RoadVitals

1997 Mercedes-Benz E420 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
5
Latest Mar 23, 2018
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Dec 23, 2011

What this page shows

Our database holds 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 Mercedes-Benz E420. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–5 of 5

Seat belts
Filed Mar 23, 2018

1997 MERCEDES BENZ E-420. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELT INADVERTENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING THE CONSUMERS' HEAD TO HIT THE BACK OF THE SEAT. THE CONSUMER HAD A THROBBING HEAD PAIN. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. *JS

NHTSA ID
10721950
Incident
Mar 9, 2015
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Dec 22, 2016

MY 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E420 WENT IN TO LIMP MODE WITH NO WARNING WHILE MERGING ON TO 65 MPH TRAFFIC, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. IT FAILED TO SHIFT WITH NO WARNING

NHTSA ID
10937153
Incident
Dec 20, 2016
Mileage
142,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 12, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E420. AFTER STOPPING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF LOW GEAR. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE RADIO FAILED TO OPERATE AND THE DOORS FAILED TO LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. UPDATED 3/17/15*CN UPDATED 8/18/2015 *JS

NHTSA ID
10671831
Incident
Dec 29, 2014
Mileage
135,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jun 28, 2012

THE MERCEDES BENZ E-420 ELECTRICAL WIRING WAS MANUFACTURED FROM BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS THE INSULATION ON THE WIRING HARNESS BEGAN TO DETERIORATE AND FAIL. THIS LEAD TO A CYCLE OF INCREASINGLY SEVERE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ALSO LEAD TO THE SAFETY ON FREEWAY WHERE THE OTHER DRIVER CAN NOT SEE MY BRAKE LIGHTS WHEN I AM BRAKING DUE TO THIS WIRING ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10463407
Incident
Jun 27, 2012
Mileage
132,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 23, 2011
Fire reported

COCKPIT SMELT LIKE SMOKE, BECAME HARD TO SEE. PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. VERY SCARY. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUES? *TR

NHTSA ID
10441071
Incident
Dec 1, 2011
Mileage
125,000 mi

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .