Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
22 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
156,066 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1981 to 1986 model years. Data updated: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Structure:Frame And Members is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 22 complaints (22.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Braking behavior
4
18.2%
Transmission and shifting
1
4.5%
Engine operation
1
4.5%
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
Structure:Frame And Members
5
Vehicle Speed Control
4
Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control
2
Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages
2
Air Bags:Frontal
1
Air Bags:Side/Window
1
Electrical System:Ignition
1
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Structure:Frame And Members
5
Vehicle Speed Control
4
Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control
2
Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages
2
Air Bags:Frontal
1
Air Bags:Side/Window
1
Electrical System:Ignition
1
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
1
Structure:Frame And Members: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control: 2; Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages: 2; Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Air Bags:Side/Window: 1; Electrical System:Ignition: 1; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
2
150,000 and above
4
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
2
150,000 and above
4
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 4
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 15 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
Structure:Frame And Members leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATED, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE TO HIGH SPEED BY ITSELF AND THE BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. THE ONLY OPTION IS TO SHIFT TO "NEUTRAL"AND APPLY THE BRAKES OR SWITCH -OFF THE ENGINE. IT IS MOST DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *JB
PARKED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF GARAGE. TURNED OFF ENGINE, GOT OUT & DECIDED TO MOVE CAR CLOSER TO GARAGE. PUT ON SEAT BELT, RESTARTED CAR, PUT FOOT ON BRAKE, & SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET, SMASHED THROUGH GARAGE DOOR, THROUGH STRUCTURAL BEAMS & OUT THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING LANDING ON THE GROUND WITH FRONT OF CAR. ENGINE WAS STILL ROARING & I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION & OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR TO GET OUT. *TR
IN 1993 I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF AT ANY SPEED. I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER. IT WOULD RESTART AND I COULD PROCEED. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETIMES I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND I TOOK IT IN. THEY REPLACED THE INGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. IN JULY 2000, I HAD THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN. IT WAS VERY INTERMITTEN BUT FINALLY I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN NASHVIL…
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
22 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
31.8%Usable mileage7 / 22 records
86.4%Valid incident date19 / 22 records
100.0%Valid filing date22 / 22 records
86.4%Ordered incident and filing dates19 / 22 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
Structure:Frame And Members
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
333.3%ODI 10074146
CONSUMER WAS INFORMED ON A RECALL ON VEHICLE, BUT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *LA
1985 380SL SUB FRAME DEFECT ACKNOWLEDGED BY MERCEDES BENZ WITH THEIR RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 191185120001. IS THIS REPAIR STILL A RESPONSIBILITY OF MERCEDES BENZ? *TR
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. *AK
WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATED, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE TO HIGH SPEED BY ITSELF AND THE BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. THE ONLY OPTION IS TO SHIFT TO "NEUTRAL"AND APPLY THE BRAKES OR SWITCH -OFF THE ENGINE. IT IS MOST DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *JB
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. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO REACH THE BRAKE PEDAL SECONDS BEFORE THE IMPACT BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO OVERCOME THE ROARING ENGINE. MECHANIC REPLACED IDLE SPEED CONTROL UNIT AND IDLE VALVE. *TT
CAR WAS IDLING INTO DRIVEWAY, CONSUMER PUT CAR IN REVERSE, AND IT TOOK OFF IN REVERSE, LIKE PEDAL WAS STUCK. CONSUMER TRIED EVERYTHING TO STOP VEHICLE, AND CONSUMER COULD NOT. CONSUMER LANDED IN BETWEEN TWO TREES. *AK
GOING 35MPH WHEN VEHICLE HIT POOL OF WATER & HYDROPLANED. RETURNED TO GROUND IN CORRECT LANE; VEHICLE HIT 2 MORE POOLS OF WATER & HYDROPLANED INTO EMBANKMENT, FRONT FIRST & THEN HIT A POLE W/DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. SPUN AROUND INTO A FENCE & NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. HAVE POLICE REPORT. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK
GOING 35MPH WHEN VEHICLE HIT POOL OF WATER & HYDROPLANED. RETURNED TO GROUND IN CORRECT LANE; VEHICLE HIT 2 MORE POOLS OF WATER & HYDROPLANED INTO EMBANKMENT, FRONT FIRST & THEN HIT A POLE W/DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. SPUN AROUND INTO A FENCE & NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. HAVE POLICE REPORT. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK
IN 1993 I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF AT ANY SPEED. I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER. IT WOULD RESTART AND I COULD PROCEED. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETIMES I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND I TOOK IT IN. THEY REPLACED THE INGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. IN JULY 2000, I HAD THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN. IT WAS VERY INTERMITTEN BUT FINALLY I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN NASHVIL…
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Structure:Frame And Members
Too few reports for a range
128,033 mi
2 (sparse)
ODI 10125290 · 156,066 mi
DT: CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL ONLINE AND CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ, AND DEALER,. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECALL, BUT REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR THE REPAIRS OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUBFRAME BROKE, AND HE HAD IT REPAIRED BEFORE HE FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL. HE HAD IT REPAIRED AT A FIRESTONE. *AK
1985 380SL SUB FRAME DEFECT ACKNOWLEDGED BY MERCEDES BENZ WITH THEIR RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 191185120001. IS THIS REPAIR STILL A RESPONSIBILITY OF MERCEDES BENZ? *TR
WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATED, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE TO HIGH SPEED BY ITSELF AND THE BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. THE ONLY OPTION IS TO SHIFT TO "NEUTRAL"AND APPLY THE BRAKES OR SWITCH -OFF THE ENGINE. IT IS MOST DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *JB
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1985: 0 complaints · 1986: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
1985
0
0
0
1986
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
1985
5
2
0
1986
1
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Structure:Frame And Members
Vehicle Speed Control
Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control
Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages
Air Bags:Frontal
Air Bags:Side/Window
Electrical System:Ignition
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
Structure:Frame And Members
—
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control
0
—
0
0
0
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control
0
0
—
0
0
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages
0
0
0
—
0
0
0
0
Air Bags:Frontal
0
0
0
0
—
1ODI 817692
GOING 35MPH WHEN VEHICLE HIT POOL OF WATER & HYDROPLANED. RETURNED TO GROUND IN CORRECT LANE; VEHICLE HIT 2 MORE POOLS OF WATER & HYDROPLANED INTO EMBANKMENT, FRONT FIRST & THEN HIT A POLE W/DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. SPUN AROUND INTO A FENCE & NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. HAVE POLICE REPORT. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK
GOING 35MPH WHEN VEHICLE HIT POOL OF WATER & HYDROPLANED. RETURNED TO GROUND IN CORRECT LANE; VEHICLE HIT 2 MORE POOLS OF WATER & HYDROPLANED INTO EMBANKMENT, FRONT FIRST & THEN HIT A POLE W/DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. SPUN AROUND INTO A FENCE & NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. HAVE POLICE REPORT. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
2 patterns with matching reports.
Brake response concerns
1 mentions · 4.5% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 567549
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. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO REACH THE BRAKE PEDAL SECONDS BEFORE THE IMPACT BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO OVERCOME THE ROARING ENGINE. MECHANIC REPLACED IDLE SPEED CONTROL UNIT AND IDLE VALVE. *TT
IN 1993 I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF AT ANY SPEED. I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER. IT WOULD RESTART AND I COULD PROCEED. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETIMES I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND I TOOK IT IN. THEY REPLACED THE INGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. IN JULY 2000, I HAD THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN. IT WAS VERY INTERMITTEN BUT FINALLY I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN NASHVIL…