What breaks most · 1990 to 1999 model years
Mercedes-Benz 420 problems by year
Owners have filed 66 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz 420 across model years 1990 to 1999. Three years stand out: 1997 for suspension complaints, 1994 for electrical system complaints and 1995 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 1990 and 1991.
- Years to check closely: 1997, 1994, 1995
- Fewest complaints: 1990, 1991
- Complaints on file
- 661990 to 1999, all trims
- Worst year
- 199722 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 54 fires · 3 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 109kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 1Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 1 | Equipment and infotainment (2) | |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | Unknown or other (1) | |
| 16 | 2 | 0 | Electrical system (5) | |
| 15 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (7) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 22 | 1 | 0 | Suspension (11) | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | Visibility (1) |
What fails on the 1997 Mercedes-Benz 420
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 50% |
11 | 0 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 14% |
3 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Seat belts | 9% |
2 | 1 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 5% |
1 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 5% |
1 | 0 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 5% |
1 | 0 | Shop all exterior lighting parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 5% |
1 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Automatic transmission malfunctioned. It would get stuck in the gears and may result a crash. Please provide further information. *ak
-
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.
-
The electrical wiring system plastic coating is breaking down and the bare wires are shorting out making the car unable to use.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mercedes-Benz 420 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1997, 1994, 1995 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz 420. The 1997 alone has 22 complaints, led by suspension.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz 420 problem?
On the 1997 model year, the most-reported component is suspension with 11 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz 420 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz 420 complaints that include mileage is about 109,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.