1991 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 →

19Owner complaints

Model-year median: 5

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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

Inspection summary

1991 Mercedes Benz 300

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 19 owner complaints · 2 recall campaigns · 0 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)

Air Bags: 4 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 4 reports
Electrical System: 3 reports
Power Train: 2 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

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

Air Bags

4 Engine And Engine Cooling

4 Electrical System

3 Power Train

2 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

All reported categories

Steering

2 Vehicle Speed Control

2 Fuel System, Gasoline

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: 1 of 19 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 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. 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 reports2 fire reports3 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

3 reports

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119,000 miles · Oct 4, 2009

Electrical System

Read full complaint

MY 1991 300SL BENZ HAS HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS REPLACED PER MB DEALER BECAUSE IT'S GOING BAD AND DECOMPOSING CAUSING A POTENTIAL FIRE PROBLEM. THIS AFTER A NO START PROBLEM AND A MONTH IN THE SHOP. AND THEY NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE. NOW , AFTER REPLACING THE HARNESS , THEY ARE STILL NOT ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE HARNESS IS A "GREEN WIRING HARNESS" AS REQUIRED BE GERMANY TO ITS AUTO MAKERS IN 1991-1996. THE DECOMPOSING OF THE WIRING CAUSES A FIRE HAZARD AND SHOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10286243

Mileage unknown · Nov 6, 1996

Electrical SystemFire

ELECTRICAL WIRING OVERHEATED, CAUSING FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #511109

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 1996

Electrical System

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #601885

Recall campaigns

96V175000 · Visibility

Sep 19, 1996

IF ONE OF THE HEADLAMP WIPER ARMS BECOMES MISALIGNED, THE WIPER BALDE CAN LODGE IN THE GROOVE UNDER THE HEADLAMP. IF THE WASHERS ARE ACTIVATED WITH THE WIPER BLADE IN THE MISALIGNED AND LODGED POSITION, THE WASHER PUMP WILL RUN CONTINUOUSLY EXPELLING ALL AVAILABLE FLUID.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: PUMP OPERATION IN THE ABSENCE OF FLUID CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP WASHER PUMP ON THESE VEHICLES.

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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