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1994 Mercedes Benz 420

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
16Owner complaints

Model-year median: 3

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
4
199116
199415
19951
199622
1997
Compare all 420 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
5Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Child Seat
3Air Bags
1Engine And Engine Cooling
1
All reported categories
Seats
1Unknown Or Other
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 16 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Child Seat. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

5 reports
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170,000 miles · Mar 23, 2012
Electrical System

CAR STOPPED SHIFTING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ASR LIGHT APPEARED WHILE DRIVING. TOOK CAR INTO AUTO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD WIRING HARNESS WOULD NEED TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED AND WOULD COST MORE THAN AUTO'S WORTH. SAID THESE CARS WERE NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING WIRING HARNESS PROBLEMS AND CAN NOT BELIEVE IT HAS NOT CAUGHT ON FIRE YET. *T…

Read full complaint

CAR STOPPED SHIFTING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ASR LIGHT APPEARED WHILE DRIVING. TOOK CAR INTO AUTO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD WIRING HARNESS WOULD NEED TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED AND WOULD COST MORE THAN AUTO'S WORTH. SAID THESE CARS WERE NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING WIRING HARNESS PROBLEMS AND CAN NOT BELIEVE IT HAS NOT CAUGHT ON FIRE YET. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10452795

90,000 miles · Apr 28, 2008
Electrical System

I OWN A 1994 S 420 MERCEDES-BENZ I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY CHILD'S SAFETY AND MY OWN SAFETY AS WELL. THE WIRING HARNESS IS SHORTING OUT EVERYWHERE... SHAME ON MERCEDES-BENZ OF AMERICA..THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS DANGER AND JUST IGNORE THE WHOLE THING.. I'VE RESEARCHED IT REALLY WELL AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS OVER AND OVER WITH AL…

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I OWN A 1994 S 420 MERCEDES-BENZ I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY CHILD'S SAFETY AND MY OWN SAFETY AS WELL. THE WIRING HARNESS IS SHORTING OUT EVERYWHERE... SHAME ON MERCEDES-BENZ OF AMERICA..THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS DANGER AND JUST IGNORE THE WHOLE THING.. I'VE RESEARCHED IT REALLY WELL AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS OVER AND OVER WITH ALL CARS OF THIS VINTAGE..I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY RECALL ON THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION???THEY SHOULD STAND UP TO THE PLATE.. THE HARNESS IS 7-8 HUNDRED DOLLARS.. COME ON GUYS!!! HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOUR LIFE IS WORTH?? THAT'S RIGHT, ALOT MORE THAN THAT.. LETS FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE DIES... OR MANY DIE... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10225890

139,595 miles · Mar 4, 2008
Electrical System

VEHICLE IS RUNNING ERRATICALLY. UPON INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IN MODEL YEARS INCLUDING MY 1994 MERCEDES BENZ E420 HAVE A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH DETERIORATING INSULATION. AS SOME FIRES AND CRASHES HAVE BEEN REPORTED, I AM PAYING TO HAVE THIS PART REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10220009

117,000 miles · Sep 25, 2006
Electrical System

VEHICLE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT INSULATION ON ALL OF THE FUEL INJECTION WIRING, TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND FAN THERMAL SWITCH HARNESS DETERIORATED CAUSING WIRES TO RUB TOGETHER. CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT HARNESS INSULATION IS MADE OF VERY POOR MATERIAL. THE INSULATION BREAKS VERY EASY AT THE TOUCH AND TURNS INTO DUST. THE WHOLE WIRE H…

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VEHICLE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT INSULATION ON ALL OF THE FUEL INJECTION WIRING, TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND FAN THERMAL SWITCH HARNESS DETERIORATED CAUSING WIRES TO RUB TOGETHER. CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT HARNESS INSULATION IS MADE OF VERY POOR MATERIAL. THE INSULATION BREAKS VERY EASY AT THE TOUCH AND TURNS INTO DUST. THE WHOLE WIRE HARNESS IS IN THE SAME SITUATION THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE CAN STALL OR SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED. REPLACE OF WIRE HARNESS AT A COST OF$1500 WAS NEEDED TO FIX. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10169170

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2006
Electrical System

5/18/2006. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. TOOK VEHICLE TO MBZ REPAIR SHOP AND FOUND THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS'S WIRE INSULATION BREAKING APART AND EXPOSING THE BARE WIRING. COST OF REPAIR +$900.00. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10157901

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.