Total Complaints
2 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 208 · model year
2004 MERCEDES-BENZ 208
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004MERCEDES-BENZ208 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 208 is engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel with 1 filings, followed by service brakes (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 2004 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.
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20181202SERVICE BRAKES
AFTER JUST GETTING MY CAR FROM DEALERSHIP 6 DAYS PRIOR, MY WIFE AND I WERE COMING DOWN A HILL WHEN MY BRAKING SYSTEM STARTED TO MALFUNCTION AND AS WE CAME TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND COSTED TO A STOP THE BRAKING SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN.
Mileage: 144,115
20060802ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
AT 2 AM WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 OUTSIDE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FL. THE DRIVE SHAFT FLY WHEEL BROKE FROM THE ENGINE DAMAGING AND MAKING INOPERATIVE ACCESSORIES SUCH AS POWER STEERING AND WATER PUMP COOLING ACTION. FORTUNATELY, THE CRANK SHAFT APPARENTLY WAS NOT DAMAGED NOR DID THE ENGINE SEIZE AS GENERALLY HAPPENS WITH THIS FREQUENT OCCURRENCE ON THE MERCEDES BENZ INSTALLED ENGINES OF THE DODGE SPRINTER. FOUR SPRINTER CERTIFIED MECHANICS AND TWO SERVICE MANAGERS SUBSEQUENTLY ATTESTED TO THE REGULAR OCCURRENCE OF THIS POORLY ENGINEERED DESIGN WHICH IS BOTH LIFE THREATENING AND EXTREMELY COSTLY TO RECTIFY. *JB
Mileage: 40,500
Compare 2004MERCEDES-BENZ208 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ 208 have?▼
The 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ 208 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ 208?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ 208 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2004 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.