The 1987 Mercedes-Benz 190 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 96,541 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 22 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the vehicle speed control. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
PARKING BRAKE91V1370001991-08-2096,541 affected
Defect
THE DESIGN OF THE PARKING BRAKE GRIP MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO DISTORT THE GRIP AND PINCH THE BRAKE RELEASE KNOB. IF THE RELEASE KNOB STICKS IN A PARTIAL ENGAGE/RELEASE POSITION BECAUSE OF THE PINCHED GRIP, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE LEVER TO RELEASE UNINTENTIONALLY WITH A CORRESPONDING REDUCTION IN PARKING BRAKE FORCE.
Consequence
IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT PROPERLY PARKED WITH THETRANSMISSION IN THE CORRECT POSITION, AND IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A GRADE,REDUCTION IN PARKING BRAKE FORCE COULD LEAD TO UNINTENTIONAL ROLLAWAY AND ANACCIDENT.
Remedy
REPLACE THE PARKING BRAKE GRIP WITH A NEW GRIP TYPE.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“On our way to the mayo clinic in rochester, mn. When the left front tire suddenly started to disintegrate. Pulled over to the side of the road where the toll road truck came and changed tire....illinois state trooper stopped and filed a accident report. *tr”
“While driving heater hose came out. Bracket holding heater pipe broke. Consumer's feet were burned. Consumer had to pull emergency brake, and jump out of vehicle. Contacted dealer, and dealer stated vehicle was too old.*ak”
“Vehicle would jerk/ had leaking seals, and did not shift properly. Consumer has to add transmission fluid every other day. *ak”
“Vehicle would jerk/ had leaking seals, and did not shift properly. Consumer has to add transmission fluid every other day. *ak”
“The heater core in the vehicle ruptured, causing boiling hot coolant to pour onto the driver's feet. The boiling coolant caused severe burns to driver's foot, ankle and leg. The escaping coolant also caused the car to fill up with steam and elliminated visibility.”
“Odometer failed.”
“Cruise control failed.”
“Water heater defroster exploded while driving, heater core rupture, causing hot water inside vehicle scalding legs while driving. Tt”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA88034 Opened 1988-07-15 · closed 1990-07-31
SUDDEN ACCELERATION
THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY PETITIONED NHTSA TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTOSUDDEN ACCELERATION ON VARIOUS MERCEDES-BENZ MODELS.THE PETITION WASGRANTED WITH RESPECT TO THE 1986-1987 300E MODEL AND ENGINEERING ANALYSISEA88-003 WAS OPENED COVERING JUST THE 1986 AND 1987 300 E VEHICLES.SUBSEQUENTLY, CFAS REPETITIONED NHTSA…
InvestigationEA90040 Opened 1990-08-29 · closed 1991-08-30
PARKING BRAKE LEVERS
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE88032 Opened 1988-03-10 · closed 1988-05-02
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1987 Mercedes-Benz 190 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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