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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6 | 0 |
| 1999 | 3 | 0 |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 | 5 | 0 |
| 1996 | 13 | 0 |
| 1995 | 47 | 0 |
| 1994 | 18 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Electrical system45
- Engine and engine cooling12
- Vehicle speed control8
- Air bags8
- Visibility5
- Suspension4
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Power train4
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
In New Zealand
255 280 cars are on the New Zealand register; 43% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1997 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1995 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1994 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1993 | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1986 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 13 | 2 | 7 |
| 1984 | 14 | 2 | 6 |
| 1983 | 8 | 1 | 6 |
| 1982 | 8 | 1 | 7 |
| 1981 | 8 | 2 | 3 |
| 1980 | 9 | 3 | 5 |
| 1979 | 14 | 5 | 6 |
| 1978 | 11 | 8 | 0 |
| 1977 | 9 | 5 | 1 |
| 1976 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 1975 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| 1974 | 21 | 11 | 2 |
| 1973 | 12 | 10 | 0 |
| 1972 | 9 | 5 | 1 |
| 1971 | 15 | 3 | 6 |
| 1970 | 17 | 3 | 6 |
| 1969 | 25 | 3 | 15 |
| 1968 | 14 | 1 | 9 |
| 1966 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
6,130 280 cars are on Dutch roads; 77% arrived later as imports. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 27 | — |
| 1986 | 49 | — |
| 1985 | 293 | — |
| 1984 | 331 | — |
| 1983 | 440 | — |
| 1982 | 370 | — |
| 1981 | 359 | — |
| 1980 | 435 | — |
| 1979 | 403 | — |
| 1978 | 370 | — |
| 1977 | 415 | — |
| 1976 | 262 | — |
| 1975 | 260 | — |
| 1974 | 207 | — |
| 1973 | 245 | — |
| 1972 | 343 | — |
| 1971 | 390 | — |
| 1970 | 376 | — |
| 1969 | 336 | — |
| 1968 | 219 | — |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
156 280 cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 100% petrol, 0% diesel. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 7 | 327,000 km |
| 1984 | 19 | 244,000 km |
| 1983 | 11 | 238,000 km |
| 1982 | 11 | 274,000 km |
| 1981 | 12 | 199,000 km |
| 1980 | 17 | 231,000 km |
| 1979 | 7 | 192,000 km |
| 1978 | 8 | 235,000 km |
| 1977 | 7 | 185,000 km |
| 1975 | 8 | 281,000 km |
| 1973 | 5 | 217,000 km |
| 1972 | 12 | 52,000 km |
| 1971 | 6 | 34,000 km |
| 1970 | 13 | 29,000 km |
| 1969 | 8 | 49,000 km |
| 1968 | 5 | — |
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
487 280 cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 77% passed first time, against 73% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 179 | 73% |
| 1984 | 155 | 78% |
| 1983 | 153 | 80% |
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 | 280 | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.7% | 15.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 7.8% | 6.6% |
| Suspension | 7.0% | 7.7% |
| Brakes | 5.1% | 9.0% |
| Visibility | 4.1% | 6.5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Tyres | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| Steering | 1.6% | 3.5% |
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
3 new Mercedes-Benz 280 cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2021, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2021 the largest markets were Spain (1).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | — |
| 2010 | 2 | — |
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