Total Complaints
8 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ · model year
1997 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997MERCEDES-BENZMERCEDES BENZ carries 8 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, 1 injury, 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 1997 MERCEDES BENZ is power train:automatic transmission with 1 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (1) and electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (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 1997 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010725AIR BAGS
I LEASED THE CAR AS NEW IN 1997 FOR 3 YEARS. LAST AUGUST, 2000, I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE OUTRIGHT. ONE MONTH AGO, I STARTED GETTING WATER LEAKING UNDER THE DASHBOARD, PASSENGER SIDE WHEN IT RAINED. DEALERSHIP STATES IT NOT A REPORTED DEFECT, WHICH I HAVE DOUBTS TO BE TRUE. MERCEDES TOOK MY COMPLAINT, BUT THEY TOLD ME IT WAS AN OUTSIDE T CAUSED THAT, LIKE WIND AND RAIN. THIS RAIN SHORTED THE SRS (SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM, IE. AIRBAGS) WHICH THE BOX IS LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND I HAD ELECTRIC SEATS! PAY $40,000. FOR A (SUPPOSEDLY) QUALITY CAR AND ALL THEY CAN DO IS UNCLOG THE DRAIN HOLES, SO THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN!! RIDICULOUS. THE ISSUE PRESENTS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEREBY THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT ACTIVATE IN AN ACCIDENT! THIS TO ME, IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. AND THERE IS NO WARNING OF THIS IN THE VEHICLE MANUALS.*AK
19990528VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD FAILURE. *YC
19990407SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVER WAS INJURED IN COLLISION; SEATBELT WORKED AS DESIGNED. *YC
19990201VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
SUNROOF LEAKED.
19990201ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE CONTINUALLY STALLING, REPAIRS MADE HOWEVER WERE NOT THE CAUSE OF FAILURES.
19990122ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE MESSAGE PANEL CONTINUES TO INTERMITTANTLY SIGNAL LIGHT DEFECTIVE EVEN AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX.
19980204VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOP SIGN. *AK
19970820POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DEALYED TRANSMISSION ENGAGEMENT WHEN RAPID ACCELERATION AND TRYING TO ACTIVATE REVERSE GEAR. *AK
Compare 1997MERCEDES-BENZMERCEDES BENZ to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ have?▼
The 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES BENZ is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH.
Is the 1997 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.