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1995 Mercedes Benz 280

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

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

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

33 reports with mileage · 14 unknown

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 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 3 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 reports3 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

8 reports
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106,100 miles · Oct 9, 2008
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

1.TEMPERATURE AND FUEL GAUGE HAS INTERMITTENT ISSUES. ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ONE COLD MORNING. 2. ENGINE STALLS / STUTTERS WHEN COLD. LOST POWER TO CAR AND ALMOST HIT A WALL TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. 3 3. NO MONEY TO CORRECT THE ISSUE YET. I DRIVE A DIFFERENT CAR DAILY AND TRY TO AVOID USING THIS ONE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10244954

104,000 miles · Nov 7, 2007
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT/BLOWN HEAD GASKET. BAD O2 SENSOR. EVENTUALLY TRACED TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. MAYBE THIS IS WHY THE MERCEDES 280C IS SINGLED OUT FOR SMOG ONLY CHECK IN CA. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10208159

132,000 miles · Nov 7, 2006
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

MY CAR ACTS HAZARDOUS. FROM TIME TO TIME INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCUR LIKE ENGINE STALLS,ENGINE ERRATICALLY INCREASE RPM, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR NO REASON, GAUGES NOT WORKING FROM TIME TO TIME, WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINES SEEMS TO STALL BUT RUNS ON 3 CYLINDERS I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT IT OFF TO RESTART. MY CAR WENT O…

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MY CAR ACTS HAZARDOUS. FROM TIME TO TIME INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCUR LIKE ENGINE STALLS,ENGINE ERRATICALLY INCREASE RPM, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR NO REASON, GAUGES NOT WORKING FROM TIME TO TIME, WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINES SEEMS TO STALL BUT RUNS ON 3 CYLINDERS I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT IT OFF TO RESTART. MY CAR WENT OFF AND TOOK 6 TRIES TO GET THE CAR STARTED. REPLACED HEAD GASKET AT 130K ANOTHER MERCEDES BENZ PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10172882

71,000 miles · Sep 2, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

IN FOR OIL CHANGE HEAD GASKET BAD NEED $1500 KNOW MONEY FOR WORK . *AK

NHTSA ODI #10089014

127,100 miles · May 3, 2004
Air BagsEngine And Engine CoolingSeats

8182225555: MERCEDES C 280 LEMON RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON 3/26/03/. I WALKED INTO ACURA AFTER TEST DRIVING THIS CAR W/ ERIK ON 3/27. I DROVE IT FOR 3 WEEKS. THE SRS LIGHT (AIRBAGS ) KEPT COMING ON W/ BUZZ NOISE. ON THE 5TH DAY, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE HEAD RESTRAINTS AND REAR BUTTONS DID NOT WORK. THE RADIO FREQUENT…

