Streamwood, IL
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
A CRACK IN LEFT REAR FRAMES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK *JLG
NHTSA complaint #8018330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FaultScore report
1999 Mercedes Benz 420 problems
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 1999 Mercedes Benz 420 with NHTSA between 1999 and 2002. The largest single group is the electrical system. Across this model's run it ranks 4 of 4 worst.
A
FaultScore 19/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Mercedes Benz 420.
How this is worked outThe numbers
10
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
What kind of bad
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
- Complaint volume — 30
- Against the median year of the Mercedes Benz 420. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
- Severity — 0
- 0% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
- Early failure — not reported
- Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
How 1999 compares with every other Mercedes Benz 420
Click any bar to open that year's report.
What breaks on a 1999 Mercedes Benz 420
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Electrical System
2
20.0%
Other & Unspecified
1
10.0%
Wheels
1
10.0%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
1
10.0%
Fuel & Propulsion
1
10.0%
Body & Structure
1
10.0%
Brakes
1
10.0%
Steering
1
10.0%
Transmission & Drivetrain
1
10.0%
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.
Apr 1999
peak 5
Sep 2002
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Winnetka, IL
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
ON 10/24, 2001, WHILE DRIVING MERCEDES S-420 WITH 65 MILES PER HOUR ON PENNSYLAVANIA TURNPIKE, PASSANGER SIDE WHEEL WITH TIRE AND WHEEL CAP SEPARATED FROM THE CAR AND FLEW OUT TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF ONCOMING TURNPIKE. AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SUN MOTOR CARS, INC. AT 4444 CARLISLE PIKE, CAMP HILL, PA,(717 737-3030) IT WAS FOUND OUT THAT THE 4 BOLTS FIXATING THE WHEEL TO CAR WERE CUT AND SHEARED. AND ONE HOLE WAS RUSTY. THIS MIGHT SUGEST THAT MANUFATURER USED SUBSTANDARD BOLTS WHICH COULD NOT WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE. I HOPE NO OTHER PEOPLE HAD SAME EXPERIENCE LEADING TO THE INJURIES AND DEATH.
NHTSA complaint #754383 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Temple, OK
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
STRANGE ELECTRONIC WHIRRING SOUND WHEN STARTING VEHICLE ON 6/7. SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SUDDENLY MOVED AND THEN CLOSED HALFWAY. NO RESPONSE FROM INTERIOR CONSOLE CONTROL. STEERING WHEEL ALSO BEGAN TO MOVE UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN. REAR BRAKES CONTINUED TO SQUEAK AND GRAB. WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY LAST NOVEMBER.
NHTSA complaint #723734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Temple, OK
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STRANGE ELECTRONIC WHIRRING SOUND WHEN STARTING VEHICLE ON 6/7. SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SUDDENLY MOVED AND THEN CLOSED HALFWAY. NO RESPONSE FROM INTERIOR CONSOLE CONTROL. STEERING WHEEL ALSO BEGAN TO MOVE UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN. REAR BRAKES CONTINUED TO SQUEAK AND GRAB. WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY LAST NOVEMBER.
NHTSA complaint #723734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Temple, OK
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
STRANGE ELECTRONIC WHIRRING SOUND WHEN STARTING VEHICLE ON 6/7. SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SUDDENLY MOVED AND THEN CLOSED HALFWAY. NO RESPONSE FROM INTERIOR CONSOLE CONTROL. STEERING WHEEL ALSO BEGAN TO MOVE UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN. REAR BRAKES CONTINUED TO SQUEAK AND GRAB. WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY LAST NOVEMBER.
NHTSA complaint #723734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Temple, OK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
STRANGE ELECTRONIC WHIRRING SOUND WHEN STARTING VEHICLE ON 6/7. SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SUDDENLY MOVED AND THEN CLOSED HALFWAY. NO RESPONSE FROM INTERIOR CONSOLE CONTROL. STEERING WHEEL ALSO BEGAN TO MOVE UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN. REAR BRAKES CONTINUED TO SQUEAK AND GRAB. WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY LAST NOVEMBER.
NHTSA complaint #723734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Temple, OK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
STRANGE ELECTRONIC WHIRRING SOUND WHEN STARTING VEHICLE ON 6/7. SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SUDDENLY MOVED AND THEN CLOSED HALFWAY. NO RESPONSE FROM INTERIOR CONSOLE CONTROL. STEERING WHEEL ALSO BEGAN TO MOVE UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN. REAR BRAKES CONTINUED TO SQUEAK AND GRAB. WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY LAST NOVEMBER.
NHTSA complaint #723734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Verona, NJ
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CONTINUING IDLING AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. ON JANUARY 21, 2000, ONE MONTH AFTER SECOND REPAIR ATTEMPT, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER THEN VIOLENTLY JOLTED FORWARD CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. (NOTE: DRIVER'S FOOT DID NOT TOUCH ACCELERATOR). DRIVER THEN NOTICED "ENGINE" CHECK LIGHT SUDDENLY COME ON (SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THIS INDICATES A FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM). IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED DEALER BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. ON APRIL 26, "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON AND CAR BEGAN TO DRIVE TERRIBLY, E.G., POOR AND INCONSISTENT ACCELERATION.
NHTSA complaint #722039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Verona, NJ
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
CONTINUING IDLING AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. ON JANUARY 21, 2000, ONE MONTH AFTER SECOND REPAIR ATTEMPT, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER THEN VIOLENTLY JOLTED FORWARD CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. (NOTE: DRIVER'S FOOT DID NOT TOUCH ACCELERATOR). DRIVER THEN NOTICED "ENGINE" CHECK LIGHT SUDDENLY COME ON (SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THIS INDICATES A FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM). IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED DEALER BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. ON APRIL 26, "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON AND CAR BEGAN TO DRIVE TERRIBLY, E.G., POOR AND INCONSISTENT ACCELERATION.
NHTSA complaint #722039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Antonio, TX
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED 5 TIMES IN TWO WEEKS. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR OF THIS DEFECT, AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #705376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.