1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E Problems
- Complaints
- 19filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 144,000miles, 15 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 18 mpgcombined, 4.2L 8-cyl RWD · 16 city / 22 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E. The part named most often is electrical system, with 14 complaints (74% of the total), followed by engine (2) and engine cooling (2). 15 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 144,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 3 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system14 74%
- Engine2 11%
- Engine cooling2 11%
- Fuel system1 5.3%
- Other or unknown1 5.3%
Example complaints
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, filed 2010-02, 100,000 milesEngine: “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. …”
NHTSA complaint #10692130, filed 2015-03, 180,000 milesEngine cooling: “- 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, filed 2006-12, 160,000 milesVehicle 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, filed 2006-12, 160,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
0% of the 15 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 100,000 and 163,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400E RWD | 4.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 16 | 22 | 18 | $4,550 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 94V004000Jan 6, 1994Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust systemCovers: Mercedes-Benz 400E 1992–1993
High ambient engine compartment temperatures are experienced after the vehicle is operated and then parked. If the vehicle is restarted a short time later and the charcoal canister is saturated with fuel, it is possible that fuel vapor may be expelled…
Recall details for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 3 on record; the latest 3 are shown.
- 10057241Nov 17, 2014Electrical system. Mercedes my-all models 164.195 212.095, 221-195 222-163, 245.286 . Vehicles must be examined immediately after an accident to avoid damage to hv battery.
- 10056014May 27, 2014Electrical system. Parktronic system triggers without obvious cause.
- 10055961Apr 25, 2014Transmission and drivetrain. Integrated transmission control must be replaced if fault codes are replaced.
Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz 400E
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 19 | 144,000 | 1 | — | 18 | — | Stable |
| 1992 | 19 | 125,000 | 2 | — | 16 | — | Stable |
All Mercedes-Benz 400E model years
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E have?
NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E as of Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E is reported most often?
Electrical system is named most often, in 14 complaints (74% of the total), followed by engine with 2.
Has the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E get?
The EPA rates the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E (400E, 4.2L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 16 city and 22 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E reported?
Among the 15 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 144,000 miles and the middle half falls between 100,000 and 163,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.