Total Complaints
7 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ E430 · model year
2002 MERCEDES-BENZ E430
7 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 2002MERCEDES-BENZE430 carries 7 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 2002 E430 is electrical system with 2 filings, followed by engine (2) and structure:body (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 2002 E430. 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.
7
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 | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20220606ENGINE
Engine mount bracket broke causing steering problems from cv axel on drivers side
20220606SUSPENSION
Engine mount bracket broke causing steering problems from cv axel on drivers side
20210421ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
INSTRUMENT PANEL DIED COMPLETELY .BETWEEN USES.
Mileage: 154,000
20141104ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE WIRING HARNESS HAS MULTIPLE EXPOSED COPPER WIRING DUE TO DISINTEGRATING INSULATION FROM NORMAL USE. THE WIRING INSULATION IS VIRTUALLY CRACKED OR COMPLETELY MISSING, EXPOSING IT TO DIRECT ENGINE HEAT AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS POSES SAFETY AND RISK OF HEADLIGHT FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THIS COSTS OWNERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FULLY REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS AND RELATED COMPONENTS. MY CAR HAS SPECIFICALLY ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED, KEEPING A STRICT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AND FOLLOWING ROUTINE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE, ALL BY ONLY TRAINED MERCEDES CERTIFIED REPAIR FACILITIES. THE LIGHTING WIRING INSULATION SHOULD BE RESILIENT AND SHOULD LAST INDEFINITELY SINCE IT IS NOT I INDIRECTLY HANDLED DURING OTHER REPAIRS. IT IS WELL PUBLISHED MERCEDES OPTED TO USE A "GREEN" ALTERNATIVE, WHICH WE'LL REPORTED OTHERS INDICATED THE SAME INSULATION FAILURES. *TR
Mileage: 79,178
20141104ENGINE
THE WIRING HARNESS HAS MULTIPLE EXPOSED COPPER WIRING DUE TO DISINTEGRATING INSULATION FROM NORMAL USE. THE WIRING INSULATION IS VIRTUALLY CRACKED OR COMPLETELY MISSING, EXPOSING IT TO DIRECT ENGINE HEAT AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS POSES SAFETY AND RISK OF HEADLIGHT FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THIS COSTS OWNERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FULLY REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS AND RELATED COMPONENTS. MY CAR HAS SPECIFICALLY ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED, KEEPING A STRICT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AND FOLLOWING ROUTINE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE, ALL BY ONLY TRAINED MERCEDES CERTIFIED REPAIR FACILITIES. THE LIGHTING WIRING INSULATION SHOULD BE RESILIENT AND SHOULD LAST INDEFINITELY SINCE IT IS NOT I INDIRECTLY HANDLED DURING OTHER REPAIRS. IT IS WELL PUBLISHED MERCEDES OPTED TO USE A "GREEN" ALTERNATIVE, WHICH WE'LL REPORTED OTHERS INDICATED THE SAME INSULATION FAILURES. *TR
Mileage: 79,178
20141104EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE WIRING HARNESS HAS MULTIPLE EXPOSED COPPER WIRING DUE TO DISINTEGRATING INSULATION FROM NORMAL USE. THE WIRING INSULATION IS VIRTUALLY CRACKED OR COMPLETELY MISSING, EXPOSING IT TO DIRECT ENGINE HEAT AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS POSES SAFETY AND RISK OF HEADLIGHT FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THIS COSTS OWNERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FULLY REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS AND RELATED COMPONENTS. MY CAR HAS SPECIFICALLY ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED, KEEPING A STRICT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AND FOLLOWING ROUTINE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE, ALL BY ONLY TRAINED MERCEDES CERTIFIED REPAIR FACILITIES. THE LIGHTING WIRING INSULATION SHOULD BE RESILIENT AND SHOULD LAST INDEFINITELY SINCE IT IS NOT I INDIRECTLY HANDLED DURING OTHER REPAIRS. IT IS WELL PUBLISHED MERCEDES OPTED TO USE A "GREEN" ALTERNATIVE, WHICH WE'LL REPORTED OTHERS INDICATED THE SAME INSULATION FAILURES. *TR
Mileage: 79,178
20130626STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES E430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DOORS WERE CORRODED ON THE BOTTOM. THE EXTERIOR OF THE SUNROOF AREA ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WAS ALSO CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE DOOR PANELS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *TR
Mileage: 40,000
Compare 2002MERCEDES-BENZE430 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ E430 have?▼
The 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ E430 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ E430?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ E430 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and STRUCTURE:BODY.
Is the 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ E430 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 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ E430; 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.