Owners filed 19 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system › wiring › front underhood. It has been recalled 2 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
7
1
0
0
Electrical System
6
0
1
0
Electrical System › Wiring
4
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling
1
0
0
0
2 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System94V004000
Filed Jan 6, 19945,900 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Inc.
Defect. HIGH AMBIENT ENGINE COMPARTMENT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPERIENCED AFTER THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED AND THEN PARKED. IF THE VEHICLE IS RESTARTED A SHORT TIME LATER AND THE CHARCOAL CANISTER IS SATURATED WITH FUEL, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT FUEL VAPOR MAY BE EXPELLED THROUGH THE INLET VENT LINE OF THE CANISTER ONTO THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY RADIATOR FAN PRERESISTOR.
Risk. UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY RADIATOR FAN PRERESISTOR BECOMES HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE FUEL EXPELLED FROM THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER AND RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPOSITION THE FUEL VAPOR CANISTER VENT LINE AWAY FROM THE ELECTRIC FAN PRERESISTOR. IN ADDITION, THE PRERESISTOR WILL HAVE A LARGER HEAT SHIELD AND A FUSED WIRING HARNESS WILL BE INSTALLED.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings92V083000
Filed Jun 11, 1992845 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Inc.
Defect. THE PLASTIC BRAKE HYDRAULIC HOSE FROM THE AUTOMATIC SLIP CONTROL UNIT WAS MISROUTED TOO CLOSE TO THE PRE-RESISTOR FOR THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY ENGINE COOLING FAN WHICH BECOMES HOT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THIS COULD CAUSE THE HOSE TO MELT AND LEAK BRAKE FLUID ONTO THE HOT PRE-RESISTOR.
Risk. BRAKE FLUID CAN CATCH ON FIRE WHEN IT CONTACTS THE HOTPRE-RESISTOR, POSING THE RISK OF INJURY TO ANYONE IN OR NEAR THE VEHICLE.
Remedy. REPLACE AND REROUTE ANY HOSE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MISROUTED.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jun 19, 2014135,905 milesPA
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND BEFORE I COULD PULL OVER THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD THE AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY WAS MELTED THROUGH AND SOME FLAME WAS STILL GLOWING IN THE DRIVER SIDE AIR FILTER. THE UPPER ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS CHARRED ALONG THE DRIVER SIDE AND THE CONNECTOR TO THE CAM ACTUATOR HAD DISINTEGRATED. AFTER GETTING THE CAR TOWED HOME I FOLLOWED THE HARNESS BACK TO THE AMP CONNECTOR AND ALL OF THE INSULATION ON THE WIRES HAD COMPLETELY DEGRADED TO A POWDER. I ALSO CHECKED THE WIRES ON THE MAF SENSOR AND THE THROTTLE BODY AND FOUND THE SAME CONDITION. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE: SUBSTANDARD WIRING INSULATION ON ALL WIRING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR
Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Mar 6, 2014FL
1992 MERCEDES BENZ 400E. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEVERAL RECALL NOTICES RENDERED VEHICLE USELESS. *SMD MERCEDES BENZ WROTE TO THE CONSUMER, STATING THERE WERE NO OUTSTANDING RECALL CAMPAIGNS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL NUMBERS, 92V083000 AND 94V004000. *JB
Electrical System
Filed Oct 31, 2008UT
1992 MERCEDES BENZ 400E. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE WIRING HARNESS ON THIS VEHICLE. INSULATION ON WIRES IS CRACKING AND PEELING OFF EXPOSING WIRES TO OTHER WIRES AND THE ENGINE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS CAUSING A FIRE. I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS COMMON TO THIS MODEL BECAUSE OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE INSULATION MATERIAL. I DO NOT WANT INJURY TO MYSELF OR OTHERS WHILE DRIVING THIS AUTOMOBILE. *TR
Electrical System
Filed Oct 13, 2008VA
MB WIRING HARNESS FAILURE 1992 400SE. *TR
Electrical System
Filed Jul 9, 2008145,000 milesIL
THE ENGINE / FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 400E (145,000 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. *TR
Electrical System
Filed Jun 18, 2008NC
I HAVE A MERCEDES BENZ 400E AND THE WIRING HARNESS EVENTUALLY WITHERED AND DETERIORATED DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING. *TR
Electrical System
Filed Jun 11, 2008135,000 milesTX
1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 400E WIRING HARNESS MULTIPLE FAILURES. REPLACED ENGINE WIRING HARNESS SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THIS CAR (USED) IN 2005 DUE TO DETERIORATION OF INSULATION FROM THE WIRES. I WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ERA OF MB DUE TO SOME PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE OR TARGETED SELF-DESTRUCTION BY THE MANUFACTURER. TODAY I AM TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS LEADING TO THE STARTER MOTOR FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON. THESE ARE EXPENSIVE PARTS, ONLY AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND REQUIRE EXTENSIVE LABOR TO REPLACE. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY A COMPANY THAT CLEARLY ADVERTISES A "LONG-LIFE" PRODUCT. *TR
Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Mar 26, 200895,000 milesNJ
THE WIRING HARNESS ON MY 1992 400E HAS DISINTEGRATED, AS I'VE READ TO BE COMMON OF THE MERCEDES OF THE EARLY 1990'S. MY CAR SHUDDERS DRAMATICALLY WHEN IDLING, AND ALTERNATES BETWEEN PERIODS OF SLOW/NO ACCELERATION TO UNEXPECTED LURCHING FORWARD. *TR
Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodCrash
Filed Oct 19, 2007125,000 milesNC
1992 MERCEDES E 400 MAIN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. HARNESS FRIED DUE TO POOR WIRING INSULATION. I OWN TWO MERCEDES AND BOTH ARE FOR SALE. WILL NEVER BUY A CAR FROM MERCEDES EVER AGAIN. TOO MUCH MONEY AND TOO MANT PROBLEMS.
