AI Damage1990 Mercedes-Benz 420: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 420 filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about equipment and child seat. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Equipment 67% of all complaints
- 2 Child seat 33% of all complaints
- Equipment: 2 complaints (67% of all).
- Child seat: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4.2 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: RWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Child seat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
No tether anchorages are present on this vehicle and no tether anchorages have ever been present on this vehicle. The owner's manual and mbna service bulletins state that this vehicle is equipped with tether anchorages for use with child restraints that have a top tether strap.
On oct. 20, 2005, I asked mercedes benz of usa and mercedes benz of eugene(or), to show/tell me specifically where the tether anchors are in my 1990 420 sel mercedes. Also,on oct. 21, 2005, I filed a similar complaint, by email, at this site of nhtsa. To date, I have received no response from mbna of usa.
The owner's manual for my 1990 420 sel, on page 46, states:"this vehicle is equipped with tether anchorages for use with child restraints that have a top tether strap.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 17,150 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 420 has 7 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 3, below average.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 420?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: equipment, child seat. Total complaints: 3.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 420?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 420 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1990 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.