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1994 Mercedes Benz 280

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
18Owner complaints

Model-year median: 0

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
18
199447
199513
19965
1997
Compare all 280 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
10Vehicle Speed Control
3Engine And Engine Cooling
2Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Air Bags
1
All reported categories
Structure
1Suspension
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 8 of 18 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports4 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

18 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2002
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

THIS VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LEAKING HEAD GASKET AND FAILED ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THE OIL LEAK HAD BEGUN OVER THREE YEARS AGO, BUT WAS MINOR AND I WAS LEAD TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS A MINOR SEAL OR GASKET. UPON CONTACTING OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE, I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS GENERALLY KNOWN BY MANY OWNERS OF C28…

Read full complaint

THIS VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LEAKING HEAD GASKET AND FAILED ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THE OIL LEAK HAD BEGUN OVER THREE YEARS AGO, BUT WAS MINOR AND I WAS LEAD TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS A MINOR SEAL OR GASKET. UPON CONTACTING OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE, I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS GENERALLY KNOWN BY MANY OWNERS OF C280'S THAT THE HEAD GASKETS LEAK OIL AND THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESSES GO BAD. THE TERM MOST USED WAS "IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF IF IT WILL FAIL BUT WHEN IT WILL FAIL". UPON LEARNING THIS INFORMATION I INSPECTED THE WIRING IN THE CAR AND IN AREAS WHERE THE WIRES WERE NOT WRAPPED TOGETHER, I COULD SEE THE INSULATION CRACKING AND WHERE THE WIRING LOOKED FINE, ALL I HAD TO DO IS LIGHTLY MOVE THE WIRES AND A NEW CRACK WOULD DEVELOP. WHERE THE CRACKS EXISTED YOU COULD SEE THE WIRE STRANDS BELOW. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE CAN LEAD TO EQUIPMENT FAILURE AND POTENTIALLY AN ENGINE FIRE. IN MY OPINION AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR, DEFINITELY LONGER THAN 50K MILES AS SHOULD A HEAD GASKET THAT HASN'T BEEN STRESSED IN AN OVER HEAT SITUATION. IT IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE HEADGASKET HAS BEEN REVISED IN LATER VERSIONS. DT

NHTSA ODI #769109

Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 1998
Vehicle Speed Control

THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT HAPPENS WHEN SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE FORWARD FOR A SECOND. DRIVER HAS TO PRESS HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR VEHICLE TO STOP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #828934

Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 1998
Air BagsVehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SURGED FOWARD, HIT A WALL IN GARAGE, CAUSING PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY, WHILE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #822480

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 1997
Vehicle Speed ControlVisibility

TROUBLE SEEING THROUGH WINDSHIELD WHEN RAINING AT NIGHT.

NHTSA ODI #515359

Mileage unknown · Sep 24, 1996
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED ABS FAILURE, UPON BRAKING PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, BRAKES SEEMED INEFFECTIVE IN STOPPING, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #802873

Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 1996
Suspension

VEHICLE SHIMMEYS. *SD

NHTSA ODI #505755

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 1996
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

ABS BRAKES; FAILURE ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #980701

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 1995
Structure

PROBLEM WITH ROOF. *AK

NHTSA ODI #479147

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.