Total Complaints
4 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ S420 · model year
1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996MERCEDES-BENZS420 carries 4 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 S420 is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by steering (1) and visibility/wiper (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 1996 S420. 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.
4
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 | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20190710ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE SRS, VSR, TIRE AND OTHER UNKNOWN INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE FAILURES RECURRED A FEW TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED AAA AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN, ONE OF THE TIRES CAME OFF THE RIM, THE RIM WAS CRACKED, AND THE WINDOWS FAILED TO GO UP AND DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
Mileage: 147,000
20190710STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE SRS, VSR, TIRE AND OTHER UNKNOWN INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE FAILURES RECURRED A FEW TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED AAA AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN, ONE OF THE TIRES CAME OFF THE RIM, THE RIM WAS CRACKED, AND THE WINDOWS FAILED TO GO UP AND DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
Mileage: 147,000
20190710VISIBILITY/WIPER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE SRS, VSR, TIRE AND OTHER UNKNOWN INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE FAILURES RECURRED A FEW TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED AAA AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN, ONE OF THE TIRES CAME OFF THE RIM, THE RIM WAS CRACKED, AND THE WINDOWS FAILED TO GO UP AND DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
Mileage: 147,000
20190710WHEELS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE SRS, VSR, TIRE AND OTHER UNKNOWN INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE FAILURES RECURRED A FEW TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED AAA AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN, ONE OF THE TIRES CAME OFF THE RIM, THE RIM WAS CRACKED, AND THE WINDOWS FAILED TO GO UP AND DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
Mileage: 147,000
Compare 1996MERCEDES-BENZS420 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 have?▼
The 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and VISIBILITY/WIPER.
Is the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 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.