IllustrationWHILE DRIVING RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE NEXT DAY IT WAS NOTED THAT OTHER 3 TIRES HAD TREAD SEPARATION. INSPECTION REVEALED TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. *TT *NLM
1986 Mercedes Benz 300
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 300 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 0 of 13 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 8 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 →
- Seat Belts. 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 reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
13 reportsDRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE VEHCLE WAS IN MOTION ,RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES.VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A COLLSION. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCK THE DOORS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, WITHOUT ANY REASON. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
SEAT BELT BOLTS 'FIRED', CAUSING HEARING LOSS.
WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
CUSTOMER WAS DRIVING AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
WHEN THE DRIVER PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IT ROLLED BACKWARD VERY FAST THAT THE DRIVER WAS PUSHING HER BRAKES AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. *AK
DRIVESHAFT FAILURE, CAUSING AIR BAG TO BLOW UP. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
3PE88032 · 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
EA88003 · Sudden Acceleration
Opened Oct 29, 1987 · Closed Jul 31, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
STATUS:THIS INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.===
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