1992 Mercedes Benz 300 SERIES: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
13 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
130,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1992 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Wiring is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 13 complaints (30.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 61.5% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 30.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Wiring | 4 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 2 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control | 1 |
Electrical System:Wiring: 4; Electrical System: 3; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 2; Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 2
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 |
2003: 2; 2005: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 2; 2009: 3; 2012: 3
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Wiring leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 8 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10005359 · 2003-02-05 (February 5, 2003)
I OWN A 1992 300TE 4MATIC MERCEDES BENZ. THE 4MATIC SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING, DEALER STATES THE TRASFER CASE NEEDS TO BE REPLACE PART #124280390188 AT A COST OF $2047.50 PART ONLY. THE PART IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER NOW FOR 3 MONTHS AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE AVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 94,546 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005359 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10014208 · 2003-04-09 (April 9, 2003)
EMISSIONS AIR PUMP SEIZED CAUSING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO MELT ALL OVER ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS. THIS IS THE THIRD KNOWN REPLACEMENT OF A SERPENTINE BELT--TWO OF WHICH WERE 16,000 MILES BETWEEN REPLACEMENTS. EMISSIONS AIR PUMP, IDLE PULLEY AND SERPENTINE BELT WERE REPLACED. THIS CAR ALSO HAS A 7 YEAR HISTORY OF RANDOM STALLING WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED.
Owner-reported narrative. 143,137 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014208 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134359 · 2005-08-26 (August 26, 2005)
I HAVE A 1992 300CE MERCEDES BENZ. THE WIRING HARNESS IS BAD AND I'M TOLD THAT THE PLASTIC WAS MADE OF WHAT HAS BEEN OUTLAWED. THIS MATERIAL MAY CAUSE A FIRE. WHAT IF ANYTHING CAN I DO TO REMEDY THIS WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY AN ARM AN LEG, AS FAR AS THE MERCEDES COMPANY IS CONCERNED? HELP!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE NOTE THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENT BUT IN ORDER TO PROCEED I HAD TO PUT IN A DATE. THANK YOU. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134359 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10152349 · 2006-03-09 (March 9, 2006)
I HAVE A 1992 300CE AND I WAS INFORMED LAST WEEK BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE WIRING HARNESS IS CRACKING AND PEELING. AFTER READING THE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR WIRING HARNESS CAUSING A FIRE I AM CONCERN. THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING IS THE CAR ALARM, RADIO, AND LEFT HEADLIGHT SOCKET PLUG IS DAMAGE DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAULT. I AM CONSIDERING REPLACING THE WIRE HARNESS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10152349 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10163361 · 2006-07-24 (July 24, 2006)
1992 MERCEDES 300E, ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILING CAUSING CAR TO SHORT OUT, STALL, NOT DRIVABLE. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10163361 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10186762 · 2007-04-02 (April 2, 2007)
RADIO, ALARM, BACKUP WARNING, MOON ROOF, QUIT WORKING. BATTERY DIED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. CAR HAD DIFFICULTIES STARTING AND RUNNING ROUGH. BOTH WIRING HARNESSES HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10186762 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10209057 · 2007-11-15 (November 15, 2007)
I BOUGHT THE CAR USED.... I NOW KNOW WHY THE MAN WAS SO EAGER TO SELL AT SUCH A REASONABLE PRICE. CAR CONTINUES TO STALL ON ME, AFTER LETTING IT SIT AND COOL FOR APPROX. 20+ MINS IT WILL USUALLY START. ON ONE OCCASION THE CAR SEEMED TO BE ON FIRE, BY THE TIME I GOT PULLED OVER, THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF SMOKE. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ANYTHING OVER 5-10 MINS IT SMELLS AS IF IT WERE ON FIRE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 130,048 miles reported. Look up ODI 10209057 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10259977 · 2009-02-25 (February 25, 2009)
ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS OF THE 1992 W140 MERCEDES BENZ 300SD SHORTED OUT AND CAUSE A FIRE INSIDE MY VEHICLE. I SHUT OF THE POWER SOURCE AND NOW MY CAR IS WORTHLESS SINCE THE WIRING IS BAD. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 240,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10259977 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.