Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 300 · model year
1980 MERCEDES-BENZ 300
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category 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). 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 1980 300. 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.
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 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.