Total Complaints
2 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 420 · model year
1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 420
2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989MERCEDES-BENZ420 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1989 420 is vehicle speed control with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1989 420. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001023ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
PLASTIC FOLLOWER APPARENTLY AGES INDEPENDENT OF MILEAGE. PIECE ON LEFT HEAD BREAKS OFF, FOLLOWS TIMING CHAIN OVER CAM GEAR, LEFT HEAD THEN OUT OF TIME FAILS CATASTOPHICALLY BENDING OR BREAKING ALL VALVES AND SOMETIMES PISTONS. ENGINE HALTS IMMEDIATELY. PROCESS IS DOCUMENTED WITH PICTURES AT WEB SITE HTTP://WWW.IMPORT-CAR.COM/IC/IC40024.HTM.*AK
20000918CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
FRON PARKED POSITION, WHEN VEHICLE PUT IN GEAR, CAR LUNGED FORWARD AT HIGH SPEED WITHOUT ENGAGING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. BREAK WOULD NOT STOP CAR. *AK
Compare 1989MERCEDES-BENZ420 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 420 have?▼
The 1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 420 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 420?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 420 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1989 MERCEDES-BENZ 420 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.