1990 Mercedes Benz 420: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1990 model year. Data snapshot: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Equipment is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 3 complaints (66.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Equipment | 2 |
| Child Seat:Tether: Connector/Clip | 1 |
Equipment: 2; Child Seat:Tether: Connector/Clip: 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 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 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 |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 3 |
2005: 3
Pattern summary
Equipment leads the component reports. 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 10140476 · 2005-10-21 (October 21, 2005)
THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR MY 1990 420 SEL, ON PAGE 46, STATES:"THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH TETHER ANCHORAGES FOR USE WITH CHILD RESTRAINTS THAT HAVE A TOP TETHER STRAP. CONSULT YOUR AUTHORIZED MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER FOR THE EXACT LOCATION OF THESE ANCHORAGES." AFTER REPEATED PHONE CALLS, EMAILS AND FAXES AND A VISIT TO THE DEALER, NEITHER THE EUGENE DEALER, MERCEDES BENZ OF EUGENE, OR THE MERCEDES-BENZ OF USA, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL/SHOW ME THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE ANCHORAGES. ALSO, THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT MERCEDES BENZ OF EUGENE AND TH…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10140476 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10141356 · 2005-10-31 (October 31, 2005)
ON OCT. 20, 2005, I ASKED MERCEDES BENZ OF USA AND MERCEDES BENZ OF EUGENE(OR), TO SHOW/TELL ME SPECIFICALLY WHERE THE TETHER ANCHORS ARE IN MY 1990 420 SEL MERCEDES. ALSO,ON OCT. 21, 2005, I FILED A SIMILAR COMPLAINT, BY EMAIL, AT THIS SITE OF NHTSA. TO DATE, I HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM MBNA OF USA. ALSO, MB OF EUGENE HAS NOT, APPARENTLY, BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET OR ATTACH THE ANCHORS THAT ARE TO HAVE BEEN ALREADY INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE, ACCORDING TO THE "OWNER'S MANUAL". MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE ANCHORS WERE/ARE REQUIRED…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10141356 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10142298 · 2005-11-09 (November 9, 2005)
NO TETHER ANCHORAGES ARE PRESENT ON THIS VEHICLE AND NO TETHER ANCHORAGES HAVE EVER BEEN PRESENT ON THIS VEHICLE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND MBNA SERVICE BULLETINS STATE THAT THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH TETHER ANCHORAGES FOR USE WITH CHILD RESTRAINTS THAT HAVE A TOP TETHER STRAP. TETHER ANCHORAGES ARE NEEDED TO PROPERLY ATTACH MY FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT. MERCEDES-BENZ-USA AND MERCEDES-BENZ OF EUGENE, OR STATE THAT THIS VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH THE TETHER ANCHORAGES. WERE/ARE TETHER ANCHORAGES REQUIRED TO BE ATTACHED TO …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10142298 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.
90V033000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
Reported: 1990-01-26 (January 26, 1990)
BOLTS USED FOR THE BRAKE STRUT SUPPORT DO NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS AND MAY BREAK.
Consequence: THE FAILURE OF THE BOLTS MAY RESULT IN A DETERIORATION OF VEHICLE STEERING AND BRAKING WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE HEX NUT BOLTS WITH BOLTS THAT MEET SPECIFICATIONS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