (1) and structure (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 2003 208. 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.
4
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 |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160426SERVICE BRAKES
SBC STOP WORKING CALL MBUSA AND THEY SAY THE FIXED THAT AND THE WARRANTY IS OUT WICH THIS JUST NOW HAPPENED I DIDN'T HAPPENED BEFORE 10 YEARS NOW WE HAVE TO PAY ON OUR OWN
Mileage: 132,000
20070618STRUCTURE
I OWN A PT CRUISER 2003 AND I NOTICED ABOUT 7 MONTHS AGO THAT THE DASHBOARD HAD A VERY BIG CRACK GOING STRAIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE. I AM THE ONLY PERSON THAT DROVE THE CAR SO I KNEW I DIDN'T DO IT. I THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF WEAR AND TEAR. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. THEN, I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE SUN. I WAS READING OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND REALIZED THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE DASHBOARD GOING TO PIECES AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT CHRYSLER WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS IMPERFECTION ON THEIR PART. I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE FIXED. I AM CURRENTLY FINANCING THE CAR AND COULD NOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER DASHBOARD, THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I WOULD LIKE T FOR CHRYSLER TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. *AK
Mileage: 79,000
20060922TIRES
I HAVE HAD TWO COMPLETE SETS OF CONTI -TOURING CONTACT ECO PLUS CONTI SEAL (P225/60 R 18 99H CH95) ON MY 2004 CHRYSLER 300 C AUTO IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE FIRST SET CAME WITH THE CAR. THE SECOND SET, WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE DUE TO DANGEROUS TIRE WEAR AND INSTABILITY, HAS NOW GONE BAD. THEY MUST BE REPLACED. MY CAR ONLY HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE NOW GONE THROUGH TWO COMPLETE SETS OF CONTINENTAL TIRES. TWO CHRYSLER DEALERS (ONE IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA AND THE OTHER IN GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FLORIDA) REFUSES TO REPLACE THESE TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. THEY PASS THE RESPONSIBILITY ON TO CONTINENTAL. CONTINENTAL WANT TO PUT THEIR NEW TIRES ON MY CAR, AT A REDUCED PRICE. I WILL NOT PUT CONTINENTAL TIRES ON MY CAR AGAIN. WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE OTHER THAN TAKING LEGAL ACTION? PLEASE ADVISE. *NM
20060808EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS ON MY 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SLK CONTINUALLY GO OUT. THE LIGHTS ARE NOT BURNING OUT, BUT IT APPEARS THE CONNECTIONS ON THE LIGHTS GET TO HOT AND BURN UP. *NM
Mileage: 22,000
Compare 2003MERCEDES-BENZ208 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ 208 have?▼
The 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ 208 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ 208?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ 208 is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and STRUCTURE.
Is the 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ 208 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.