AI DamageMercedes-Benz R320: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Mercedes-Benz R320 across 4 model years: 19 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
| Year | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) | YouTube repair videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 26% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 16% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 5% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- Engine: 5 complaints (26% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (16% of all).
- Suspension: 3 complaints (16% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (11% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 19 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
The contact declined to pay for the diagnostic test and advised the dealer to complete the recall repair. The dealer declined to honor the recall repair. The contact later discovered that the dealer had marked the recall repair as completed even though the recall repair had not been performed.
The contact stated the vehicle failed to start in very cold weather. The contact stated that after changing the battery several times, the failure continued to occur. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the front and rear exterior lights failed to illuminate as needed.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.
Takata recall / nhtsa recall # 16v-081 - mercedes sent a letter about this recall back in may of 2016 and they still do not have a solution or timeframe for when they are going to replace our airbag.
Transmission model 722.9 failure while driving. Creates an extremely dangerous situation that could lead to fatal accidents. Transmission completely disengages bringing car to stand still, or it downshifts without any warnings at high speed. Feels like the entire transmission is dropping off the car.
I took my car to the mercedes-benz dealer in wilsonville oregon, the service manager told me that the r320 cdi is the worst car mercedes-benz ever built, and they kept charging for repairs each time with a new problem.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other models of this make
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.