FaultScore
See all results →
All makes Worst years, ranked Problems by part Analysis Problems by model year Recalls in Canada Recall lookup Compare two cars How we grade

FaultScore report

1993 Mercedes Benz 400 problems

Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 1993 Mercedes Benz 400 with NHTSA between 1995 and 2010. The largest single group is the electrical system.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Mercedes Benz 400 All 1993 cars
—

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

11

Complaints

1

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

128,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

0%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

How 1993 compares with every other Mercedes Benz 400

Click any bar to open that year's report.

8 11 1 2 1 2 3
92 93 95 98 99 00 01
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1993 Mercedes Benz 400

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Electrical System 7 63.6%

Median failure at 128,000 miles

Tires 1 9.1%

Median failure at 95,000 miles

Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 9.1%
Brakes 1 9.1%
Engine & Cooling 1 9.1%

1 crashes, 1 fires

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

75,000 – 99,999 miles 2 25.0%
100,000 – 149,999 miles 4 50.0%
150,000+ miles 2 25.0%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Jan 1995 peak 2 Apr 2010

Recalls on the 1993 Mercedes Benz 400

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 1994023 234 units in Canada

Fuel System

AT HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THEN A SHORT TIME LATER RESTARTED, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A SATURATED CHARCOAL CANISTER TO EXPEL FUEL VAPOR FROM THE INLET VENT OF THE CANISTER ONTO THE TOP OF A HOT ELECTRIC FAN PRERESISTOR CAUSING AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. CORRECTION: THE FUEL VAPOR CANISTER VENT LINE WILL BE REPOSITIONED AWAY FROM THE ELECTRIC FAN PRERESISTOR. ALSO, THE PRERESISTOR WILL HAVE A LARGER HEAT SHIELD AND A FUSED WIRING HARNESS INSTALLED.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Coral Gables, FL Crash Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER MILDLY REARENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #812558 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 142,000 miles Albany, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE WIRING HARNESS ON MY 1993 MERCEDES 400SEL IS DEFECTIVE. AFTER TALKING WITH A MERCEDES MECHANIC, HE INFORMS ME HOW IMPORTANT THIS HARNESS IS AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN WHEN IT FAILS. THE WIRES ARE CRACKING AND SPLITTING AND ARE DRIED OUT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. AFTER DOING THE RESEARCH, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MERCEDES KNOWS THE HARNESSES WERE DEFECTIVE AND HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM. NO INJURIES OR DEATH AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA complaint #10326929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Mchenry, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I HAVE A 1993 400 SEL MERCEDES BENZ THAT HAS HAD PROBLEMS FOR YEARS AND NOW TURNS OUT TO BE A DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY RECENTLY WHICH ALMOST GOT ME KILLED WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10257513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 95,000 miles Inglewood, CA

TIRES

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MERCEDES BENZ 400 SEL. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED WITH SUMITOMO HTRZ2 TIRES AND TIRE SIZE, 245/35R20. THE CONTACT NOTICED A SPLIT ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS LATER, HE NOTICED NUMEROUS SPLITS ON THE TIRE. HE ALREADY REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED, BUT THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THESE TIRES NEED TO BE RECALLED. WHEN THE FIRST TWO TIRES WERE REPAIRED, THE DEFECTIVE TIRES WERE NOT INSPECTED AT ANY SHOP. THE TIRE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

NHTSA complaint #10256454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 150,000 miles Alameda, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

1993 400 SEL WIRING HARNESS # 140 540 1132 ROTTED AWAY.

NHTSA complaint #10187255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 176,800 miles Richmond, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

HELLO, RECENTLY STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY ASR SYSTEM ON MY 1993 MB 400E AND THE SERVICE WRITER TOLD ME MY WIRING HARNESS WAS FAULTY,CRACKED AND WAS TURNING TO DUST ! HE SAID IF I DIDN'T FIX IT WOULD CAUSE ME SERIOUS PROBLEMS - EVEN POSSIBLY AN ENGINE FIRE ! HE TOLD ME COST TO REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS + LABOR WOULD BE ABOUT $ 1080.00. COME TO FIND OUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WHY DON'T YOU FOLKS GET MERCEDES TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL !! HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE OR GET BURNED ALIVE BEFORE YOU HELP THE PUBLIC THAT YOUR SUPPOSED TO PROTECT !! PLEASE HELP US--THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

NHTSA complaint #10160661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 111,000 miles Dawsonville, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATED COMPLETELY CAUSING ENGINE PROBLEMS,STALLING IN TRAFFIC. IT WAS CORRECTED BY BUYING A NEW WIRING HARNESS. THE OLD PART WAS KEPT. IT IS UNDERSTOOD BY ME THAT THE INSULATION USED WAS BIODEGRADABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10158924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 128,000 miles Webb City, MO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

THE DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE SPARK PLUGS CAUSES A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. IN ORDER TO REPLACE OR INSPECT THE PLUGS WIRE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE UNBOLTED AND PUSHED BACKWARDS, WIRE HARNESS SHOULDN'T BE MOVED. WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT, CAUSING A SHORT OUT OF ALL COMPONENTS IN THAT CIRCUIT.

NHTSA complaint #10032138 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 128,000 miles Webb City, MO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

THE DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE SPARK PLUGS CAUSES A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. IN ORDER TO REPLACE OR INSPECT THE PLUGS WIRE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE UNBOLTED AND PUSHED BACKWARDS, WIRE HARNESS SHOULDN'T BE MOVED. WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT, CAUSING A SHORT OUT OF ALL COMPONENTS IN THAT CIRCUIT.

NHTSA complaint #10032138 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coral Gables, FL Crash Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER MILDLY REARENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #812558 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Holly, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY SURGES AT SPEEDS OF 10-20 MPH.

NHTSA complaint #482765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lutz, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

BRAKE AND ROTOR WEAR OUT AT 4,000 MILES. TT

NHTSA complaint #959124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.