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1996 Mercedes Benz 300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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Owner complaints by model year

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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: 5 of 8 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 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. 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.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

8 reports
260,000 miles · Oct 6, 2008
Power Train

CAR LOOSING POWER WHEN DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10244498

205,650 miles · Jan 2, 2008
Electrical System

CAR STALLS AT 40+ MPH IN TRAFFIC APPARENTLY CHOKED FOR FUEL. AFTER 5 TO 10 MINUTES AT REST - THE CAR CAN BE STARTED ALTHOUGH THE KEY MUST BE HELD IN THE START POSITION FOR 30 TO 40 SECONDS. THIS IS A 1996 300D MERCEDES BENZ 4-DOOR SEDAN. IT WAS DIAGNOSED BY A CERTIFIED MERCEDES BENZE REPAIR CENTER, CUMMINS AUTOMOTIVE, WHICH…

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CAR STALLS AT 40+ MPH IN TRAFFIC APPARENTLY CHOKED FOR FUEL. AFTER 5 TO 10 MINUTES AT REST - THE CAR CAN BE STARTED ALTHOUGH THE KEY MUST BE HELD IN THE START POSITION FOR 30 TO 40 SECONDS. THIS IS A 1996 300D MERCEDES BENZ 4-DOOR SEDAN. IT WAS DIAGNOSED BY A CERTIFIED MERCEDES BENZE REPAIR CENTER, CUMMINS AUTOMOTIVE, WHICH VERIFIED THRU FAULT CODES THAT HE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IS BAD. UPON INSPECTION THEY HAVE FOUND INSULATION WEAR THAT HAS CAUSED THE FAULT (WIRES TOUCHING EACH OTHER) THAT HAS CAUSED THE STALLS.*CN

NHTSA ODI #10213383

159,600 miles · Aug 27, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL AND ELECTRONICS ON FRONT DASH WENT BLANK, CAR DECELERATED, AND I HAD TO GET OFF THE ROAD BEFORE IT STOPPED. CAR WOULD NOT START FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DRIVE TO SAFETY. DROVE CAR HOME AFTER A FEW DAYS - IN AREA AWAY FROM HOME AND HAD TO USE RENTAL. ON RETURN H…

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DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL AND ELECTRONICS ON FRONT DASH WENT BLANK, CAR DECELERATED, AND I HAD TO GET OFF THE ROAD BEFORE IT STOPPED. CAR WOULD NOT START FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DRIVE TO SAFETY. DROVE CAR HOME AFTER A FEW DAYS - IN AREA AWAY FROM HOME AND HAD TO USE RENTAL. ON RETURN HOME WITH VEHICLE, IT AGAIN STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH ON A DRAWBRIDGE AT NIGHT! AGAIN, CAR WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY GET RESTARTED AND DRIVEN TO SAFETY. I HAVE HAD CAR AT MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AND TWO OTHER CAR REPAIR CENTERS THAT WERE ENDORSED. NO ONE CAN FIX THE DEFECT. I HAVE SPENT OVER $12,000 OVER LESS THAN 2 YEARS TO NO AVAIL. WE JUST CONTINUE TO GET MILKED FOR MONEY. THE CAR DOES HAVE 156K MILEAGE ON IT, BUT IS A DIESEL AND HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR DESPITE THE MILEAGE WITH MAINTENANCE CHECKS AS WARRANTED BY THE DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10088701

160,000 miles · Apr 1, 2004
Suspension

THE WELDED BRACKET RUSTED, AND IN APRIL 2003, THE LEFT HAND COIL SPRING BRACKET FAILED. ALSO, IN FEBUARY 2004, THE RIGHT HAND COIL SPRING BRACKET FAILED. *AK THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE JUMPED INTO THE AIR, MADE NOISES, AND A BLACK OBJECT HAD FLOWN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. EVERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND TH…

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THE WELDED BRACKET RUSTED, AND IN APRIL 2003, THE LEFT HAND COIL SPRING BRACKET FAILED. ALSO, IN FEBUARY 2004, THE RIGHT HAND COIL SPRING BRACKET FAILED. *AK THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE JUMPED INTO THE AIR, MADE NOISES, AND A BLACK OBJECT HAD FLOWN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. EVERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. THE "EARS" OF THE BRACKET THAT WERE WELDED ALONG THE BODY CAPTURED WATER WHICH CAUSED THE BRACKET TO SHEAR OFF AND THE SPRING(S) TO FAIL. *SC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10062908

Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 2003
Tires

PROBLEMS WITH WRONG SIZE TIRE ON VEHICLE.*MR CONSUMER RETURNED VEHICLE TO PURCHASING DEALER WHO REPLACED THE TIRES WITH THE CORRECT SIZE AT NO CHARGE. *PH

NHTSA ODI #10048204

100,000 miles · Sep 29, 2003
Suspension

WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE, THEN A BANG, THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING UPPER CRADLE FAILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10041827

Mileage unknown · May 15, 1998
Exterior Lighting

HEADLIGHT BULBS CONTINUE TO FAIL.

NHTSA ODI #535585

Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 1997
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentStructure

RATTLE IN ONE OF THE DOORS.

NHTSA ODI #518437

Official recalls

0

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.