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1996 Mercedes Benz C220

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →
31Owner complaints

Model-year median: 27.5

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
24
199453
199531
19962
1998
Compare all C220 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
17Engine And Engine Cooling
4Fuel/propulsion System
4Air Bags
2Engine
2
All reported categories
Structure
2Suspension
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Electronic Stability Control (esc)
1Equipment
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Parking Brake
1Seat Belts
1Service Brakes
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1

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: 17 of 31 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 17 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 →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 4 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 reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

Fuel/propulsion System complaints

4 reports
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110,000 miles · Jan 30, 2017
Fuel/propulsion SystemService BrakesCrash

CAR HAD UNEXPECTED ACCELLERATON DURING A ROUTINE LEFT HAND TURN IN AN INTERSECTION WITH A STOP LIGHT; PRESSING ON THE BRAKE DID NOT STOP THE FORWARD ACCELLERATION, CRASHED INTO A WALL, OCCURRED DOWNTOWN, EARLY EVENING, NO OTHER VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS HIT; DRIVER INJURED. DRIVER NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL. BRA…

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CAR HAD UNEXPECTED ACCELLERATON DURING A ROUTINE LEFT HAND TURN IN AN INTERSECTION WITH A STOP LIGHT; PRESSING ON THE BRAKE DID NOT STOP THE FORWARD ACCELLERATION, CRASHED INTO A WALL, OCCURRED DOWNTOWN, EARLY EVENING, NO OTHER VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS HIT; DRIVER INJURED. DRIVER NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL. BRAKES SERVICED RECENTLY.

NHTSA ODI #10948376

30,000 miles · Oct 6, 2015
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

WAS DRIVING ALL GAGES WENT CRAZY STARTED TO BACK FIRE AND DIED ON THE HIGHWAY SO I HAD A FRIEND PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY BACK TO THE SHOP THE SHOP SAID THE WIRING HARESS WAS DEGRADED AND IT COST 2,700 DOLLAR TO FIX THE SAD THING IS THIS CAR ONLY HAS 30,000 MILE'S

NHTSA ODI #10780157

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2015
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

MY 1996 MERCEDES C220 HAS A DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS DUE TO THE TYPE OF INSULATION THAT MERCEDES USED FOR THE WIRING AND THE ENGINE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ASAP. MERCEDES USED A BIO-DEGRADABLE WIRE COVER THAT WITH HIGH TEMPS CRACK…

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MY 1996 MERCEDES C220 HAS A DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS DUE TO THE TYPE OF INSULATION THAT MERCEDES USED FOR THE WIRING AND THE ENGINE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ASAP. MERCEDES USED A BIO-DEGRADABLE WIRE COVER THAT WITH HIGH TEMPS CRACKS AND FALLS OFF. THIS HAS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO RUN ROUGH, STALL AND LOOSE POWER AND IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF WITH A RECALL BY MERCEDES. MERCEDES HAS BEEN OF NO HELP EXCEPT FOR ME TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10682786

94,655 miles · Dec 14, 2014
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, AND THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS, AND THE IGNITION COIL HARNESS, DEGRADED TO THE POINT THERE ARE INCHES AND INCHES OF BARE WIRES TOUCHING AND SHORTING WHICH CAUSES THE ENGINE TO QUIT. ALL THREE SEPARATE HARNESS WHICH RESIDE WITH OTHER HARNESS WHICH HAVE NOT DEGRADED. THE ENGINE QUIT ON THE FREEWAY IN RU…

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ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, AND THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS, AND THE IGNITION COIL HARNESS, DEGRADED TO THE POINT THERE ARE INCHES AND INCHES OF BARE WIRES TOUCHING AND SHORTING WHICH CAUSES THE ENGINE TO QUIT. ALL THREE SEPARATE HARNESS WHICH RESIDE WITH OTHER HARNESS WHICH HAVE NOT DEGRADED. THE ENGINE QUIT ON THE FREEWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND NEARLY CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AT 65 MILES PER HOUR. REPAIR SHOP WANT $3500 TO CHANGE OUT THE THREE HARNESS WITH NO ASSURANCE THAT THE PROBLEM WILL NOT COME BACK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10664150

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.