MERCEDES-BENZ 300 · model year

1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 300

25 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1992MERCEDES-BENZ300 carries 25 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 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 1992 300 is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (2) and fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system (2). 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 1992 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.

25
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

25 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL2
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR1

Recent Complaints

20110401FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM BENEATH THE HOOD AND INTO THE VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. AFTER EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE THE CAR NO LONGER STARTED. UPON INSPECTION ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HAD MELTED. *TR

20050412ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

WHILE DRIVING MY BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE REPLACED MY BATTERY TWICE IN A 2-YEAR PERIOD. INITIALLY, MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN WHILE MY CAR WAS OFF, SOMETHING WAS CONSANTLY RUNNING CAUSING MY BATTERY TO FAIL. I HAD MY NEW BATTERY REPLACED AND MY INIGNITION CHECK AND THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BATTERY REPLACED. THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN. CAR IS SLOW TO START AND BATTERY LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF AT INTERVALS.*AK

Mileage: 109,000

20041222TIRES

FAILURES OF GOODYEAR AQUATRED TIRES.*MR WHILE ON A TRIP THE TREAD OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE CAME LOOSE FROM THE STEEL CORD. THIS CAUSED A WOBBLE WHILE DRIVING. THE NEXT DAY THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEWOUT AT THE SIDEWALL. *NM

20040718ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, I SLOWED TO TURN OFF HIGHWAY. AFTER COMPLETING TURN TRIED TO ACCELERATE BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR OFF ROADWAY AT IDLE RPM ONLY. CAR TOWED TO LOCAL SHOP. A PLASTIC PIECE ON THE END OF THE ACCELERATOR CABLE HAD DISINTEGRATED CAUSING THE ACCELERATOR CABLE TO BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE ENGINE THROTTLE LEVER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. THE PLASTIC PIECE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE OF METAL. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF A SIX LANE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED?

Mileage: 130,000

20031006VISIBILITY

FAILURE OF VEHICLE PART ON 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 300D.*MR THERE WAS ANOTHER RECALL REGARDING THE HEADLAMP WIPER ARM (VISIBILITY). *TS *JB *CB

20031006VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

FAILURE OF VEHICLE PART ON 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 300D.*MR THERE WAS ANOTHER RECALL REGARDING THE HEADLAMP WIPER ARM (VISIBILITY). *TS *JB *CB

20030826VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED. A MECHANIC AT AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE. AFTER THIS INCIDENT THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE ACCELERATOR CABLE, STATING COULD CAUSE SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION IF BROKEN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

20030129VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, WHICH INCLUDED THE MOTOR.*JB PH

Mileage: 118,152

20020227ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

WIRING HARNESS IS EXPOSED OUTSIDE OF HOOD AREA. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT INSULATION IS CRACKING AND FALLING OFF ALL WIRING AROUND THE ENGINE. *YD

20010522ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

WHILE DRIVING WOULD HEAR METAL CLANKING NOISES. HAD VEHICLE CHECKED BY MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED THAT ENGINE BLOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LOSING COMPRESSION FOR DIESEL. *AK

20010426ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THERE ARE MULTIPLE MODELS OF THE SAME CAR THAT HAVE THE SAME FAILURE, PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ASAP, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCEDENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

20001010ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THIS IS THE SECOND 1992 300SD THAT I KNOW OF THAT HAS HAD THE SAME FAILURE, IN THE RELATED CASE MBZ REPLACED THE ENTIRE ENGINE DUE TO FAILED HEAD GASKET AND CRANKSHAFT BEING TOO SOFT, OR NOT STRONG ENOUGH, BUT THEY REFUSE TO HELP US, HE OTHER CASE WAS AN ACQUAINTANCE FROM CONNETICUT

20000918UNKNOWN OR OTHER

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

19991103SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

FRONT PADS REPLACED EVERY 10000 MILES AND ROTORS EVERY 20000 MILES. *AK

19990108ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC IS REPORTING AN OVERHEATED RESISTOR FROM THE COOLING FAN WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK

19981201POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

DESIGN OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALLOWS FOR VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARD WHILE ON INCLINE.

19980210CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT 25-30 MPH, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

19971215FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVEWAY IT CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON PASENGER'S COMPARTMENT 8-10 HOURS AFTER IT WAS DRIVEN.CAUSE OF FIRE APPEARED TO BE ELECTRICAL. *AK

19970922SUSPENSION:FRONT

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30-60 MPH THE VEHICLE VIBRATED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *AK *SLC

19961105ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY EXPLODED. *AK

Compare 1992MERCEDES-BENZ300 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 have?
The 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 has 25 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 300?
The most-complained component for the 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
Is the 1992 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.