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 10 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.
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 →
Visibility. 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 reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
10 reports
105,496 miles · May 17, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury
ON 05-03-2011 WHILE DRIVEING MY MERCEDES BENZ190 SERIES /1985- THE HEATING COIL BURST POURING &SPRAYING HOT RADIATOR COOLANT FROM UNDER THE DASH/OVER THE FIRE WALL ONTO MY LEGS AND FEET. BURNING AND BLISTERING 2ND DEGREE BURNS OVER MY LEGS AND FEET. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM ,THIS JUST HAPPENED OUT OF THE BLUE.…
Read full complaint
ON 05-03-2011 WHILE DRIVEING MY MERCEDES BENZ190 SERIES /1985- THE HEATING COIL BURST POURING &SPRAYING HOT RADIATOR COOLANT FROM UNDER THE DASH/OVER THE FIRE WALL ONTO MY LEGS AND FEET. BURNING AND BLISTERING 2ND DEGREE BURNS OVER MY LEGS AND FEET. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM ,THIS JUST HAPPENED OUT OF THE BLUE. THE CAR HAS NEVER GIVEN ME ANY PROBLEM WITH OVER HEATING OR GAUGES. FIRST TIME. I HEARD A HISSIING LIKE SOUND 3 OR 4 SECOUNDS BEFORE MY LEGGS STARTED BURNING. THANKFULLY MY KIDS AND GRANDCHILD WHERE NOT INJURED OR ANY OTHER DRIVER ON THE ROAD -THIS HAS BEEN A HORRIBLE EXPERIANCE AND NOT ABLE TO WORK-MEDICAL BILLS-NO CAR-AND THE PAIN-HOW COULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. WHAT I'VE LEARNED SINCE THIS IS ,APARENTLY THIS YEAR CAR AND MAKE 1985 THE HEATING COIL SITS UP AGAINST THE DASH WALL-SO ANYONE ELSE BETTER BE PAPAIRED FOR THE WORST ,I HOPE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANY ONE ELSE-ITS HORRABLE *WAITING ON RESPONSE FROM MERCEDES BENZ TO SEE IF THEY WILL FIX PROBLEM. AND IF THERE WILL BE A RECALL.* THE DOCTOR AT THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM SAID ANOTHER MAN CAME INTO EMERGENCY ROOM THE MONTH BEFORE ,HIS MERCEDES DID THE SAME THING AND THE MAN WAS BURNT SEVERLY LIKE ME. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10401372
180,000 miles · Jul 16, 2004
VisibilityInjury
WHILE DRIVING HEATER CORE BLEW, CAUSING HOT COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S LEGS, CAUSING THIRD DEGREE BURNS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10082141
Mileage unknown · Jun 19, 2002
Vehicle Speed Control
THE VEHICLE SURGED INTO A BRICK WALL. WHILE IN PARK, CONSUMER WENT TO PUT THE VEHILCE INTO TEH DRIVE GEAR FROM PARK. WIHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THIS TYPE OF SURGING ACTION WOULD HAPPEN WHILE IN MOTION ALSO. CONSUMER FEELS SOME RETRIBUTION IS OWED. *JG
NHTSA ODI #8012140
Mileage unknown · Oct 4, 2000
VisibilityInjury
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN HOT ANTI-FREEZE & WATER LEAKED ONTO GAS PEDAL AND DRIVER'S FOOT, BURNING IT. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, MECHANIC INDICATED THAT HEATER CORE CRACKED & WAS LEAKING. WAS INFORMED TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. WENT TO EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TREATMENT OF FOOT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #872246
Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 1999
Air Bags
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND WITHOUT A COLLISION OCCURRING, AIR BAG SENSOR WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE VEHICLE EXPLODED, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #836812
Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 1999
Suspension
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #702925
Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
NHTSA ODI #533394
Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 1996
Structure
THE REAR SUBFRAME IS CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE. WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, A METAL TO METAL SOUND IS EXPERIENCED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #803564
Mileage unknown · Nov 2, 1995
Vehicle Speed Control
WHEN CAR IS ON CRUISE CONTROL THE CAR ACCELERATES SOMETIMES . TT
NHTSA ODI #974397
Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 1995
Vehicle Speed Control
PLASTIC CLIP ON ACCELERATOR CABLE WEARS OUT PREMATURELY, FALLS OUT ONTO GROUND; HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IDLING SPEED. TT DEALER REPLACED ENTIRE ACCELERATOR CABLE THE FIRST TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, THE SEOND TIME, JUST THE CLIP WAS REPLACED. *SLC
THE DESIGN OF THE PARKING BRAKE GRIP MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO DISTORT THE GRIP AND PINCH THE BRAKE RELEASE KNOB. IF THE RELEASE KNOB STICKS IN A PARTIAL ENGAGE/RELEASE POSITION BECAUSE OF THE PINCHED GRIP, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE LEVER TO RELEASE UNINTENTIONALLY WITH A CORRESPONDING REDUCTION IN PARKING BRAKE FORCE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT PROPERLY PARKED WITH THETRANSMISSION IN THE CORRECT POSITION, AND IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A GRADE,REDUCTION IN PARKING BRAKE FORCE COULD LEAD TO UNINTENTIONAL ROLLAWAY AND ANACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE PARKING BRAKE GRIP WITH A NEW GRIP TYPE.
IN CASE OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHICH BLOWS FUSE NO. 9, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT OPERATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: TOUCHING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROLWOULD NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED.
Remedy: USE TWO FUSES IN COMBINATION SO THAT IN CASE OF A FUSE FAILURE, THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM WILL NOT OPERATE.
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
4
EA90040 · Parking Brake Levers
Opened Aug 29, 1990 · Closed Aug 30, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake
There is no summary currently available
EA88034 · Sudden Acceleration
Opened Jul 15, 1988 · Closed Jul 31, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY PETITIONED NHTSA TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTOSUDDEN ACCELERATION ON VARIOUS MERCEDES-BENZ MODELS.THE PETITION WASGRANTED WITH RESPECT TO THE 1986-1987 300E MODEL AND ENGINEERING ANALYSISEA88-003 WAS OPENED COVERING JUST THE 1986 AND 1987 300 E VEHICLES.SUBSEQUENTLY, CFAS REPETITIONED NHTSA TO EXPAND ITS INVESTIGATION TO COVERALL 1984 THROUGH 1987 MERCEDES GASOLINE POWERED VEHICLES.DEFECT PETITIONNUMBER DP88-013 WAS THEN ASSIGNED.ON JULY 14, 1988, THE CFAS WAS ADVISEDTHAT PETITION DP88-013 HAD BEEN GRANTED AND THAT A NEW ENGINEERING ANALYSIS(EA88-034) HAD BEEN OPENED.THE PRECEDING PETITIONS AND THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAVE BEEN MERGED INTOEA88-034.===
PE88032 · Abs Failures
Opened Mar 10, 1988 · Closed May 2, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
DP87019 · Sudden Acceleration
Opened May 22, 1987 · Closed Oct 29, 1987
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
1985 Mercedes Benz 190 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
Illustration