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Mercedes-BenzModel report

Mercedes-Benz E420 Problems by Model Year

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints across the 1 model years of the Mercedes-Benz E420 (1997–1997) that have at least 5 complaints. 1997 has the most, with 5. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (4 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.

All E420 model years

Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsTSBsScore (50 = typical)Trend
19975133,500014—Not enough data

Parts named most often, all years

Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.

Example complaints

One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

1997: “The mercedes benz e-420 electrical wiring was manufactured from biodegradable materials. After several years the insulation on the wiring harness began to deteriorate and fail. This lead to a cycle of increasingly severe electrical problems also lead to the safety on freeway where the other driver can not see my brake lights when I am braking due to this wiring issue.”

NHTSA complaint #10463407, filed 2012-06, 132,000 miles

Other Mercedes-Benz models

Mercedes-Benz C300
3,965 complaints
Mercedes-Benz E350
2,215 complaints
Mercedes-Benz E320
1,164 complaints
Mercedes-Benz ML350
952 complaints
Mercedes-Benz GLK350
901 complaints
Mercedes-Benz ML320
740 complaints
Mercedes-Benz C250
725 complaints
Mercedes-Benz GLC 300
659 complaints

All Mercedes-Benz models →

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology