AI DamageMercedes-Benz E420: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Mercedes-Benz E420 across 2 model years: 7 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
| Year | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) | YouTube repair videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 86% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 14% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 14% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 14% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 7 Seat belts 14% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (86% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 7 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 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.
Consumer writes in regards to vehicle seat belt malfunction. 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.
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
Tl* the contact owns a 1994 mercedes-benz e420. The contact stated that the key would not turn over to start the vehicle without warning. The vehicle was unable to be driven and was to be towed to an authorized dealer or independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.
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 updated 8/18/2015
The vehicle started idling very rapidly (better than 1600 rpm) and I lost control on the icy roads. I was unable to compensate for the fast idle with the brakes without dragging the front tires.
Cockpit smelt like smoke, became hard to see. Pulled over and turned the engine off. Very scary. Is there a recall on this issues?
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other models of this make
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 2026-11-06.