Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 190E | 3 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 0 |
| 1991 190E | 10 | 0 |
| 1990 190E | 2 | 0 |
| 1985 | 3 | 0 |
| 1984 | 0 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Air bags6
- Electrical system4
- Visibility2
- Unknown or other2
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Vehicle speed control1
- Tires1
- Structure1
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
In New Zealand
418 190E cars are on the New Zealand register; 73% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1993 | 28 | 11 | 17 |
| 1992 | 70 | 6 | 55 |
| 1991 | 54 | 3 | 51 |
| 1990 | 76 | 7 | 67 |
| 1989 | 60 | 14 | 46 |
| 1988 | 27 | 3 | 22 |
| 1987 | 23 | 10 | 11 |
| 1986 | 50 | 26 | 22 |
| 1985 | 22 | 10 | 11 |
| 1984 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
3,001 190E cars are on Dutch roads; 59% arrived later as imports. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 226 | — |
| 1992 | 455 | — |
| 1991 | 364 | — |
| 1990 | 288 | — |
| 1989 | 160 | — |
| 1988 | 110 | — |
| 1987 | 204 | — |
| 1986 | 405 | — |
| 1985 | 369 | — |
| 1984 | 235 | — |
| 1983 | 185 | — |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
420 190E cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 99% petrol, 1% diesel. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 18 | 307,000 km |
| 1992 | 69 | 277,000 km |
| 1991 | 78 | 310,000 km |
| 1990 | 107 | 293,000 km |
| 1989 | 63 | 282,000 km |
| 1988 | 33 | 263,000 km |
| 1987 | 26 | 251,000 km |
| 1986 | 13 | 250,000 km |
| 1984 | 6 | 239,000 km |
| 1983 | 7 | 312,000 km |
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use, 30 Jun 2026 · CC BY 4.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
1,995 190E cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 73% passed first time, against 69% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 415 | 70% |
| 1992 | 520 | 71% |
| 1991 | 391 | 72% |
| 1990 | 420 | 76% |
| 1989 | 249 | 76% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | 190E | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 0.1% | 9.0% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
4 new Mercedes-Benz 190E cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2010, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2010 the largest markets were Spain (4).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement