Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ E420 · model year
1994 MERCEDES-BENZ E420
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994MERCEDES-BENZE420 carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1994 E420 is electrical system with 2 filings, followed by engine (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1994 E420. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160229ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,732.
Mileage: 84,732
20130123ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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. UPON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME FAULTY, DETERIORATING WIRING PROBLEM THAT TENS OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY REPORTED TO THIS SITE. EXACTLY HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ARE NECESSARY BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION AGAINST THIS MANUFACTURER? I HAVE BEEN IN THE ELECTRICAL TRADES ALL OF MY LIFE AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH DEFECTIVE, DETERIORATED WIRING AS UNDER THE HOOD OF THIS MERCEDES. THE MERCEDES IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND A FIRE HAZARD. *TR
Mileage: 149,350
20130123ENGINE
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. UPON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME FAULTY, DETERIORATING WIRING PROBLEM THAT TENS OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY REPORTED TO THIS SITE. EXACTLY HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ARE NECESSARY BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION AGAINST THIS MANUFACTURER? I HAVE BEEN IN THE ELECTRICAL TRADES ALL OF MY LIFE AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH DEFECTIVE, DETERIORATED WIRING AS UNDER THE HOOD OF THIS MERCEDES. THE MERCEDES IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND A FIRE HAZARD. *TR
Mileage: 149,350
Compare 1994MERCEDES-BENZE420 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ E420 have?▼
The 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ E420 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ E420?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ E420 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE.
Is the 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ E420 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ E420; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.