1985 Mercedes Benz 380

Owner complaints

What owners report most

1. Vehicle speed control5
2. Structure2

Latest complaints

• May 1, 2009AZ100,000 mi
  Structure › Frame and members

  1985 380sl sub frame defect acknowledged by mercedes benz with their recall campaign number 191185120001. IS this repair still a responsibility of mercedes benz? *Tr

• Oct 5, 2004TX195,000 mi
  Vehicle speed control › Linkages

  When stepping on the gas throttle sticks. Also, sticks while driving. no contact with the manufacturer. *Ak

• Oct 1, 2002CA
  Vehicle speed control › Cruise control

  Consumer states after pressing the acclerator, the engine raced, threw driver forward and the vehicle accelerated in reverse at a high speed. vehicle crashed into a vehicle parked in an adjacent row. driver attempted to reach the brake pedal seconds before the impact but did not have time to overcome the roaring engine. mechanic replaced idle speed control unit and idle valve. *tt

• Aug 14, 2000MD
  Structure › Frame and members

  The manufacturer of the vehicle refused to replace the damaged sub frame (campaign program) on the basis of age and millage of the vehicle. yh

• Feb 11, 1999MD
  Vehicle speed control

  Vehicle took off, causing the cosnumer to almost hit a tree while driving at a high rate of speed. consumer can't drive the vehicle because it takes off at a high rate of speed ,and the dealer can't determine the problem. *ak

• Sep 8, 1997AL
  Vehicle speed control

  While driving the cruise control locked up, causing sudden acceleration. dealer and manufacturer had been contacted. *ak

• Mar 13, 1997LACrash
  Vehicle speed control

  Owner states that while starting the vehicle and placing foot on brake the engine had very high revs which caused the vehicle to accelerate, owner hit a sign. Dealers could not find anything wrong with the vehicle. *ak

Defect investigations

NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.

• Sudden acceleration

  EA88034Opened Jul 15, 1988Closed Jul 31, 1990
  The center for auto safety petitioned nhtsa to open an investigation intosudden acceleration on various mercedes-benz models.the petition wasgranted with respect to the 1986-1987 300E model and engineering analysisea88-003 was opened covering just the 1986 and 1987 300 e vehicles.subsequently, cfas repetitioned nhtsa…

  The center for auto safety petitioned nhtsa to open an investigation intosudden acceleration on various mercedes-benz models.the petition wasgranted with respect to the 1986-1987 300E model and engineering analysisea88-003 was opened covering just the 1986 and 1987 300 e vehicles.subsequently, cfas repetitioned nhtsa to expand its investigation to coverall 1984 through 1987 mercedes gasoline powered vehicles.defect petitionnumber dp88-013 was then assigned.on july 14, 1988, the cfas was advisedthat petition dp88-013 had been granted and that a new engineering analysis(ea88-034) had been opened.the preceding petitions and the engineering analysis have been merged intoea88-034.===

• Sudden acceleration

  DP87019Opened May 22, 1987Closed Oct 29, 1987

  There is no summary currently available

Every Mercedes Benz 380 model year

Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.