Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1989 Mercedes-Benz 190, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Visibility3
- Vehicle speed control3
- Air bags2
- Exterior lighting1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Electrical system1
- Visibility/wiper1
- Power train1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1989 Mercedes-Benz 190 failed the safety check 0.00% of the time — 100% less often than the average 1989 passenger car (0.81%). Median odometer at inspection: 111,958 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 1989 Mercedes-Benz 190 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 diesel (55 kW, 74 hp) and 2.0 petrol (75 kW, 101 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 diesel | 55 kW 74 hp | 45 |
| 2.0 petrol | 75 kW 101 hp | 38 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
147 first registered in 1989 are on Dutch roads; 28% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Band onvoldoende profiel17
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde14
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm12
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld7
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling6
- Stuurkogel te veel speling6
- Schijf-, trommelrem loopt niet vrij5
- Remslang beschadigd, wapeningsmateriaal zichtbaar5
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
237 cars built in 1989 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 828 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 144 of these cars first registered in 1989 took their annual MOT test. 70% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1989 the figure was 72%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1989 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 31.9% | 15.4% |
| Brakes | 26.4% | 9.2% |
| Suspension | 25.0% | 8.6% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 23.6% | 8.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 14.6% | 5.1% |
| Visibility | 13.2% | 6.5% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
57 of these cars first registered in 1989 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 320,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
22 1989 cars are on the New Zealand register; 95% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1989 Mercedes-Benz 190.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mercedes-Benz told its dealers about the 1989 Mercedes-Benz 190: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 601449 | UPDATED INFORMATION TO REFLECT ADDITON OF APPROVED TIRES. *YC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)