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1984 Mercedes Benz 380

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

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

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: 4 of 9 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.

  • Structure. Review the 3 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 →
  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2001
Electrical System

IN 1993 I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF AT ANY SPEED. I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER. IT WOULD RESTART AND I COULD PROCEED. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETIMES I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY BY MERCEDES-BENZ…

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IN 1993 I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF AT ANY SPEED. I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER. IT WOULD RESTART AND I COULD PROCEED. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETIMES I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND I TOOK IT IN. THEY REPLACED THE INGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. IN JULY 2000, I HAD THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN. IT WAS VERY INTERMITTEN BUT FINALLY I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN NASHVILLE ON AUGUST 7, 2000. IT WAS IN SEVERAL TIMES AS IT WAS HARD TO DUPLICATE TO PROBLEM. VARIOUS PARTS WERE CHANGED BUT THE INTERMITTEN PROBLEM CONTINUED. WHEN IT WAS STILL CONTINUING IN SEPTEMBER I GOT ANOTHER APPOINTMENT AND HAD A FRIEND GO IN WITH ME. HE WATCHED THE INSTRUMENTS DURING THE FOUR TIMES IT STALLED AND NOTICED THAT THE TEMPATURE GUAGE WAS RISING WHEN IT SHUT DOWN. I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. I TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND IT DID NOT STALL DURING THE NEXT 25 MILES. I TURNED ON THE AIR AND WITHIN TWO BLOCKS THE CAR STALLED AGAIN. I PASSED THAT INFORMATION AND THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND AT AN EARLIER APPOINTMENT REPLACED THE OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. THEY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND IT DID NOT FAIL AGAIN. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE. I APPEARS THAT THE UNITS BREAK DOWN DURING HOT WEATHER WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON. POSSIBILITY DUE TO INCREASED HEAT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT . IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT REQUIRES THAT YOU GET THE ENGINE RESTARTED WHILE DRIVING ON THE OPEN ROAD. COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IN DECEMBER 2000, I WROTE MERCEDES-BENZ AND THEY TOLD ME TO GO THRU THE DEALER FOR ANY ASSISTANCE. THEIR SERIAL NO. IS 107045-1A-008030. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO THE FORD RECALL FOR THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. I HAVE KEPT THE PART THAT WERE REPLACED SHOULD YOU LIKE THEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #740739

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

2

EA88034 · Sudden Acceleration

Opened Jul 15, 1988 · Closed Jul 31, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY PETITIONED NHTSA TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTOSUDDEN ACCELERATION ON VARIOUS MERCEDES-BENZ MODELS.THE PETITION WASGRANTED WITH RESPECT TO THE 1986-1987 300E MODEL AND ENGINEERING ANALYSISEA88-003 WAS OPENED COVERING JUST THE 1986 AND 1987 300 E VEHICLES.SUBSEQUENTLY, CFAS REPETITIONED NHTSA TO EXPAND ITS INVESTIGATION TO COVERALL 1984 THROUGH 1987 MERCEDES GASOLINE POWERED VEHICLES.DEFECT PETITIONNUMBER DP88-013 WAS THEN ASSIGNED.ON JULY 14, 1988, THE CFAS WAS ADVISEDTHAT PETITION DP88-013 HAD BEEN GRANTED AND THAT A NEW ENGINEERING ANALYSIS(EA88-034) HAD BEEN OPENED.THE PRECEDING PETITIONS AND THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAVE BEEN MERGED INTOEA88-034.===

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