Total Complaints
9 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 300E · model year
1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991MERCEDES-BENZ300E carries 9 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 1991 300E is vehicle speed control with 3 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly (2) and electrical system:wiring:front underhood (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 1991 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.
9
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 | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20180410SUSPENSION
FRONT SUPPORT BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE COIL SPRING THTS ATACHED TO THE BDY CHASIS IS STARTING TO COME APART HAS CRACKS
20160317SERVICE BRAKES
WHEN BACKING UP GOING DOWN A SLIGHT HILL THE BRAKE SKIP AND YOU HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKE TO STOP IT .THANK GOD I DO NOT LIVE ON A STEEP HILL MY DRIVE WAY HAS A LITTLE HILL W BHEN BACKING OUT THE GARAGE.. SINCE I AM NOT THAT EDUCATED IN CARS . IT IS UNKNOWN.PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANY ONE HAVE HAD A PROBLEM LIKE MINE.
20130122FireENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MERCEDES BENZ 300E. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, HE BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. MOMENTS LATER HE NOTICED SMOKE BELLOWING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD TO DISCOVER THAT A FIRE HAD ERUPTED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE USING WATER AND A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH AN ENGINEER, THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND DUE TO THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE, THEY WOULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 188,000.
Mileage: 188,000
20020624FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
WHILE TRAVELING IN TRAFFIC CONSUMER NOTICED A GASOLINE SMELL COMING FROM TRUNK COMPARTMENT. WHEN SHE LIFTED UP THE TRUNK AREA GASOLINE HAS SPILLED INSIDE OF TRUNK. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20020102ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE WILL NO LONGER START BECAUSE OF WIRING HARNESS; COATING ON WIRES HAVE MELTED, AND WERE TOUCHING ONE ANOTHER, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO START.
20000519FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19991029VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN THE THROTTLE LINKAGE FROZE . NLM
19991029VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN THE THROTTLE LINKAGE FROZE . NLM
19991029VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN THE THROTTLE LINKAGE FROZE . NLM
Compare 1991MERCEDES-BENZ300E to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E have?▼
The 1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300E is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD.
Is the 1991 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.