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8182225555: MERCEDES C 280 LEMON RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON 3/26/03/. I WALKED INTO ACURA AFTER TEST DRIVING THIS CAR W/ ERIK ON 3/27. I DROVE IT FOR 3 WEEKS. THE SRS LIGHT (AIRBAGS ) KEPT COMING ON W/ BUZZ NOISE. ON THE 5TH DAY, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE HEAD RESTRAINTS AND REAR BUTTONS DID NOT WORK. THE RADIO FREQUENTLY GOES IN AND OUT ON SEVERAL STATIONS. THE 3RD WEEK, THERE WAS A HEAVY OIL LEAK, LEAKING FROM THE OIL PAN AND HEAD GASKET. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND DOES NOT MEET USED CAR SAFETY STANDARDS. THE POWER STEERING HAD A LEAK. THE BRAKES WERE WORN BELOW 50%, THE BRAKE SENSORS WERE BAD AND THE ROTORS WERE WORN. THE SHOCKS LEAKED GAS FROM THE FRONT AND ARE WEAK IN THE BACK. CAR ENGINE IDLE HAS A WATER PUMP LEAK. THE BUYERS GUIDE STATED ABOVE. 4/16/04, I DROVE TO ACURA TO TALK TO VERN. VERN TOLD ME THAT MERCE ALWAYS HAS OIL LEAKS. VERN SIGNED A FORM THAT STATED HE WOULD HAVE UNION 76 MECHANIC CHANGE OIL PAN GASKET, CHECK OUT PWR STR PUMP, BRAKES, MISFIRE. 4/20/04, I HEARD VERN TELL UNION 76 TO FIX THE OIL LEAK, CHANGE ALL 4 STRUTS, CHANGE THE ROTORS, BRAKES, AND SENSORS, CHECK PWR STEERING, AND CHECK THE IDLE. WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK ON 4/21/04, THE MECHANICS MESSED UP THE IDLE, THE CAR WAS SHAKING . THE CAR WAS NOT LIKE THIS BEFORE. VERN HAD UNION 76 MESS UP THE CAR. THE STRUTS WERE NOT CHANGED. THE OIL LEAK WAS NOT FIXED. THE OIL PAN WASN'T TIGHTENED. THIS IS AUTO REPAIR FRAUD. ON 4/22/04 I TALKED TO KURT KEENER. HE TRIED TO TO DRAG THIS ORDEAL TILL THE WARR PERIOD RAN OUT. 4/22/04, I BROUGHT A MALE WITNESS W/ ME, I DROPPED OFF THE CAR AND REQUESTED A REFUND OF $8,012.09 FOR THE CAR AND FOR CAR INSURANCE THE AMOUNT OF $421.00. VERN WAS AWARE OF MAJOR OIL LEAK IN HEAD GASKET/PISTONS, DECEPTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES. THIS WAS VERIFIED AT CALABASAS MOTORS ON 4/29 BY TONI PENKINS. TONI SAID THERE WERE OTHER LEAKS TOO. 8185912377. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10068188

19,240 miles · Feb 19, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE- NEEDED CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WITH 19240 MILES ON MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ C280! CALLED BUFFALO DEALER, OUT OF WARRANTY,NO HELP WANTED APPROX $1400. TO REPAIR! FOUND CAR HAS HAD 3 SERVICE BULLETTINS ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. FOUND AUTO DEALER TO FIX FOR $1034.04

NHTSA ODI #10058505

Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE PURCHASED A MERCEDES BENZ C280 THIS PAST WEEK. I HAVE FIND OUT THAT THE ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL. ACCORDING TO 2 DIFFERENT MECHANICS, ONE OF THEM IS AN EMPLOYEE OF A LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER, ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH C-CLASS MODELS. THE HEAD GASKET LEAKS OIL OVERTIME AND ENGINE OIL WILL SEEP INTO…

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I HAVE PURCHASED A MERCEDES BENZ C280 THIS PAST WEEK. I HAVE FIND OUT THAT THE ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL. ACCORDING TO 2 DIFFERENT MECHANICS, ONE OF THEM IS AN EMPLOYEE OF A LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER, ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH C-CLASS MODELS. THE HEAD GASKET LEAKS OIL OVERTIME AND ENGINE OIL WILL SEEP INTO AN OIL PAN UNDER THE ENGINE. SINCE I AM NOT A MECHANIC, IT IS HARD FOR ME TO TELL THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH PROBLEM. BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT AN ENGINE WITHOUT THE OIL WILL FAIL. IT MAY WELL HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON A ROADWAY WITH HIGH TRAFFIC, CAUSING A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR ACTION ON THIS MATTER, SINCE MERCEDES BENZ REPRESENTATIVES ARE RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT THIS A TAKE ACTION. BEST REGARDS, HAKAN AKIN

NHTSA ODI #712981

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED TWO TIMES. ONCE AFTER 2 YEARS AT 21,000 MILES, AND AGAIN AT 48,000 MILES AFTER ABOUT 18 MONTHS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #708278

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.