1996 Mercedes-Benz 280 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 1996 Mercedes-Benz 280, and owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 1996 Mercedes-Benz 280. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1996 Mercedes-Benz 280 have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 90,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 1997 with 9 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Ever since i bought this mercedes c280 1996 three years ago (2004) it had a problem with the wiring harness and it is just too expensive to replace it. *jb”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 19, 2007 · Electrical system
“During a recent service of my vehicle at an authorized mercedes benz service center, i was informed that the insulation covering my wires were decomposing and the wires were exposed to the engine, hen”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 1, 2007 · Electrical system
Compare Mercedes-Benz 280 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Mercedes-Benz 280 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 3 | 0 |
| 1972 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 2 | 0 |
| 1976 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 0 | 18 |
| 1995 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 0 | 47 |
| 1996 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 0 | 13 |
| 1997 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 0 | 5 |
| 1998 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 0 | 3 |
| 1999 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 0 | 3 |
| 2000 Mercedes-Benz 280 | 0 | 6 |
Checking a specific 1996 Mercedes-Benz 280
How do I know if my 1996 Mercedes-Benz 280 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
- C3003,469 complaints
- E3502,170 complaints
- E3201,164 complaints
- ML350952 complaints
- GLK350904 complaints
- ML320742 complaints
- C250726 complaints
- C230657 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.