1987 Mercedes Benz 300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

29Owner complaints

Model-year median: 5

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

2Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1987 Mercedes Benz 300

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 29 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Engine And Engine Cooling: 7 reports
Air Bags: 6 reports
Power Train: 4 reports
Tires: 3 reports
Vehicle Speed Control: 3 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

93V095000 — Vehicle Speed Control

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all 300 years →

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

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling

7 Air Bags

6 Power Train

4 Tires

3 Vehicle Speed Control

All reported categories

Child Seat

1 Electrical System

1 Exterior Lighting

1 Fuel System, Gasoline

1 Fuel/propulsion System

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: 6 of 29 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.

Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 4 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 reports3 fire reports6 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

3 reports

Clear category filter

303,000 miles · Dec 1, 2015

Vehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK (IT'S A TEN MILE DRIVE ONE WAY) WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO GO FASTER AND FASTER UNTIL IT REACHED ABOUT 110 MPH. I COULDN'T GET IT TO STOP. I FORCED IT TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO EXIT THE FREEWAY, LEAVING SKID MARKS IN THE ROAD, AND WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF. I WAITED FOR A FRIEND TO COME AND SEE IF THEY COULD HELP. WHEN THEY GOT THERE THEY HAD ME TURN THE CAR ON IN PARK. THE ENGINE STARTED TO REVVED REALLY FAST SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF TO KEEP THE VALVES FROM BEING DAMAGED. WE TOWED THE CAR OURSELVES THE LAST HALF MILE HOME. JUST A NOTE THE CAR HAS THE ORIGINAL ENGINE BUT IT WAS COMPLETELY REBUILT ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO AND WASN'T REALLY DRIVEN MUCH UNTIL ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

NHTSA ODI #10807860

134,000 miles · Aug 13, 2012

Fuel/propulsion SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

Read full complaint

AFTER BEING HIT FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, THE THROTTLE STUCK IN A FULL THROTTLE MODE. THE IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH REMAINED IN FULL THROTTLE MODE AFTER TURNING TO THE OFF POSITION, AND THE BRAKES WERE IMPAIRED TO THE POINT THAT I COULD NOT OVERPOWER THE ACCELERATION, CAUSING ME TO BE FORCED TO FIND A LOCATION TO CRASH MY VEHICLE, WHICH WAS A BUILDING. EVIDENTLY, THE HOOD HAD PINNED THE THROTTLE FULLY BACK, AND THE VACUUM HOSES, WHICH ARE NECESSARY TO CUT FUEL TO THE DIESEL WE SEVERED. ALSO THE VACUUM HOSES BEING CUT NEGATED THE POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKES THUS CAUSING THE MALFUNCTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10470437

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 1996

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE, TURN ON IGNITION, APPLIED BRAKES, SHIFTED TO REVERSE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, MADE LOUD SOUND, CAUSED ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #982654

Recall campaigns

93V095000 · Vehicle Speed Control

May 27, 1993

DUE TO HEAT EFFECTS, THE THROTTLE BUSHING LOCATED ON THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL CABLE, CAN FATIGUE AND BREAK, CAUSING THE THROTTLE LINKAGE TO SEPARATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE THROTTLE LINKAGE SEPARATES, THE ENGINE WILL RETURNTO IDLE SPEED, AND REMAIN AT IDLE, WITH NO ACCELERATION ABILITY. LOSS OF ENGINESPEED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND ANACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE THE THROTTLE BUSHING WITH A NEW BUSHING MADE FROM MORE HEAT-RESISTANT MATERIALS.

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

Defect investigations

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

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.===

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.