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: 2 of 11 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.
Air Bags. Review the 4 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 →
Vehicle Speed Control. 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.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
11 reports
145,856 miles · Mar 17, 2014
Engine
CAR CUTS OFF AFTER A LONG DRIVE WHEN COASTING TO A STOP OR WHEN TURNING. WHEN ENGINE CUTS OFF POWER STEERING NO LONGER FUNCTIONS (VERY UPSETTING WHILE TURNING WHICH IS USUALLY WHEN IT CUTS OFF). HAVE TAKEN IT TO PRIVATE SHOP AND MERCEDES DEALER BUT NOTHING RESOLVED THE ISSUE. CAR IS DRIVEN RARELY NOW DUE TO THIS ISSUE AND ISS…
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CAR CUTS OFF AFTER A LONG DRIVE WHEN COASTING TO A STOP OR WHEN TURNING. WHEN ENGINE CUTS OFF POWER STEERING NO LONGER FUNCTIONS (VERY UPSETTING WHILE TURNING WHICH IS USUALLY WHEN IT CUTS OFF). HAVE TAKEN IT TO PRIVATE SHOP AND MERCEDES DEALER BUT NOTHING RESOLVED THE ISSUE. CAR IS DRIVEN RARELY NOW DUE TO THIS ISSUE AND ISSUE IS STILL ACTIVE IN CAR. I HAVE FIVE RECEIPTS FROM PRIVATE AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND MERCEDES BENZ DEALER DOCUMENTING EACH TIME CAR WAS TAKEN FOR THIS ISSUE DATING BACK TO 2003. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10572854
158,900 miles · Mar 31, 2009
Vehicle Speed Control
SUDDEN ACCELERATION . A 1989 MERCEDES BENZ 300E WITH AROUND 158,900 MILES. SINCE THE PAST 6 WEEKS HAS BEEN EXHIBITING THE APPARENTLY HARD TO PROOF CASE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON HIGHWAY 101. THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTION GOING ON SO THE TRAVELING SPEED ON THAT STRETCH OF THE HIGHWAY …
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SUDDEN ACCELERATION . A 1989 MERCEDES BENZ 300E WITH AROUND 158,900 MILES. SINCE THE PAST 6 WEEKS HAS BEEN EXHIBITING THE APPARENTLY HARD TO PROOF CASE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON HIGHWAY 101. THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTION GOING ON SO THE TRAVELING SPEED ON THAT STRETCH OF THE HIGHWAY WAS REDUCED TO AROUND 50MPH. AFTER DRIVING FOR SOME MINUTES WITH MY SPEED AROUND 50MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED WITH THE SPEEDOMETER RISING. I WASN'T IN ANYWAY ACCELERATING. I WAS MAINTAINING MY CURRENT SPEED, THE SUDDEN SURGED MADE ME REMOVED MY LEG COMPLETELY FROM THE PEDAL. WITH THE SPEEDOMETER STILL RISING I DROVE THE NEXT FOUR/ FIVE MILES WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STEERED THE CAR TO SIDE LANE AND PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL.I HAVE HAD 4 SUBSEQUENT OCCURRENCES SINCE THEN. IT NOW HAPPENS LIKE TWICE EVERY WEEK. I HAD A MECHANIC DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL THINKING THAT WAS THE FAULT.THE LAST OCCURRENCE WAS TODAY. DRIVING OUT OF MY HOUSE WITH LESS THAN 30MPH. THE CAR SURGED AGAIN,I MANEUVERED THE CAR TO THE ROAD SIDE CHANGED THE GEAR TO PARKING. THIS TIME THE REF WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE RED ZONE WITH THE CAR IN PARKING GEAR.I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ ABOUT IT ,BUT AS USUAL NOBODY LISTENS TO COMMON PEOPLE .ANYWAYS TODAY I BOUGHT A HANDY VIDEO RECORDER TO BE IN MY CAR ,MAYBE WITH EVIDENCE THE UNSOLVED ISSUE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAN FINALLY BE ADDRESSED AND CLASSIFIED AS BEEN REAL AND NO MORE A BOGUS MAKE UP STORY. .A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY DRIVING EXPERIENCE , I DRIVE TAXI CAB IN SAN FRANCISCO AND IN TOTAL HAVE 20YEARS OF DRIVING CARS WITH A CLEAN RECORD. THANKS *TR
NHTSA ODI #10263812
Mileage unknown · Dec 21, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE OR SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND AT THE DEALER ONCE, HOWEVER, AND NEITHER OF THEM COULD RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.*AK WHEN TURNING ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE SRS AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATE. THE TACHOMETER PE…
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VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE OR SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND AT THE DEALER ONCE, HOWEVER, AND NEITHER OF THEM COULD RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.*AK WHEN TURNING ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE SRS AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATE. THE TACHOMETER PERFORMED ERRATICALLY. THE ALTERNATOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE NOISE WAS CAUSED BY A BOLT IN THE WATER PUMP WHICH WAS TOO LONG AND HIT AGAINST THE PUMP. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10101215
Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 2003
Wheels
PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. *MR (OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT) THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *SCC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10042069
Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2002
Vehicle Speed Control
CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES BY ITSELF WITHOUT DRIVER ASSISTANCE ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #8002498
Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2001
Air Bags
UNTIL I READ ABOUT OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT, I ASSUMED THIS WAS NORMAL. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER ABOUT IT, AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OVER $2500 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY -- I INTENDED FOR THE DATE SHOWN TO INDICATE WHEN THE DASHBOARD LIGHT FIRST CA…
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UNTIL I READ ABOUT OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT, I ASSUMED THIS WAS NORMAL. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER ABOUT IT, AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OVER $2500 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY -- I INTENDED FOR THE DATE SHOWN TO INDICATE WHEN THE DASHBOARD LIGHT FIRST CAME ON.*AK
NHTSA ODI #742102
Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 1999
Air Bags
WHILE SITTING AT A STOP AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER'S DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHP WHERE THE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ODI #850227
Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 1999
Air BagsSeat Belts
THE DASH INDICATOR RESTRAINT SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. DEALER SAYS SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAG UNIT ARE DEFECTIVE. THE CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED AT 1350 PLUS LABOR. PLEASE ADD VIN#. *AK
NHTSA ODI #836990
Mileage unknown · Jan 6, 1997
Power Train
VEHICLE SLIPS OUT OF GEAR ON AN FLAT PLANTFORM, WHEN THIS OCCURS THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARD. OWNER HAS HEARD THE VEHICLE SLIP OUT OF GEAR MANY TIMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY DID MINOR WORK. ALSO THEY TOLD HER TO PUT ON HER EMERGENCY BRAKES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #807173
Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 1995
Air BagsVisibility
SUNROOF SQUEAKS.
NHTSA ODI #513985
Official recalls
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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
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No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
1989 Mercedes Benz 300E Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year