MERCEDES-BENZ 300E · model year

1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E

19 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1986MERCEDES-BENZ300E carries 19 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, 14 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 1986 300E is air bags:frontal with 3 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly (2) and air bags:frontal:sensor/control module (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 1 investigation file overlapping the 1986 300E. 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.

19
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
14
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

19 filings

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

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
SUSPENSION:REAR1
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST1
WHEELS1
STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING1
AIR BAGS1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH1
TIRES1

Recent Complaints

20091113VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SUDDEN ACCELERATION SYNDROME. I BELIEVE I ELIMINATED THIS PROBLEM BY DISCONNECTING THE CRUISE CONTROL AMP LOCATED UNDER THE DASH BOARD BY UNPLUGGING CABLE ATTACHED TO THE UNIT. WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BY RECONNECTING THE ATTACHED CABLE. BELIEVE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEMS DESIGN DEFECTIVE. AT PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUND SOME COMPLAINTS REGARDING SUDDEN ACCELERATION SYNDROME PERTAINING TOO THIS VEHICLE- MODEL- YEAR. LUCKY MINE IS A STICK SHIFT IN THAT REGARD. DAIMLER AND NHTSA BOTH WERE NOTIFIED. DAIMLER WOULD CHARGE FOR THE DIAGNOSES AND REPAIR. APPARENTLY THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO WARRANT A RECALL. LAW IS COMPLICATED. I CAN LIVE WITHOUT THE LUXURY OF CRUISE CONTROL AND EXORBITANT REPAIR COST. *TR

Mileage: 150

20060112FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

I JUST EXPERIENCED MY 4TH FUEL TANK FRACTURE OVER 5 YEARS. THE FRACTURES OCCUR IN THE SURFACE OF THE TANK NOT CAUSED BY WEAR OF ANY SORT. THEY JUST SPONTANEOUSLY OCCUR. THE TANK IS COMPLETELY FACTORY INSTALLED IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR THIS ALLOWS FUMES TO ENTER THE ENTIRE CAR. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A FRACTURED TANK IN ANY BRAND IN 40 YEARS OF DRIVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER. *JB

Mileage: 180,000

20050812FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

I HAVE EXPERIENCED HAIRLINE CRACK FAILURES IN THREE (3) SEPARATE FUEL TANKS PLACED INTO MY 1986 MERCEDES 300E 4 DOOR SEDAN OVER 6 YEARS. THESE CRACKS NEVER ALLOWED LIQUID TO ESCAPE, BUT FUMES DID REPEATEDLY EMIT INTO THE CAR TRUNK AND PASSENGER CABIN. AFTER BEING IN PLACE FOR 9 MONTHS THE 3RD TANK IS NOW LEAKING FUMES AND I HAVE DISCOVERED STAINING WHERE THE CRACKS EXIST. THIS IS, BY ITSELF, A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. TO HAPPEN THREE TIMES WITH THREE DIFFERENT REPLACEMENT TANKS IS EXCEPTIONAL! I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THIS INDICATES THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM INDICATING THAT THEIR MIGHT BE AN ORIGINAL DESIGN DEFECT IN THE TANK, ITS LOCATION (IT MIGHT BE GETTING SCRAPED BY SURROUNDING SHEET METAL), OR ITS BASIC MATERIAL CONSTITUTION; IE, TOO THIN OR POORLY ENGINEERED MATERIALS. *NM

Mileage: 100,000

20041128TIRES

BLOWOUT, WITH 4/32 TREAD LEFT, OF SCHWAB Z800 ULTRA RADIAL WITH 100,000 MILE WARRANTY, AT APPROX 50,200 MILES, OCCURRED AS DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ON FREEWAY WITH NO IMPACT OR PRIOR DAMAGE TO TIRE. 11/27/2004. TIRES PURCHASED 6/29/99 AS PAIR. ROTATED AND KEPT PROPERLY INFLATED, WHEELS ALIGNED. ON 4/25/03 A SCHWAB Z800 PLUS TIRE, WITH 47,000 MILES(100,000 WARRANTY), PURCHASED 2/20/98, SAME CONDITIONS OF TREATMENT, BLEW OUT ON SAME CAR UNDER SAME CIRCUMSTANCES, NAMELY DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ON FREEWAY. BOTH TIRES LEFT REAR WHEEL AT TIME OF BLOWOUT. SCHWAB REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY ON GROUNDS LACK OF DOCUMENTATION TIREST ROTATED EVERY 5000 MILES. NO EVIDENT CONCERN ABOUT SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

Mileage: 196,640

20010802AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A COLLISION OCCURRING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

19990604CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

WHIILE REACHING INTO VEHICLE FOR A POCKET BOOK THE STRAP PULLED SHIFT LEVER INTO GEAR WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH NO KEY IN IT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLIP INTO GEAR AND ROLL DOWN HILL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

19981020AIR BAGS

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG RESULTING IN INJURIES (BURNS) TO FACE AND CHEST AND DAMAGES TO VEHICLE.

19981005WHEELS

RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BECAME SEPARATED AT THE BALL JOINT AND THE TIE ROD BROKE OFF CAUSING WHEEL TO BECOME LOOSE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).

19981005STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING

RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BECAME SEPARATED AT THE BALL JOINT AND THE TIE ROD BROKE OFF CAUSING WHEEL TO BECOME LOOSE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).

19980217SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

THE POWER SEATS MOVE BACK AND FORWARD ON THEIR OWN. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

19961112AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT IMPACT AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK *JB

19960923AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, CAUSING INJURIES AFTER RECALL.

19960923AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, CAUSING INJURIES AFTER RECALL.

19960923SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, CAUSING INJURIES AFTER RECALL.

19960923POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

DRIVESHAFT FAILED.

19960923ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED.

19960923SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

RIGHT FRONT SEAT BACK WILL NOT ADJUST.

19960923SUSPENSION:FRONT

FRONT/REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS.

19960923SUSPENSION:REAR

FRONT/REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS.

Compare 1986MERCEDES-BENZ300E to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E have?
The 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E has 19 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 14 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E?
The most-complained component for the 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE.
Is the 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E 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.