IllustrationA CRACK IN LEFT REAR FRAMES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK *JLG
1999 Mercedes Benz 420
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →5Owner complaints
Model-year median: 3
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1999 Mercedes Benz 420
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 5 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Electrical System: 1 reports
- Fuel System, Gasoline: 1 reports
- Power Train: 1 reports
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1 reports
- Steering: 1 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 420 years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 0 of 5 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 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
5 reportsON 10/24, 2001, WHILE DRIVING MERCEDES S-420 WITH 65 MILES PER HOUR ON PENNSYLAVANIA TURNPIKE, PASSANGER SIDE WHEEL WITH TIRE AND WHEEL CAP SEPARATED FROM THE CAR AND FLEW OUT TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF ONCOMING TURNPIKE. AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SUN MOTOR CARS, INC. AT 4444 CARLISLE PIKE, CAMP HILL, PA,(717 737-3030) IT WAS FOUN…
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ON 10/24, 2001, WHILE DRIVING MERCEDES S-420 WITH 65 MILES PER HOUR ON PENNSYLAVANIA TURNPIKE, PASSANGER SIDE WHEEL WITH TIRE AND WHEEL CAP SEPARATED FROM THE CAR AND FLEW OUT TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF ONCOMING TURNPIKE. AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SUN MOTOR CARS, INC. AT 4444 CARLISLE PIKE, CAMP HILL, PA,(717 737-3030) IT WAS FOUND OUT THAT THE 4 BOLTS FIXATING THE WHEEL TO CAR WERE CUT AND SHEARED. AND ONE HOLE WAS RUSTY. THIS MIGHT SUGEST THAT MANUFATURER USED SUBSTANDARD BOLTS WHICH COULD NOT WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE. I HOPE NO OTHER PEOPLE HAD SAME EXPERIENCE LEADING TO THE INJURIES AND DEATH. *AK
STRANGE ELECTRONIC WHIRRING SOUND WHEN STARTING VEHICLE ON 6/7. SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SUDDENLY MOVED AND THEN CLOSED HALFWAY. NO RESPONSE FROM INTERIOR CONSOLE CONTROL. STEERING WHEEL ALSO BEGAN TO MOVE UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN. REAR BRAKES CONTINUED TO SQUEAK AND GRAB. WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY LAST NOVEMBER.
CONTINUING IDLING AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. ON JANUARY 21, 2000, ONE MONTH AFTER SECOND REPAIR ATTEMPT, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER THEN VIOLENTLY JOLTED FORWARD CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. (NOTE: DRIVER'S FOOT DID NOT TOUCH ACCELERATOR). DRIVER THEN NOTICED "ENGINE" CHECK LIGHT SUDDENLY COME ON (SUBSEQ…
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CONTINUING IDLING AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. ON JANUARY 21, 2000, ONE MONTH AFTER SECOND REPAIR ATTEMPT, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER THEN VIOLENTLY JOLTED FORWARD CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. (NOTE: DRIVER'S FOOT DID NOT TOUCH ACCELERATOR). DRIVER THEN NOTICED "ENGINE" CHECK LIGHT SUDDENLY COME ON (SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THIS INDICATES A FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM). IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED DEALER BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. ON APRIL 26, "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON AND CAR BEGAN TO DRIVE TERRIBLY, E.G., POOR AND INCONSISTENT ACCELERATION. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED 5 TIMES IN TWO WEEKS. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR OF THIS DEFECT, AGAIN. *AK
Recall campaigns
0No 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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.