2001 Mercedes-Benz 240 problems & reliability
22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz 240. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 18% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 18% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 14% |
| Structure | 3 | 14% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 9% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 9% |
| Suspension | 2 | 9% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 9% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 5% |
| Equipment | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 14 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The problem occurred initially in the middle of a drive. The vehicle performed fine but when it reached 40mph the vehicle began accelerating on its own. I pulled over and turned off the vehicle. When the car starts up it immediately throttle up to about 5000 rpm regardless of the gear. When put into drive the car…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Feb 23, 2013
“While driving on 101 freeway at full speed, the mercedes suddenly self-initiated continuous brake action. This was uncommanded -- without me pressing the brakes or taking any other action. The console displayed an "esp" error message. This nearly caused an accident. This severe safety hazard could have very easily…”
Service Brakes · filed Sep 27, 2012
“I have had two coil springs, front and rear, break on this car within 4 months of each other and was told that it was a corrosion problem, which I do not believe. The mb shop replaced the old suspension parts with new parts for all four wheels. There was no damage to the car or consequences as the coil broke at the…”
Suspension · filed Jun 4, 2011
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
2 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz 240.
Model 240; head lamps/ fog lamps fogged. *pe
PMAYB 8210610 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 4, 2008
Srs lamp illuminated and dtc 9021 and/or 9027 stored. *tt
9160111 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 2006
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2001 Mercedes-Benz 240 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2001 Mercedes-Benz 240?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.