Total Complaints
9 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 300SE · model year
1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SE
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991MERCEDES-BENZ300SE 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, 5 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 1991 300SE is electrical system:wiring with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (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 15 investigation files overlapping the 1991 300SE. 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
5
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060529ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
I HAVE PROBLEM WITH DISINTEGRATING WIRING CAUSING MY CAR TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. I TOOK IT TO THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ASR WAS LET ALONE FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR 1 AND A-HALF WEEKS. PLEASE INFORM ME AS TO WHAT TO DO AS I FEEL I AM DRIVING A DANGEROUS VEHICLE. *NM
Mileage: 272,000
20030929FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UNDER-HOOD FIRE TOTALED CAR. FIRE DEPT. REQUIRED TO EXTINGUISHED FIRE. FIRE STARTED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. CAUSE UNDETERMINED.
Mileage: 90,000
20030929FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
UNDER-HOOD FIRE TOTALED CAR. FIRE DEPT. REQUIRED TO EXTINGUISHED FIRE. FIRE STARTED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. CAUSE UNDETERMINED.
Mileage: 90,000
20030929FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
UNDER-HOOD FIRE TOTALED CAR. FIRE DEPT. REQUIRED TO EXTINGUISHED FIRE. FIRE STARTED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. CAUSE UNDETERMINED.
Mileage: 90,000
20030929FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
UNDER-HOOD FIRE TOTALED CAR. FIRE DEPT. REQUIRED TO EXTINGUISHED FIRE. FIRE STARTED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. CAUSE UNDETERMINED.
Mileage: 90,000
20030903STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
WHILE DRIVING AND A RIGHT TURN WAS MADE, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *AK . AFTER HAVING A THIRD SET OF MOTOR MOUNTS INSTALLED, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD A HEAT SHIELD WAS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE MOTOR MOUNT FROM THE EXHAUST HEAT. BUT MERCEDES NEVER NOTIFIED THE CONSUMER ABOUT THE NEED FOR A HEAT SHIELD AND THE VEHICLE DIDN'T COME WITH A HEAT SHIELD. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *CB *JB
Mileage: 61,000
20030317FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS TOTALED. THE FIRE INSPECTOR INDICATED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *JB
20020502ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE WIRES ARE EXPOSED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. AND THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE WIRES CAN CAUSE A FIRE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB CONSUMER ADDS THE WIRING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD TOTALLY DETERIORATED TO THE POINT THAT BARE WIRES WERE EXPOSED BECAUSE THE INSULATION HAD CRACKED AND FELL OFF THE WIRE HAVING AN POTENTIAL TO CAUSE AN FIRE. *TT
20020502ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THE WIRES ARE EXPOSED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. AND THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE WIRES CAN CAUSE A FIRE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB CONSUMER ADDS THE WIRING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD TOTALLY DETERIORATED TO THE POINT THAT BARE WIRES WERE EXPOSED BECAUSE THE INSULATION HAD CRACKED AND FELL OFF THE WIRE HAVING AN POTENTIAL TO CAUSE AN FIRE. *TT
Compare 1991MERCEDES-BENZ300SE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SE have?▼
The 1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SE has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 5 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SE is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD.
Is the 1991 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SE 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.