Mercedes-Benz 300SD Repair and Maintenance - Get an online auto repair estimate for your Mercedes-Benz 300SD

RepairPal gives you independent and unbiased repair estimates, user
ratings and reviews, plus advice you can't get anywhere else.

It's easy, accurate, and FREE!

Find out what your auto repair should cost

Mercedes-Benz 300SD Repair and Maintenance

Image for Mercedes Benz 1994 1999 Mercedes Benz S420

Model Years
|
Q&A
|
Car Reviews
|
Problems

» Back to top
Mercedes-Benz 300SD Model Years

1992 Mercedes-Benz 300SD, 1993 Mercedes-Benz 300SD

» Back to top
Mercedes-Benz 300SD Questions and Answers

3 answers

This car is actually 1986 300 SDL

MICKEY007, 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300SD, Madisonville, KY

I have not done a compression test, but the head gasket is suppossed to be blown. Now my question is will this keep it from running?

» Back to top
Mercedes-Benz 300SD Car Reviews (1)

1992 Mercedes-Benz 300SD, walt554, Everett, WA, November 14, 2009 11:30

Beautiful road car. Well balanced. With me, a full tank of fuel and a suitcase in the trunk the car has 2500 lbs on the front axel and 2500 lbs on the real axel. Has long legs (28 gal tank and 30 MPG on the road) which gives me an 840 mile range to fuel exhaustion.
I had just about everything replaced under MB warranty (new factory crated engine, turbocharger, A/C evaporator, water pump, valve guides, front springs, shocks, control arm bushings, engine boost sensor, manifold pressure sensor, crankshaft position sensor, engine mounts, Glow plug harness, Engine Harness, and a few other things). The car is a dream to drive. I have spent 33 hours at one time and felt great. Just roll the seat back for a nap and wake up and start driving again.
If you are considering this car make sure you have a new, or remanufactured engine as the original engine had rod problems. Look for one where the owner has ALL the paperwork (preferably from an MB dealer) on all work and has a complete set of maintenance records. It’s not a car for the back yard mechanic and plan on spending a few bucks on routine maintenance, but if you want a car that you can ride in all day and arrive in comfort. This is the one to own. The car is equipped with thermo pane windows which keep the noise and cold out. Car is very quiet, most don’t even know it’s a diesel. Very responsive (for a diesel) and handles like a sports car.
This car is still in style even after 20 years. This was the Princess “Di” car and had she been wearing her seat belt she would still be alive.
I rated the engine and A/C down for the original equipment. Once replaced I would give it a 5 star.

» Back to top
Mercedes-Benz 300SD Problems

Brakes	Due to the size and materials of the brakes on these vehicles, the brakes start to squeak around the 50 percent wear point. The brake rotor surfaces become uneven, causing a lip to form at the outer edge of the rotor. Because of this, the rotors are usually replaced when the pads are worn (pad life varies depending on driving style and terrain). Brake fluid should be flushed every two years to prevent premature anti-lock brake system (ABS) failure.
Engine	Oil leaks can develop around the oil filter housing. Fuel leaks can develop around the high pressure fuel injection pump.
Suspension & Steering	Irregular and premature tire wear can be caused by the lower control arm bushings cracking and causing excessive movement at the control arm pivot point. Ball joints can also wear out prematurely, causing similar tire wear symptoms. The tie rod ends, drag link, and idler arm in the linkage of the steering system can wear out. There is a steering dampening shock that will leak fluid when it goes bad. Vehicles with level control that ride harshly in the rear (no give in the suspension, like you are riding on a brick) may have bad dampening actuators. The actuators should be replaced in pairs. Some models have tandem hydraulic pumps—one section for power steering and the other for suspension adjustment. These pumps are prone to leakage from either section.
Drive Train	A vibration felt through the center floor of the vehicle can be caused by driveshaft flex discs, which crack and shred, causing excessive driveshaft movement. Not repairing these can cause damage to the driveshaft center support bearing, or, in the worst case scenario, damage to the transmission or differential. High mileage vehicles can leak from the transmission oil seals. High mileage or older vehicles develop leaks at the differential seals and cover; the whole unit needs to be resealed to repair the leaks. The bushings for the shifter lever wear out to the point where they break and fall out. This causes excessive movement (loose feel) in the shifter lever and a clanging-type noise when changing gears.
Electrical & Lights	The insulation degrades on the engine wiring harnesses because the insulating material falls off of the wires and leaves the conductors exposed. This can cause many problems depending on which wires are exposed and what they touch. Throttle valves can suffer electrical failure. The battery can leak acid onto the engine compartment wiring harness, causing damage to the wiring from corrosion.
Heating & Air Conditioning	Other than a defective motor, a bad switch or blower motor resistor assembly can cause inoperative heater blower motors. Leaks at the AC compressor, hose manifold for the compressor, or the evaporator core can cause poor AC performance. The climate control system can fail or perform erratically due to internal wear in the climate control unit buttons. A cracked or broken heater core outlet housing can cause a coolant leak near the bulkhead (firewall).

	Find the right shop for your 300SD The best shops near you - with ratings and reviews Find a Shop (City and State or Zip)
	Get inside info about your 300SD Common problems and Q&A Recalls, ratings & reviews
	Track your 300SD's service Keep everything online in one place. Get service reminders