MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ · model year

1979 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ

3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1979MERCEDES-BENZMERCEDES BENZ carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 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 1979 MERCEDES BENZ is power train:automatic transmission with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system:radiator assembly (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine (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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1979 MERCEDES BENZ. 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.

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 filings

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

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1

Recent Complaints

19950615POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

PARKING PAWL ACTUATOR ROD FAILED DUE TO BEING DESIGNED WITH NYLON INSTEAD OF STEEL. (1ST VEHICLE FROM 486224) *SKD

19950615ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

THERMOSTAT FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT.

19950615ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE GASKET REPLACED.

Compare 1979MERCEDES-BENZMERCEDES BENZ to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1979 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ have?
The 1979 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1979 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ?
The most-complained component for the 1979 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1979 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ 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.