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1993 Mercedes Benz E Class

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

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 7 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 7 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 →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

7 reports
53,999 miles · Nov 15, 2010
Electrical System

RECENTLY MY 53K MILE (VERY LOW MILEAGE) 1993 MERCEDES 300E 2.8 SUDDENLY STALLED (WITHOUT ANY WARNING) ON A LOCAL EXPRESSWAY, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT (THE CAR FROM BEHIND ALMOST HIT ME). AFTER I HIRED A MECHANIC TO TAKE A LOOK, HE FOUND THAT THE ENGINE STALL WAS CAUSED BY BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS TH…

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RECENTLY MY 53K MILE (VERY LOW MILEAGE) 1993 MERCEDES 300E 2.8 SUDDENLY STALLED (WITHOUT ANY WARNING) ON A LOCAL EXPRESSWAY, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT (THE CAR FROM BEHIND ALMOST HIT ME). AFTER I HIRED A MECHANIC TO TAKE A LOOK, HE FOUND THAT THE ENGINE STALL WAS CAUSED BY BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS INSTALLED IN THIS CAR (ALSO SEE HTTP://WWW.MERCEDESDEFECTS.COM/2008/04/WIRE-HARNESS-DEFECT.HTML#COMMENT-FORM). I CALLED MERCEDES CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS CAR. THIS ENGINE STALL ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN FEW DAYS AGO, AND IT'S MAKING SUCH A WELL-MAINTAINED LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I URGE THE NHTSA SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES AND ISSUE A FORMAL RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THANKS! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10365668

155,000 miles · Feb 16, 2009
Electrical SystemFuel System, GasolineFire

WIRING HARNESS DEFECT / FAILURE, LEADING TO INOPERABLE AND FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10258838

Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2007
Electrical System

THE INSULATION ON THE ENGININE WIREING HARNESS HAS DISENTIGRATED. THIS IS THE ENGINE / FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS AND IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH 1991-1996 MERCEDES-BENZ M104 ENGINES. THIS IS A MAJOR FIRE RISK AS WELL AS AN ACCIDENT HAZARD AS IT WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE (AND POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC.) TO FAIL AT SPEED. MERCED…

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THE INSULATION ON THE ENGININE WIREING HARNESS HAS DISENTIGRATED. THIS IS THE ENGINE / FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS AND IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH 1991-1996 MERCEDES-BENZ M104 ENGINES. THIS IS A MAJOR FIRE RISK AS WELL AS AN ACCIDENT HAZARD AS IT WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE (AND POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC.) TO FAIL AT SPEED. MERCEDES WILL NOT RECALL THE PART AND RELACEMENT IS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

NHTSA ODI #10196287

53,090 miles · Nov 3, 2006
Electrical System

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. INTENSE PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS REQUIRED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE. AFTER BEING TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, BUT T…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. INTENSE PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS REQUIRED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE. AFTER BEING TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEMS PERSISTED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 95V031000, WHICH PERTAINED TO THE WIRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. SECONDLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ANTI-THEFT ALARM ACTIVATED, AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE UNTIL THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. A MANUFACTURER TECHNICIAN DISCONNECTED THE ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER, WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10172529

70,000 miles · Mar 8, 2006
Electrical System

THE IGNITION MODULE (ALSO KNOWN AS AN EZL) IN MY 500E SHORTED OUT, CAUSING ME TO LOSE SPARK TO 4 OUT OF 8 ENGINE CYLINDERS (ONE-HALF OF MY ENGINE), AND THRU MY CAR INTO "LIMP-HOME" MODE, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS BEGINNING TO MERGE ONTO THE #405 FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES. I BELIEVE THE DISINTEGRATING E…

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THE IGNITION MODULE (ALSO KNOWN AS AN EZL) IN MY 500E SHORTED OUT, CAUSING ME TO LOSE SPARK TO 4 OUT OF 8 ENGINE CYLINDERS (ONE-HALF OF MY ENGINE), AND THRU MY CAR INTO "LIMP-HOME" MODE, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS BEGINNING TO MERGE ONTO THE #405 FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES. I BELIEVE THE DISINTEGRATING ENGINE WIRING HARNESS MERCEDES HAS INSTALLED IN THE MAJORITY OF THEIR MODEL YEAR 1991-1995 PRODUCTION IS WHAT CAUSED THIS OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE MODULE TO FAIL, PLACING ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS AND TENSE SITUATION. PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE TO READ NEARLY ONE-HUNDRED FIFTY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS: HTTP://USERS.ADELPHIA.NET/~INFOAGE1/COMPLAINTS_NHTSA_MERCEDES_WIRING_HARNESS_FAILURES_1992_1995.HTML. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10152244

131,050 miles · Feb 7, 2004
Electrical System

WIRING HARNESS: UNDER HOOD TOP OF MOTOR FAILED. SHEATHING HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND INDIVIDUAL WIRING STRANDS HAVE MELTED TOGETHER. VEHICLE QUIT RUNNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. BURNT WIRE COULD BE SMELLED WHEN HOOD WAS RAISED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10056735

75,000 miles · Feb 14, 2003
Electrical System

MY 1993 300CE WIRING HARNESS HAS TOTALLY DRIED UP AND CRACKED IN NUMEROUS PLACES. RESULTING IN INTERNITTANT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND WASTED DOLLARS SPENT ON TROUBLE SHOOTING.

NHTSA ODI #10005860

Official recalls

1

95V031000 · Electrical System:wiring

Feb 21, 1995

THE FRONT PASSENGER METAL FOOT REST CAN, OVER TIME, ABRADE THROUGH THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE FOOT REST CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A SHORT CIRCUIT CAN CAUSE THE WIRES TO OVERHEAT, STALL THE ENGINE, OR INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY AN AIRBAG, ANY OF THESE INCREASES THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL ADDITIONAL WIRING HARNESS CABLE FASTENER TIES AND EDGE PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR SHARP EDGES OF THE METAL FOOT REST.

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.