Mercedes-Benz S420Model year report

1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 Problems

Complaints: 5filed with NHTSA
Median mileage: 98,356miles, 5 complaints with mileage
Recalls: 0campaigns on record
Trend: Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating: —overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy: 16 mpgcombined, 4.2L 8-cyl RWD · 14 city / 19 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420. The part named most often is electrical system, with 4 complaints (80% of the total), followed by electronic stability control (1) and engine (1). 5 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 98,356 miles. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 6 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.

Example complaints

Electrical system: “Throttle body wire harness went bad and was on interstate and could not do speed limit and nearly got demolished by a semi tractor trailer. After a horrible expense I now find out the wiring harness for the car is bad as well. Well done mercedes benz you have endangered my family's lives with your sub standard business practice. You should be forced to recall and repair all safety issues.”

NHTSA complaint #10902985, filed 2016-09, 98,356 miles

Engine: “Electrical wiring harness using soy based insulation degrades thereby allowing wires to spontaneous and/ or intermittent shorts. This has caused extremely dangerous driving situations. Very difficult to troubleshoot unless and until one discovers insulation failure. This has been and is widely known to be a problem with this era of cars. Extremely bad engineering decisions were made. Very serious and potentially dangerous conditions. Mercedes should be held accountable for malfeasant and a recall should have been made. …”

NHTSA complaint #10948416, filed 2017-01, 210,000 miles

Equipment: “A/c quit working. Took to the mercedes dealer. Was notified of vapor core failure and told it is most common on any mileage of this model. Cost $3500.00 if it is most common it should have been a recall on it. Company knew about the problem but did nothing to correct it.”

NHTSA complaint #10644049, filed 2014-09, 53,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 5 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 88,000 and 170,000 miles.

Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (5 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 98,356 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 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
S420 RWD	4.2L 8-cyl	4-speed automatic	14	19	16	$5,150

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

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by 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. 6 on record; the latest 6 are shown.

10202531Jun 16, 2021Interior lighting. Touch pad: Search lighting does not dim or does not turn on.
10186141Dec 10, 2020Electrical system. NTG5.5: Incorrect time shown on instrument cluster, COMAND display, and analog clock
10135604Mar 31, 2015Equipment, Electrical system. Vehicle cannot be opened via Keyless-Go and radio remote control
10135628Oct 14, 2014Equipment. iPhone mobile phone: Various complaints after software update to iOS8
10136029Jun 20, 2014Equipment. SENTEX gate operator with Clik Card Remote not compatible with Homelink
10166976Feb 3, 2014Equipment. Message in instrument cluster "DISTRONIC PLUSCurrently Unavailable - See Owner's Manual"

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz S420

Year	Complaints	Median mi	Recalls	Crash ★	MPG	Score (50 = typical)	Trend
1995	5	98,356	0	—	16	—	Not enough data

All Mercedes-Benz S420 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 have?

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 4 complaints (80% of the total), followed by electronic stability control with 1.

Has the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 get?

The EPA rates the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 (S420, 4.2L 8-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 19 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S420 reported?

Among the 5 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 98,356 miles and the middle half falls between 88,000 and 170,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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.