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Jun 25, 2007165,000 milesTX
AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOP SHOWED ME THE PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. THE WIRING HARNESS WIRES WERE FRIED AND BECAME BRITTLE.*AK
Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Apr 20, 200713,000 milesKY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MERCEDES BENZ 400E. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO IDLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW WIRING HARNESS, AND AN AIT TEMP SENSOR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BEARING HARNESS WAS DEFECTED AND METAL WAS VISIBLE. THE WIRES INSIDE WERE DETERIORATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON APRIL 6TH, 8TH, 9TH, AND 18TH, AND THE FAILURE REMAINED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 132,000, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.*AK
Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Sep 9, 2006100,000 milesTX
THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IN MY 1992 MERCEDES 400E HAS DETERIORATED AND IS CAUSING SHORTS THROUGHOUT THE CAR. THE GAUGES DO NOT WORK AND THE THROTTLE BODY IS FAILING. I HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED TWICE BECAUSE OF THIS AND THE REPAIR IS IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AND REPLACED DUE TO THE SAFETY HAZARD. MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. *JB
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Aug 24, 2006162,000 milesMI
I WAS DRIVING 80 GOING ON HIGHWAY 696 WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY DIED. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE OF A 3 LANE FREEWAY. I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO GET ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE ALONG WITH A FEW ANGRY DRIVERS. IT APPEARS THE WIRE HARNESS WAS TOAST. IT SHORT CIRCUITED AND FRIED THE LH MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE ENGINE. *JB
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Apr 24, 200686,226 milesSC
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CRACKED, REPLACED AT COST OF $728 @ MILEAGE OF 86,226 ON 10/21/03. VEHICLE HAD BEEN PURCHASED AS MB STARMARK VEHICLE AT ~45,000 MILES. *NM
Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Mar 7, 2006MD
VEHICLE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT INSULATION ON ALL OF THE FUEL INJECTION WIRING, TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND FAN THERMAL SWITCH HARNESS DETERIORATED CAUSING WIRES TO RUB TOGETHER. CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT HARNESS INSULATION IS MADE OF VERY POOR MATERIAL .THE INSULATION BREAKS VERY EASY AT THE TOUCH AND TURNS INTO DUST. THE WHOLE WIRE HARNESS IS IN THE SAME SITUATION. *JB
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed May 19, 2003FL
VEHICLE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT INSULATION ON ALL OF THE FUEL INJECTION WIRING ,TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND FAN THERMAL SWITCH HARNESS DETERIORATED CAUSING WIRES TO RUB TOGETHER. CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT HARNESS INSULATION IS MADE OF VERY POOR MATERIAL .THE INSULATION BREAKS VERY EASY AT THE TOUCH AND TURNS INTO DUST. THE WHOLE WIRE HARNESS IS IN THE SAME SITUATION. *JB
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Feb 4, 2003120,239 milesCA
MAIN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IS CURRENTLY DETERIORATING CAUSING THE WIRES TO BE EXPOSED TO AN INTENSE AMOUNT OF HEAT.
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Sep 30, 2002VA
CONSUMER STATES IN 08/02 EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS W/AIR CONDITIONING CUTTING OFF. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DLR WHO DIAGNOSED THAT INSULATION ON FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS DETERIORATED CAUSING WIRES TO RUB TOGETHER. CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT HARNESS INSULATION IS MADE OF BIO-DEGRADABLE MATERIAL RESULTING IN EARY DETERIORATION. NLM
Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jul 17, 1998VA
ACCELERATION SLIP CONTROL UNIT FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL.
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Jan 6, 1994. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.