AI Damage1999 Mercedes-Benz 320: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mercedes-Benz 320 filed 30 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 30
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 23% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 17% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 10% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (23% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (17% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (13% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 30 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Child seat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 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.
Then after a loud thump there was no longer any noise. The car didn't feel the same after that. After pulling over and checking the passenger side, you could see that the car was very low to the ground, the wheels touched the top of the wheel well.
This incident occurred to my 1999 mercedes benz e320 sedan. The "incident" involves the failure of the right front spring perch failure. If it were not for an inspection related to routine maintenance, my mechanic was sure that a serious catastrophic failure would have occurred.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving at no particular speed, the headlights intermittently illuminate. The contact inspected and determined this was due to the headlight switch. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection and no repairs were made.
While driving, the power steering fluid hose clamp opened without warning. As a result the power steering failed. The vehicle had to be towed to the nearest dealer. The cause has had not been determined. Please provide additional information.
The front crankshaft pulley flies off the front of the engine, causing the vehicle to lose power steering. I own a mercedes repair shop. There have probably thousands of failures and someone will die when they lose their steering.mercedes is not covering these failuresout of warranty.
While driving vehicle stalled. Consumer managed to pull over, and had the vehicle towed. Dealership informed the consumer that the problem pertained to the engine timing chain. The problem was not resolved.
Driver's side power window was inoperative. The dealer was notified, and stated that the four window clusters for all the windows had to be replaced to get the driver's side window to operate. The consumer would like to know why all four window clusters had to be replaced.
Per consumer vehicle is consuming excessive amounts of oil while driving , especially on long trips. Cause unknown. Dealership has been contacted.
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 6,848 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 320 has 23 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 30, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mercedes-Benz 320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, powertrain. Total complaints: 30. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (10%), steering or power steering problems (10%), knocking, grinding or other noise (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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.