Total Complaints
7 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 300 · model year
1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 300
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989MERCEDES-BENZ300 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1989 300 is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (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 1989 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.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120515VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 MERCEDES BENZ 300SE. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING 45 MPH HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE ENGINE RETURNED TO IDLE SPEED AND REMAINED IDLE WITH THE RPM'S INCREASING. THE CONTACT STATED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 93V095000, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE HIS VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
Mileage: 170,000
20010801VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
19960425AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DRIVER'S AIRBAG LIGHT LUMINATED. *SD
19960425ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE IDLES ROUGH AT STOPS. *SD
19960425SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT BOLTS UNFASTEN FROM FLOOR UNSECURED. *SD
19960129SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS THE ABS IS NOT WORKING LOCKS UP LIKE NORMAL BRAKES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19950608FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
ALUMINUM FUEL TANK COMPONENT FAILED UNDER FIRE CONDITIONS, EXPENDING GASOLINE TO ADDITIONALLY FUEL THE FIRE. *AW
Compare 1989MERCEDES-BENZ300 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 have?▼
The 1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 300?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1989 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.