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Mercedes-Benz 280Years to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 95 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on record for the Mercedes-Benz 280.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints95Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls61971–2000 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Mercedes-Benz 280 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 280 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'71'72'73'76'94'95'96'97'98'99'00
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2000Not rated–/1006 complaints · 0 recalls1999Not rated–/1003 complaints · 0 recalls1998Not rated–/1003 complaints · 0 recalls1997Not rated–/1005 complaints · 0 recalls1996Not rated–/10013 complaints · 0 recalls1995Not rated–/10047 complaints · 0 recalls1994Not rated–/10018 complaints · 0 recalls1976Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1973Not rated–/1000 complaints · 2 recalls1972Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1971Not rated–/1000 complaints · 3 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Mercedes-Benz 280 problems

All model years combined: 95 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system4510
Engine and engine cooling120
Vehicle speed control82
Air bags85
Visibility50
Power train42
Service brakes, hydraulic41
Suspension41
Structure30
13 other systems234
6 recalls

Mercedes-Benz 280 recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Vehicle speed control76V-027 · 1976 · Feb 17, 1976 · 15,367 vehicles–Front: anchorage75V-054 · 1973 · Apr 9, 1975 · 29,228 vehicles–Fuel injection system: injectors74V-131 · 1971–1972 · Aug 19, 1974 · 8,963 vehicles–Defroster/defogger/hvac system: heater core73V-120 · 1973 · May 24, 1973 · 2,800 vehicles–Fuel system, gasoline: delivery71V-168 · 1971 · Sep 27, 1971 · 2,281 vehicles–Vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings71V-073 · 1971 · Apr 30, 1971 · 16,107 vehicles
1 investigation

NHTSA investigations of the 280

  1. SUDDEN ACCELERATIONEA88034 · 1984–1988 · closed Jul 31, 1990
    No recall