IllustrationI WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM BENEATH THE HOOD AND INTO THE VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. AFTER EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE THE CAR NO LONGER STARTED. UPON INSPECTION ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HAD MELTED. *TR
1992 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: 3 of 22 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 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 reports0 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
5 reportsWHILE DRIVING MY BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE REPLACED MY BATTERY TWICE IN A 2-YEAR PERIOD. INITIALLY, MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN WHILE MY CAR WAS OFF, SOMETHING WAS CONSANTLY RUNNING CAUSING MY BATTERY TO FAIL. I HAD MY NEW BATTERY REPLACED AND MY INIGNITION CHECK AND THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BATTERY REPL…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING MY BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE REPLACED MY BATTERY TWICE IN A 2-YEAR PERIOD. INITIALLY, MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN WHILE MY CAR WAS OFF, SOMETHING WAS CONSANTLY RUNNING CAUSING MY BATTERY TO FAIL. I HAD MY NEW BATTERY REPLACED AND MY INIGNITION CHECK AND THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BATTERY REPLACED. THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN. CAR IS SLOW TO START AND BATTERY LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF AT INTERVALS.*AK
WIRING HARNESS IS EXPOSED OUTSIDE OF HOOD AREA. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT INSULATION IS CRACKING AND FALLING OFF ALL WIRING AROUND THE ENGINE. *YD
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVEWAY IT CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON PASENGER'S COMPARTMENT 8-10 HOURS AFTER IT WAS DRIVEN.CAUSE OF FIRE APPEARED TO BE ELECTRICAL. *AK
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY EXPLODED. *AK
Official recalls
196V175000 · 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.