1993 Mercedes Benz 400E: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
18 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
144,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1993 model year. Data snapshot: . 15 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 18 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 88.9% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 22.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 5.6% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 5.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 5.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 6 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 6 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 2 |
| Engine | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Electrical System: 6; Electrical System:Wiring: 6; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 2; Engine: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 7
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
2003: 1; 2005: 3; 2006: 6; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10010497 · 2003-03-15 (March 15, 2003)
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 INTERMITTE…
Owner-reported narrative. 116,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010497 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134065 · 2005-09-29 (September 29, 2005)
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. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 93,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134065 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10136148 · 2005-09-11 (September 11, 2005)
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. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10136148 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10140856 · 2005-10-26 (October 26, 2005)
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. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10140856 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10157440 · 2006-05-12 (May 12, 2006)
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 SHOUL…
Owner-reported narrative. 144,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157440 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10163905 · 2006-07-30 (July 30, 2006)
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 FU…
Owner-reported narrative. 95,630 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163905 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10163906 · 2006-07-30 (July 30, 2006)
MISC INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. PROBLEMS TRACED TO DISINTEGRATING WIRING HARNESS. WIRE INSULATION IS LITERALLY CRUMBLING AWAY LEAVING BARE WIRES. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 97,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163906 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10172386 · 2006-11-01 (November 1, 2006)
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. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172386 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
94V004000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System
Reported: 1994-01-06 (January 6, 1994)
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 THROUGH THE INLET VENT LINE OF THE CANISTER ONTO THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY RADIATOR FAN PRERESISTOR.
Consequence: UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY RADIATOR FAN PRERESISTOR BECOMES HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE FUEL EXPELLED FROM THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER AND RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPOSITION THE FUEL VAPOR CANISTER VENT LINE AWAY FROM THE ELECTRIC FAN PRERESISTOR. IN ADDITION, THE PRERESISTOR WILL HAVE A LARGER HEAT SHIELD AND A FUSED WIRING HARNESS WILL BE INSTALLED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