Total Complaints
6 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 220 · model year
1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 220
6 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-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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1996 220 is fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump with 1 filings, followed by equipment:appliance:air conditioner (1) and visibility:power window devices and controls (1). 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 220. 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.
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20131202VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES BENZ C220. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, HE ACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND ATTEMPTED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.
Mileage: 173,000
20060921ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
MY 1996 MERCEDES C220 HAS 190,000 MILES ON IT. THE WIRING HARNESS COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED AND I WAS TOLD BY MY REPAIR SHOP THAT THE FAULTY WIRING HARNESS SHORTED OUT THE COMPUTER. I CALLED MERCEDES CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SENT A LETTER TO PAUL HALATA. THEY WERE VERY SORRY, BUT THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY GARAGE - NOT RUNNING. *NM
Mileage: 190,000
19971106VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILED.
19971106ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
COMPUTER FAILED.
19970527EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE.
19970424FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
FUEL PUMP FAILED TWICE.
Compare 1996MERCEDES-BENZ220 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 220 have?▼
The 1996 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 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 220?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ 220 is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER and VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS.
Is the 1996 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 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 220; 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.