FaultScore report
Owners have filed 23 complaints about the 1993 Mercedes Benz 400E with NHTSA between 1996 and 2016. The largest single group is the electrical system.
23
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
160,000 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
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 170,000 miles
Median failure at 160,000 miles
Median failure at 163,000 miles
Median failure at 163,000 miles
Median failure at 278,000 miles
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
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.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WIRING CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO FAULTY WIRING HARNESS INSULATION, WHICH IS WELL DOCUMENTED. YET, MERCEDES REFUSES TO RESOLVE/RECALL THIS ISSUE. WIRING HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10618874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PARKED THE VEHICLE AND PLACED IT IN PARK THEN TURNED IGNITION OFF. BURNING SMELL COMING FROM VEHICLE THEN SMOKE STARTED GOING IN THROUGH VENTS AND SEEMED LIKED IT WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS IS CREATING MASS AND THE CAR NEARLY WENT UP IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND WERENT ABLE TO PUT OUT THE SMOKE AS THE SOURCE OF IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATLY DETERMINED. I AM NOT LOOKING AT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #10851497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PARKED THE VEHICLE AND PLACED IT IN PARK THEN TURNED IGNITION OFF. BURNING SMELL COMING FROM VEHICLE THEN SMOKE STARTED GOING IN THROUGH VENTS AND SEEMED LIKED IT WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS IS CREATING MASS AND THE CAR NEARLY WENT UP IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND WERENT ABLE TO PUT OUT THE SMOKE AS THE SOURCE OF IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATLY DETERMINED. I AM NOT LOOKING AT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #10851497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
PARKED THE VEHICLE AND PLACED IT IN PARK THEN TURNED IGNITION OFF. BURNING SMELL COMING FROM VEHICLE THEN SMOKE STARTED GOING IN THROUGH VENTS AND SEEMED LIKED IT WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS IS CREATING MASS AND THE CAR NEARLY WENT UP IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND WERENT ABLE TO PUT OUT THE SMOKE AS THE SOURCE OF IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATLY DETERMINED. I AM NOT LOOKING AT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #10851497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
THE FUEL INJECTION ENGINE HARNESS WIRING HAS COMPLETELY DETERIORATED DUE TO THE USE OF A BIO DEGRADABLE MATERIAL BY MERCEDES BENZ. HAS RESULTED IN A LOT OF SHORTING ISSUES, WHICH RESULTED IN AIR CONDITIONING TURNING OFF, FAN CONTROL OFF, ENGINE HEATING UP, BLUE AND BLACK SMOKE, AND NOW SMOG FAILURE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO MERCEDES AND THEY NEED TO FIX IT. I HAVE HAD OVER $4000 REPAIRS AND STILL NEED TO GET THE ENGINE HARNESS CHANGED, WHICH IS A CUSTOM PAR AND MERCEDES WILL TAKE 2 MONTHS TO BUILD AND THE REPAIR ESTIMATE ON MY CAR IS OVER $8000 BY MERCEDES STEVEN CREEK. THESE PROBLEMS GOT ME 2 TRAFFIC TICKETS FOR NO REASON. DISGUSTING. MERCEDES NEEDS TO RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE, AND PROVIDE EXCELLENT SAFETY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE, TO PEOPLE WHO BUY THEIR CAR. I REQUEST MBUSA PRESIDENT TO KINDLY LOOK INTO THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #10692130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WIRING CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO FAULTY WIRING HARNESS INSULATION, WHICH IS WELL DOCUMENTED. YET, MERCEDES REFUSES TO RESOLVE/RECALL THIS ISSUE. WIRING HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10618874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FAULTY WIRING IN ENGINE HARNESS RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER AT SPEED ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE, LUCKILY AT THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAR'S CHARGING SYSTEM HAD BEEN SHORTED OUT. STILL WAITING ON OTHER SYSTEM TESTS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN MERCEDES. WHY ISN'T ANYTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS?
NHTSA complaint #10484072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
FAULTY WIRING IN ENGINE HARNESS RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER AT SPEED ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE, LUCKILY AT THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAR'S CHARGING SYSTEM HAD BEEN SHORTED OUT. STILL WAITING ON OTHER SYSTEM TESTS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN MERCEDES. WHY ISN'T ANYTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS?
NHTSA complaint #10484072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FAULTY WIRING IN ENGINE HARNESS RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER AT SPEED ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE, LUCKILY AT THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAR'S CHARGING SYSTEM HAD BEEN SHORTED OUT. STILL WAITING ON OTHER SYSTEM TESTS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN MERCEDES. WHY ISN'T ANYTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS?
