Total Complaints
4 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 280 · model year
1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 280
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. 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 1999MERCEDES-BENZ280 carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, 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 1999 280 is equipment:electrical:radio/tape deck/cd etc. with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1) and interior lighting (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 1999 280. 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.
4
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20061106INTERIOR LIGHTING
MERCEDES BENZ C280 INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE. *JB
20061106ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
MERCEDES BENZ C280 INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE. *JB
20040113CrashAIR BAGS
NON DEPLOYMENT OF ALL AIRBAGS ON A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C280
Mileage: 35,200
19991013EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
CD READOUT IS "NO CD CHANGER" AND WILL NOT PLAY. ALSO, SOMETIMES THERE IS A NORMAL READOUT BUT NO SOUND ON THE CD OR THE PHONE. HAVE HAD TO DEALER ABOUT SIX TIMES, BUT THEY CLAIM THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HAVE SPOKEN TO MANUFACTURER, WHO REFERRED ME BACK TO DEALER.
Compare 1999MERCEDES-BENZ280 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 280 have?▼
The 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 280 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 280?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 280 is EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and INTERIOR LIGHTING.
Is the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 280 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 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 280; 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.