AI Damage1998 Mercedes-Benz 320: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Mercedes-Benz 320 filed 39 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 39
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 15% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 13% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 8% of all complaints
- Visibility: 6 complaints (15% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 5 complaints (13% of all).
- Fuel system: 5 complaints (13% of all).
- Steering: 5 complaints (13% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 39 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
When vehicle was involved in a crash, hitting a stone wall on the left front side, there was no deployment of driver's side or passenger's side air bags. Vehicle was totalled. Please provide any further information. * mjs
The tire tread damaged the back of the vehicle and the passenger door. The estimated repair cost was $6000. The manufacturer advised the contact to mail the bridgestone insignia,tire size 225/60/r16 to them for a refund; however, the manufacturer responded via mail that they were not responsible for the damages to her…
Driving down road in 1998 mercedez e320, just exited nj turnpike at exit 2, heard loud noise car veered to left and large spring dropped out from engine compartment.
Once the head light lens turns translucent the head light beam is no longer able to transmit light as far down the road as the original manufactures specification. The head lamp is also no longer capable of transmitting light as to the u.s. Dot standards.
The dealer's body shop specialist determined that corrosion must have caused this problem which may have been triggered by salt. When the dealer was asked how often defects of this nature occur, the dealer response was never.
Dt: consumer complained about problems with 1998 mercedes benz. The shock housing came apart from the chassis. The chassis collapsed on the driver's side and was sitting on top of the wheel. There was no suspension on the front end. Consumer had the car towed to a repair shop.
The vehicle was taken to the dealer for maintenance and the mechanic noticed that power steering needed to be replaced because an essential part was missing. There was low fluid. Further examination revealed that the power steering cylinder leaked into the boot.
Automatic transmission problem, while downshifting to control downhill speed shift lever moved between all shift positions without engaging in any gear, and vehicle was freewheeling.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,011 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 320 has 23 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 39, above average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Mercedes-Benz 320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, exterior lighting, fuel system. Total complaints: 39. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (15%), fuel system, fuel smell (5%), headlights and tail lights (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz 320?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Mercedes-Benz 320 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.