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1995 Mercedes Benz S420

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

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: 5 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 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. 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

Electrical System complaints

4 reports
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210,000 miles · Jan 30, 2017
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS USING SOY BASED INSULATION DEGRADES THEREBY ALLOWING WIRES TO SPONTANEOUS AND/ OR INTERMITTENT SHORTS. THIS HAS CAUSED EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATIONS. VERY DIFFICULT TO TROUBLESHOOT UNLESS AND UNTIL ONE DISCOVERS INSULATION FAILURE. THIS HAS BEEN AND IS WIDELY KNOWN TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THIS …

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ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS USING SOY BASED INSULATION DEGRADES THEREBY ALLOWING WIRES TO SPONTANEOUS AND/ OR INTERMITTENT SHORTS. THIS HAS CAUSED EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATIONS. VERY DIFFICULT TO TROUBLESHOOT UNLESS AND UNTIL ONE DISCOVERS INSULATION FAILURE. THIS HAS BEEN AND IS WIDELY KNOWN TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THIS ERA OF CARS. EXTREMELY BAD ENGINEERING DECISIONS WERE MADE. VERY SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. MERCEDES SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR MALFEASANT AND A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW; HAD SERVICE ONLY AT THE DEALER; WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE OLDER CARS WITH MORE MILEAGE WHICH DO NOT HAVE THE PROBLEMS I HAVE WITH THE MERCEDES. VERY DISAPPOINTING. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MERCEDES; ALL HYPE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10948416

98,356 miles · Sep 1, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel/propulsion System

THROTTLE BODY WIRE HARNESS WENT BAD AND WAS ON INTERSTATE AND COULD NOT DO SPEED LIMIT AND NEARLY GOT DEMOLISHED BY A SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER. AFTER A HORRIBLE EXPENSE I NOW FIND OUT THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE CAR IS BAD AS WELL. WELL DONE MERCEDES BENZ YOU HAVE ENDANGERED MY FAMILY'S LIVES WITH YOUR SUB STANDARD BUSINESS PRACT…

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THROTTLE BODY WIRE HARNESS WENT BAD AND WAS ON INTERSTATE AND COULD NOT DO SPEED LIMIT AND NEARLY GOT DEMOLISHED BY A SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER. AFTER A HORRIBLE EXPENSE I NOW FIND OUT THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE CAR IS BAD AS WELL. WELL DONE MERCEDES BENZ YOU HAVE ENDANGERED MY FAMILY'S LIVES WITH YOUR SUB STANDARD BUSINESS PRACTICE. YOU SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL AND REPAIR ALL SAFETY ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI #10902985

170,000 miles · Nov 27, 2015
Electrical System

I HAVE TAKEN MY 95 S420 TO TWO DEALER LOCATIONS BECAUSE OF THE DISINTEGRATING ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THEY ALL CLAIM THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF IT. THE DEALER IN NANUET, NY TELLS ME THAT THEY CANNOT HELP ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE "EVERY" MAINTENANCE DONE THROUGH THEIR DEALERSHIP. I MUST SAY, FROM ALL THE DEALERSHIPS I'VE BEEN TO.…

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I HAVE TAKEN MY 95 S420 TO TWO DEALER LOCATIONS BECAUSE OF THE DISINTEGRATING ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THEY ALL CLAIM THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF IT. THE DEALER IN NANUET, NY TELLS ME THAT THEY CANNOT HELP ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE "EVERY" MAINTENANCE DONE THROUGH THEIR DEALERSHIP. I MUST SAY, FROM ALL THE DEALERSHIPS I'VE BEEN TO... MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS TREAT PEOPLE WITH OLDER CARS LIKE GARBAGE. ANYWAYS, THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. I WAS DRIVING HOME AND THE CAR STALLED AT AN INTERSECTION. SO EMBARRASSING, BUT GLAD I DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. SO I TOW THE CAR TO A SHOP. MY MECHANIC USED A DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER TO CHECK FOR ERRORS. HE THEN TOLD ME MY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTEGRATING. HE SAID THESE WERE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES CARS FROM CERTAIN YEARS IN THE 90'S. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH OF "DISINTEGRATING ENGINE HARNESS", AND I SAW TONS OF MERCEDES(ONLY) OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I HOPE MERCEDES WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #10807249

88,000 miles · Jan 30, 2015
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES BENZ S420 (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FOB FAILED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 10/20/2015*JS

NHTSA ODI #10680073

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.