NHTSA complaint #10484072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I OWN A 1993 400E MERCEDES. RECENTLY IT HAS HAD MAJOR DIFFICULTY TURNING OVER. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ REPAIR SHOP. THEY TOLD ME IT THE ENGINE HARNESS HAS GONE BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED COMPLETELY. EVIDENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AS MERCEDES USED SUB-STANDARD MATERIALS WHEN BUILDING THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS CAUSES MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES AND I BELIEVE MERCEDES SHOULD BE FORCED TO BEGIN RECALLING THESE VEHICLES.
NHTSA complaint #10310130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WIRING HARNESS ON MERCEDES BENZ 400E FAILED AND ENTERED A LOW POWER BACKUP MODE ON THE HIGHWAY FAR AWAY FROM OUR RESIDENCE. WIRING HARNESS IS CHARRED AND HARNESS SHORTED OUT ON ENGINE.
NHTSA complaint #10257260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MERCEDES 400 E HAS A TERRIBLE WIRE HARNESS DRY ROTTED FROM TEMPERATURE FROM ENGINE.
NHTSA complaint #10236751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE WIRE HARNESS IS CRACKED AND ROTTEN. THE MOTOR DOES NOT RUN RIGHT. IT STALLS AND CUTS OUT. THE MECHANIC SAYS TO JUST GIVE HIM $1000.00 FOR A TEMP. FIX DUE TO THE MATERIALS USED IN THE REPLACEMENT HARNESS.
NHTSA complaint #10178341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL* - THE CONTACT'S 1993 MERCEDES BENZ, 400E WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET INCREASED THE VEHICLE INCREASED SPEED. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CONTACT'S CAR WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC EXPLAINED THE FOLLOWING DETAILS TO THE CONTACT: THE AIR CLEANER WAS REMOVED WHICH INDICATED THE WIRING WAS DESTROYED AND THAT THIS IS TYPICAL FOR THIS VEHICLE INCLUDING A VERY HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS FAILURE, PER THE MECHANIC, CAN ALSO CAUSE A FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10176827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DRIVING ON RT 101. SUDDENLY COULD NOT CONTROL ACCELERATION. NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT FORCING ANOTHER CAR OFF THE ROAD. TOOK THE CAR TO GERMAN MOTORS-MERCEDES REPAIR AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS FALLING APART AND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10176743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
FAILED NEW JERSEY DMV INSPECTION CAUSED BY ENGINE RUNNING ABNORMALLY ROUGH AND LIT "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" , FALSE LOW OIL PRESSURE SIGNAL, VARIOUS ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS IN CAR EITHER INOPERABLE OR INTERMITTENTLY WORKING. CAUSE WAS DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS. DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED BY SERVICE SHOP AT MERCEDES BENZ DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #10172386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
I AM WRITING ABOUT A FAULTY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IN MY 1993 400E (E420 BADGE). THIS PAST MAY, MY CAR HAD A CHECK ENGINE LAMP PROBLEM SYMPTOM. AFTER BEING WITHOUT MY CAR FOR THE MORE THAN 2 WEEKS THAT IT TOOK MY MECHANIC (DIETSCH WERKS IN SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA) TO INVESTIGATE MULTIPLE ERRONEOUS DIAGNOSTIC FAULT CODES, I FINALLY GOT MY CAR BACK AFTER SPENDING ABOUT $500 PARTIALLY FOR ELUSIVE DIAGNOSTIC TIME. ON THE EVENING OF 30 JUNE, THE CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING ON THE BUSY US 101 FREEWAY IN SAN JOSE, SO I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. THE FUSE FOR THE FUEL PUMP (AND OTHER THINGS) WAS BLOWING. AFTER CONSIDERABLE DIAGNOSTICS, IT WAS FINALLY DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS FAULTY. IN ADDITION TO BEING WITHOUT MY CAR FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS AGAIN, I PAID A REPAIR BILL IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,209.67. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT SOME EARLY/MID 1990S MODEL MERCEDES-BENZ CARS HAD AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS DESIGN DEFECT, IN THAT A BIODEGRADABLE WIRING INSULATION WAS USED THAT DETERIORATES FROM HEAT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM IS FAIRLY WELL KNOWN BY MERCEDES-BENZ MECHANICS. PAYING SUCH A HIGH PRICE ($743.70) FOR SUCH A LOW COST PART GIVEN THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS MOST INAPPROPRIATE. IT'S LIKELY THAT THE COST TO MERCEDES-BENZ FOR THE HARNESS DELIVERED TO THE LOCAL DEALER WAS LESS THAN $74.37. I HAVE THE FAULTY HARNESS AND THE MERCEDES-BENZ BOX THE REPLACEMENT HARNESS CAME IT. I AM WILLING TO SHIP IT FOR ANALYSIS. REPORTEDLY SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF OWNERS OR 1991 - 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES ARE EXPERIENCING THEIR CARS BECOMING INOPERATIVE WITHOUT WARNING AS A RESULT OF THIS DESIGN DEFECT. I SUSPECT THAT SOME OR MANY OF THE VEHICLES SUDDENLY BECOME INOPERATIVE IN VERY UNSAFE SITUATIONS. THE EXTREME PRICE GOUGING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE HARNESS IS EVIDENCE OF OF CONTEMPT FOR CUSTOMERS AND NHTSA.
