Illustration1985 380SL SUB FRAME DEFECT ACKNOWLEDGED BY MERCEDES BENZ WITH THEIR RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 191185120001. IS THIS REPAIR STILL A RESPONSIBILITY OF MERCEDES BENZ? *TR
1985 Mercedes Benz 380
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 380 years →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: 2 of 7 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.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. 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.
1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
7 reportsWHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS THROTTLE STICKS. ALSO, STICKS WHILE DRIVING. NO CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
CONSUMER STATES AFTER PRESSING THE ACCLERATOR, THE ENGINE RACED, THREW DRIVER FORWARD AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AT A HIGH SPEED. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE PARKED IN AN ADJACENT ROW. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO REACH THE BRAKE PEDAL SECONDS BEFORE THE IMPACT BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO OVERCOME THE ROARING ENGINE. MECHA…
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CONSUMER STATES AFTER PRESSING THE ACCLERATOR, THE ENGINE RACED, THREW DRIVER FORWARD AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AT A HIGH SPEED. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE PARKED IN AN ADJACENT ROW. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO REACH THE BRAKE PEDAL SECONDS BEFORE THE IMPACT BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO OVERCOME THE ROARING ENGINE. MECHANIC REPLACED IDLE SPEED CONTROL UNIT AND IDLE VALVE. *TT
THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO REPLACE THE DAMAGED SUB FRAME (CAMPAIGN PROGRAM) ON THE BASIS OF AGE AND MILLAGE OF THE VEHICLE. YH
VEHICLE TOOK OFF, CAUSING THE COSNUMER TO ALMOST HIT A TREE WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. CONSUMER CAN'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT TAKES OFF AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ,AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE CRUISE CONTROL LOCKED UP, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
OWNER STATES THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE AND PLACING FOOT ON BRAKE THE ENGINE HAD VERY HIGH REVS WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE, OWNER HIT A SIGN. DEALERS COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
2EA88034 · 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