Total Complaints
6 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 220 · model year
1994 MERCEDES-BENZ 220
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994MERCEDES-BENZ220 carries 6 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 1994 220 is suspension:front with 1 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (1) and power train:automatic transmission (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 1994 220. 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.
6
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 |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080629ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 1994 C220 HAS HAD ITS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON FOR AWHILE AND THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE CAR EITHER NOT STARTING PROPERLY, STRANGE NOISES WHEN I TURN THE RADIO ON WHEN THE ANTENNA GOES UP, THE HEAT AUTOMATICALLY TURNS ON, THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT, THE CAR HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO IN GEAR OR FROM NEUTRAL TO IN GEAR OR PARK OR REVERSE. I WAS TOLD BY A LICENSED MERCEDES SERVICE CENTER THAT THEY CAN NOT REPAIR ANY OTHER ITEMS UNDER MY HOOD UNTIL THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS IS TOTALLY REPLACED SINCE IT HAS WORN INSULATION AND FRAYED AND BARE WIRES. THEIR POLICY IS TO DO NOTHING TO THE CAR UNTIL HARNESS IS REPLACED. TOO DANGEROUS, FIRE HAZARD, ETC. *TR
Mileage: 174,000
20080419ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD HAS DETERIORATING INSULATION, CAUSING THE WIRES TO RUB TOGETHER SHORTING OUT WITH ONE ANOTHER. WIRING INSULATION BEGUN CRACKING WHEN CAR WAS ONE YEAR OLD. *TR
Mileage: 12,000
20070304ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
MY 1994 C220 MERCEDES QUIT RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD MY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR CAR. THIS CAR WAS ALWAYS SERVICED AT A MERCEDES DEALER SHIP. WHY COULD THIS HAVE NOT BEEN POINTED OUT BEFORE I GOT STRANDED? I AM ALSO TOLD THIS IS A VERY EXTREME FIRE HAZARD. *JB
Mileage: 113,000
20010413VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN GETTING CLOSE TO A STOP VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. CONSUMER HAS TO PLACE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL TO CONTROL VEHICLE.*AK
20010413POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN GETTING CLOSE TO A STOP VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. CONSUMER HAS TO PLACE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL TO CONTROL VEHICLE.*AK
19960322SUSPENSION:FRONT
THE VEHICLE PULLS TO LEFT WHILE DRIVING .PLEASE DESCRIBE. )AK
Compare 1994MERCEDES-BENZ220 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ 220 have?▼
The 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ 220 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ 220?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ 220 is SUSPENSION:FRONT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ 220 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.