NHTSA complaint #10163905 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
MISC INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. PROBLEMS TRACED TO DISINTEGRATING WIRING HARNESS. WIRE INSULATION IS LITERALLY CRUMBLING AWAY LEAVING BARE WIRES.
NHTSA complaint #10163906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
I AM THE OWNER OF A 1993 MERCEDES 400E THE LOWER WIRING HARNESS ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE USE OF BIODEGRADEABLE MATERIALS USED BY MERCEDES BENZ BECAUSE THE COMPANY WAS THE LOW BIDDER AND NOW THE UPPER WIRING HARNESS IS CAUSING ALL KINDS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THROUGH OUT THE CAR MERCEDES BENZ HAS NOT CLAIMED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS AND IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH ALMOST ALL OF THEIR CARS FROM 1992 TO 1995 BESIDES BEING SO DANGEROUS IT IS VERY COSTLY TO THE VEHICLE OWNERS MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD HAVE TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR MISTAKES.
NHTSA complaint #10157440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING, MY CAR STALLED OUT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT WAS ABLE TO RESTART A FEW TIMES. IT EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT START AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, WITH NO PHONE SERVICE, AND HAD A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FINDING HELP AFTER HAVING TO PUSH MY CAR OFF THE ROAD. TURNS OUT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILED, BIG SURPRISE!!! THIS WHOLE ORDEAL COST ME 1800 DOLLARS ON SOMETHING THAT MB USED TO REPLACE FOR FREE.
NHTSA complaint #10140856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WIRE INSULATION HAS ALMOST COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED. VERY POOR GAS MILEAGE AND ROUGH RUNNING ARE THE RESULT ON A LOW MILE CAR (90K TOTAL MILES). REQUEST REPLACEMENT OF DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS.
NHTSA complaint #10136148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT: THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THEY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION, REPLACED THE STARTER AND THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS THAT GOES INTO THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER THIS IT WOULD NOT REALLY GO ANYWHERE. HE TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS, TWO DISTRIBUTORS, TWO FILTER ELEMENTS, FUEL FILTER, ADDED BRAKE FLUID, FUEL INJECTION KIT, AND THEY FLUSHED THE FUEL. THE VEHICLE IS STILL NOT DRIVABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10134065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THE ELECTRICAL INSULATION OF THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS HAS VIRTUALLY DISINTEGRATED, APPARENTLY FROM THE (NORMAL) HEAT OF THE ENGINE. THE INSULATION LITERALLY FLAKES AWAY IN MY HAND WHEN BEING HANDLED EVEN WITH THE MOST GENTLE TOUCH. THE MANUFACTURER (MERCEDES) CLAIMS THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM DESPITE THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE. THE COST TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS IS $500+ FOR ONLY THE PART; THE COST OF INSTALLATION IS ALSO IN EXCESS OF $500, THUS COSTING OVER $1,000. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE! THE DETERIORATED INSULATION CAUSES INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL SHORT-CIRCUITS, CAUSING MY CAR TO SUDDENLY LOSE ENGINE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. JUST AS SUDDENLY, THE CAR REGAINS POWER AND LURCHES AHEAD, THEN LOSES POWER, LURCHES AHEAD, ETC. THE CYCLE OF LURCHING/LOSING POWER HAPPENS IN RAPID SUCCESSION -- FOUR OR FIVE TIMES INSIDE OF A MINUTE -- MAKING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO "CONTROL." ALL OF THIS ON THE 405N FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES ON THE CUSP OF RUSH-HOUR. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10010497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
A SENSOR BETWEEN THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE ALTERNATOR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP IMMEDIATELY WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC.
NHTSA complaint #805343 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.