1998 Ford Escort vs 1998 Mercedes-Benz C230
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1998 Ford Escort | 1998 Mercedes-Benz C230 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 375 | 39 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 125 | 13 |
| Investigations | 1 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 84 | 1 |
| Fire reports | 11 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 25–28 | 23 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 75,000 mi | 122,748 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Escort | Mercedes-Benz C230 |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 75 | 0 |
| Suspension | 50 | 9 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 49 | 2 |
| Electrical System | 43 | 7 |
| Power Train | 43 | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 32 | 0 |
| Visibility | 16 | 5 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 19 | 1 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 25 | 6 |
| Vibration / shaking | 17 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 13 | 0 |
| Shifting problems | 6 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 6 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 0 | 6 |
1998 Ford Escort
1998 Mercedes-Benz C230
Compare all Ford Escort vs Mercedes-Benz C230 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.