RoadVitals

1992 Mercedes-Benz 500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Nov 30, 2008
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Sep 19, 1996
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
0 injuries, 1 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and heating & air conditioning categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical1473.7%
  • Engine210.5%
  • Heating & air conditioning15.3%
  • Interior & seats15.3%
  • Visibility15.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
96V175000

VISIBILITY

Sep 19, 1996
28,874 units potentially affected
The defect: IF ONE OF THE HEADLAMP WIPER ARMS BECOMES MISALIGNED, THE WIPER BALDE CAN LODGE IN THE GROOVE UNDER THE HEADLAMP. IF THE WASHERS ARE ACTIVATED WITH THE WIPER BLADE IN THE MISALIGNED AND LODGED POSITION, THE WASHER PUMP WILL RUN CONTINUOUSLY EXPELLING ALL AVAILABLE FLUID.
The risk: PUMP OPERATION IN THE ABSENCE OF FLUID CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP WASHER PUMP ON THESE VEHICLES.
MERCEDES-BENZ USA, INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 15
Electrical
Filed Nov 30, 2008

MAIN ENGINE/FUEL INJECTION ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS, HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND IS DISINTEGRATING CAUSING WIRES TO RUB TOGETHER AND BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS TO INCLUDE FIRE INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I'VE DISCOVERED FROM DLR HARDNESS INSULATION IS MADE OF BIODEGRADABLE MATERIAL RESULTING IN EARLY DETERIORATION. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE IS STARTING TO EXHIBIT STALLING ISSUES, ROUGH RUNNING, AND INCORRECT FAULT CODES ARE PRODUCED ON THE CAR COMPUTER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10250193
Incident
Nov 15, 2008
Mileage
185,900 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 28, 2008

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IS DISENTIGRATING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10240051
Incident
Aug 16, 2008
Mileage
171,600 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 5, 2008

ENGINE CUTTING OUT . ALL WIRES IN THE ENGINE HARNESS AND ELECTRIC CABLE CRACKED AND EXPOSED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10233263
Incident
Jun 10, 2008
Mileage
99,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 22, 2007

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS PN 124-543-95-26; WIRING INSULATION COMPLETELY ERODES OVER TIME WITH NORMAL USE, RESULTING IN NUMEROUS SHORT CIRCUITS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10212589
Incident
Dec 22, 2007
Mileage
94,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 9, 2007

WIRE INSULATION ON MY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAS DISINTEGRATED EXPOSING THE INTERNAL WIRING COMPLETELY, ESPECIALLY IN BENT AREAS. THIS IS A RESULT OF NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. AS THIS HAPPENS THE ENGINE RUNS WORSE, PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED INCLUDE SURGING IN IDLE, STUMBLING OF ENGINE UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION AND STALLING OR RUNNING ENGINE. THE ONLY COURSE OF ACTION IS TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS WITH A "NEWLY" PURCHASED HARNESS FROM MERCEDES BENZ. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THAT IDEA IS I WILL BE PURCHASING A WIRING HARNESS MANUFACTURED DURING ROUGHLY THE SAME TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN PRODUCTION THAT USES THE SAME DEFECTIVE, ADVANCED DEGRADING WIRING. *JB

NHTSA ID
10182063
Incident
Feb 9, 2007
Electrical
Filed May 31, 2006

THE ENGINE / FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS, AND STARTER/ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500E (61,000 MILES), HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT AND IS BEGINNING TO SHORT OUT WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND EVEN FIRE INSIDE MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE READ MANY REPORTS OF OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ CARS OF THE SAME AGE RANGE HAVING THE EXACT SAME DEFECT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES THAT THEY REFUSE TO RECALL. **NM

NHTSA ID
10158643
Incident
May 31, 2006
Mileage
59,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 28, 2006

UPPER ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IN MY 1992 MERCEDES BENZ 500E (81,000 MILES) HAS COMPLETELY DETERIORATED. THE INSULATION HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND CRACKED AND FLAKED OF THE HARNESS CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORTS WITHIN THE IGNITION SYSTEM CAUSING FAILURE TO START OR RUN CONDITIONS. THROUGH RESEARCH ON THE WEB I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS IS A COMMON SITUATION WITH THE W124 CHASSIS CARS. SINCE IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM I FEEL THAT MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA IS OBLIGATED TO INITIATE A RECALL OR VOLUNTARILY REPLACE THIS KNOWN FAULTY ITEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10158452
Incident
May 26, 2006
Mileage
81,872 mi
Electrical
Filed May 13, 2006

THE ENGINE / FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 SEL WAS REPLACED ONCE AND NOW HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT, I MIGHT ADD, THIS NEW HARNESS IS "SUPPOSED" TO BE THE NEW AND IMPROVED UPGRADED VERSION. IT DOES HAVE A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER THAN THE ORIGINAL. THE WIRES ARE ALL EXPOSED BECAUSE OF THE CRACKED INSULATION. PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT A RARE WIRE, ALL OF THEM ARE CRACKED AND DAMAGED AND EXPOSED!!! BECAUSE OF THE OUTSIDE RUBBER CASING WHICH HOLDS ALL OF THE WIRES, I WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM UNTIL IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOOO LATE. LUCKILY, MY MECHANIC, ED AT EDS MBZ IN GLENDALE CALIFORNIA, (818) 247-2369 WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE ENOUGH TO IMMEDIATELY CUT THE OUTSIDE CASING TO LOOK INSIDE. I AM STILL AMAZED A CAR COMPANY MAKING AN 80,000 TO 100,000 DOLLAR CAR WOULD HAVE THE AUDACITY TO MAKE ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL ELECTRICAL PARTS THE WIRING HARNESS SO BAD. WIRE HARNESSES ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR- ITS A SAFETY ISSUE!!! IT IS BEGINNING TO SHORT OUT WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND EVEN FIRE INSIDE MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE MAJOR CAUSES FOR COMPUTER DAMAGE. ED SHOWED ME 12 HARNESSES HE "RECENTLY" REPLACED. ALL OF THEM THE SAME. I SPOKE WITH MBZ USA- FORGET IT- I THOUGHT I WAS SPEAKING WITH FORD REGARDING EXPLODING GAS TANKS ON OPINTO'S. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN WITH ANY GOOD RELIABLE MBZ MECHANIC. SINCE I WAS BLOWN OFF BY MBZ AMERICA, I CALLED AROUND- 5 MBZ DEALERS SERVICE MANAGERS WERE VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ALL 10 INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WERE VERY AWARE AND EXPLAINED ALL THE DANGERS AND EXPENSE. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I HAVE READ MANY REPORTS OF OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ CARS OF THE SAME AGE RANGE HAVING THE EXACT SAME DEFECT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES THAT THEY REFUSE TO RECALL OR CORRECT!!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE IT IS TOOOOO LATE!. *NM

NHTSA ID
10157480
Incident
May 12, 2006
Mileage
132,500 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mercedes-Benz 500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2003110034.0
2000901—
1999700—
1998200—
1997800—
1996600—
1995800—
1994610—
1993231047.9
1992Viewing151046.4
1991010—
1990120—
1988001—
1987001—
1986002—
1985102—
1984102—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.