Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 300 · model year
1980 MERCEDES-BENZ 300
3 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 1980MERCEDES-BENZ300 carries 3 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 1980 300 is power train:automatic transmission with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum (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 1980 300. 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.
3
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040604SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESULTS IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. A FAILURE IN THE BRAKE VACUUM AIR PUMP CAUSED THIS PROBLEM TO OCCUR. WHEN THIS PART FAILED THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF POWER LOSS UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE BRAKE VACUUM AIR PUMP FAILED EVERY 5 YEARS AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK *JB
Mileage: 97,000
19950615POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
PARKING PAWL ACTUATOR ROD FAILED DUE TO BEING DESIGNED WITH NYLON INSTEAD OF STEEL. (2ND VEHICLE FROM 486224) *SKD
19950615ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
GASKET REPLACED.
Compare 1980MERCEDES-BENZ300 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1980 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 have?▼
The 1980 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1980 MERCEDES-BENZ 300?▼
The most-complained component for the 1980 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM.
Is the 1980 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 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 1980 MERCEDES-BENZ 300; 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.