4 recalls across 4 model years
The Mercedes-Benz 300 has 4 recalls spanning 1978 to 1990, with the most serious being a 1990 model year issue where the auxiliary cooling fan's pre-resistor overheats, melts its plastic cover, and can start a fire in the engine compartment.
The 1987 model year has a separate engine concern: a throttle cable bushing can fatigue and break from heat exposure, causing the engine to drop to idle and leaving the driver without accelerator response. On 1986 models equipped with an airbag, an electrical connector at the airbag module can have insufficient retention force, meaning the airbag may not deploy in a crash. Going back to the earliest production, 1978 models have a crankshaft pulley that can split into its two halves while running, shedding the belt that drives power steering and leaving the driver with significantly heavier steering effort.
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