AI Damage1985 Mercedes-Benz 380: common problems
Owners of the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 380 filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 71% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 29% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (71% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 2 complaints (29% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.8 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: RWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 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.
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.
1985 380sl sub frame defect acknowledged by mercedes benz with their recall campaign number [phone]1. Is this repair still a responsibility of mercedes benz?
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.
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
While driving the cruise control locked up, causing sudden acceleration. Dealer and manufacturer had 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 12,539 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 380 has 3 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 7, above average.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 380?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, structure. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: unintended acceleration (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 380?
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 1985 Mercedes-Benz 380 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 1985 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 2026-11-06.