AI Damage1991 Mercedes-Benz 420: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Mercedes-Benz 420 filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and equipment. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 25% of all complaints
- 2 Equipment 25% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 25% of all complaints
- Air bags: 1 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Equipment: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (25% 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
The driver's side air bags did not deploy when the consumer was involved in an front end collision with his 1991 mercedes benz 420 sel. ****
The vehicle's front end will not stay in alignment, causing the vehicle to wander, also excessive wear on the tires. Tt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 420 has 7 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Mercedes-Benz 420?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, equipment, suspension. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 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 1991 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 1991 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.