Total Complaints
8 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ S420 · model year
1999 MERCEDES-BENZ S420
8 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999MERCEDES-BENZS420 carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 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 1999 S420 is air bags with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (2) and electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (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 1999 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.
8
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20200903ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ S420. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE ELECTRICAL AND VACUUM SYSTEM BECAME INOPERABLE AND HE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS LOCKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXITED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF DANBURY (100 FEDERAL RD, DANBURY, CT 06810) AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE WHERE THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP WITH A USED PUMP HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT VEHICLE TRUNK OPENED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE SECURELY SHUT. THE CONTACT TAPED THE TRUNK SHUT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 121,000.
Mileage: 121,000
20200903LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ S420. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE ELECTRICAL AND VACUUM SYSTEM BECAME INOPERABLE AND HE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS LOCKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXITED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF DANBURY (100 FEDERAL RD, DANBURY, CT 06810) AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE WHERE THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP WITH A USED PUMP HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT VEHICLE TRUNK OPENED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE SECURELY SHUT. THE CONTACT TAPED THE TRUNK SHUT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 121,000.
Mileage: 121,000
20170831ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
THE AREA THAT HOLDS THE BRAKE LIGHTS KEEPS MELTING I HAVE REPLACED THEM TWICE , SEAT BELTS LAG AND DOT WORK I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH STABILIZATION
Mileage: 70,000
20170831ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE AREA THAT HOLDS THE BRAKE LIGHTS KEEPS MELTING I HAVE REPLACED THEM TWICE , SEAT BELTS LAG AND DOT WORK I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH STABILIZATION
Mileage: 70,000
20170831SEAT BELTS
THE AREA THAT HOLDS THE BRAKE LIGHTS KEEPS MELTING I HAVE REPLACED THEM TWICE , SEAT BELTS LAG AND DOT WORK I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH STABILIZATION
Mileage: 70,000
20071208ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS ALMOST TOTALLY FAILED CREATING A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. THE DEALER STATED VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM ARE BEING RECALLED. HOW DO I RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE? *TR
Mileage: 30,000
20020514CrashAIR BAGS
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER WAS BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, HOWEVER IT WAS NOT STATED EXACTLY WHERE VEHICLE WAS HIT, SUBSEQUENTLY THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND CONSUMER SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES.*JB
20011016CrashAIR BAGS
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER WAS BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, HOWEVER IT WAS NOT STATED EXACTLY WHERE VEHICLE WAS HIT, SUBSEQUENTLY THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND CONSUMER SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES.*JB
Compare 1999MERCEDES-BENZS420 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 have?▼
The 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ S420?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 is AIR BAGS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL.
Is the 1999 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.