AI Damage1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 reliability: common problems
Owners of the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and electronic stability control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 80% of all complaints
- 2 Electronic stability control 20% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 20% of all complaints
- 4 Equipment 20% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 20% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 20% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (80% of all).
- Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 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 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 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.
Electrical wiring harness using soy based insulation degrades thereby allowing wires to spontaneous and/ or intermittent shorts. This has caused extremely dangerous driving situations. Very difficult to troubleshoot unless and until one discovers insulation failure.
Throttle body wire harness went bad and was on interstate and could not do speed limit and nearly got demolished by a semi tractor trailer. After a horrible expense I now find out the wiring harness for the car is bad as well.
I was driving home and the car stalled at an intersection. So embarrassing, but glad I didn't cause an accident. So I tow the car to a shop. My mechanic used a diagnostic computer to check for errors. He then told me my engine wiring harness is disintegrating.
A/c quit working. Took to the mercedes dealer. Was notified of vapor core failure and told it is most common on any mileage of this model. Cost $3500.00 if it is most common it should have been a recall on it. Company knew about the problem but did nothing to correct it.
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 13,113 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 41% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S420 has 3 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, electronic stability control, engine. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (20%), stalls while driving (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420?
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 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 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 1995 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 2026-11-06.