Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Air bags2
- Vehicle speed control1
- Electrical system1
- Visibility1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 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 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300 failed the safety check 0.34% of the time — 67% less often than the average 1988 passenger car (1.01%). Median odometer at inspection: 129,073 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300 cars on Dutch roads are the 3.0 petrol (132 kW, 177 hp) and 3.0 petrol (138 kW, 185 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0 petrol | 132 kW 177 hp | 71 |
| 3.0 petrol | 138 kW 185 hp | 32 |
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
138 first registered in 1988 are on Dutch roads; 72% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen17
- Stofhoes fuseekogel beschadigd en dicht niet af10
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld9
- Band onvoldoende profiel8
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde5
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm5
- Remslang beschadigd, wapeningsmateriaal zichtbaar4
- Brandstoflekkage4
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
310 cars built in 1988 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 691 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, 386 of these cars first registered in 1988 took their annual MOT test. 77% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1988 the figure was 71%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1988 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.4% | 16.0% |
| Suspension | 6.7% | 8.8% |
| Brakes | 6.0% | 9.6% |
| Visibility | 5.7% | 6.5% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 5.2% | 7.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.9% | 5.2% |
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
19 of these cars first registered in 1988 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 314,000 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
43 1988 cars are on the New Zealand register; 86% arrived as used imports, 5% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300.
| 1993076 31 May 1993 | Engine THE THROTTLE BUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL BOWDEN CABLE COULD FATIGUE AND BREAK DUE TO HEAT EFFECTS. IF THIS OCCURS, THE ENGINE WILL RETURN TO IDLE AND A… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
DUE TO HEAT EFFECTS, THE THROTTLE BUSHING LOCATED ON THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL CABLE, CAN FATIGUE AND BREAK, CAUSING THE THROTTLE LINKAGE TO SEPARATE.
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
NHTSA investigations
ACCEL LINKAGE DISCONNECTION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation