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U.S. public vehicle records

1994 Mercedes Benz 500: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

6 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

140,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1994 model year. Data snapshot: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 6 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Electrical and battery issues583.3%
Engine operation233.3%
Braking behavior116.7%

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.

Electrical System
3
Electrical System:Wiring
3
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
1
Unknown Or Other
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Electrical System3
Electrical System:Wiring3
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood1
Unknown Or Other1

Electrical System: 3; Electrical System:Wiring: 3; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
1
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
2
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9991
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9992
150,000 and above2

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 2

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 1 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.

2003
1
2004
1
2005
1
2007
2
2008
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20031
20041
20051
20072
20081

2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2005: 1; 2007: 2; 2008: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior 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 10048557 · 2003-11-19 (November 19, 2003)

COMPLAINT REGARDING INTERNATIONAL FRAUD AND HARASSMENT PRACTICES INVOLVING MERCEDES BENZ.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAD JUST OVER 31,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, WHEN IT STARTED TO ODOMETER AND ELECTRICAL COMPUTER SWITCH PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD MY A MERCEDES BENZ MECHANIC THAT THE ODOMETER PROBLEM COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED AND THE ELECTRICAL COMPUTER SWITCH WAS DESIGNED SO POORLY THAT THE MANUFACTURER STOPPED MAKING THEM AFTER ONLY TWO YEARS. *JB *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10048557 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10050025 · 2004-01-13 (January 13, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ASR SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH DEALER WOULDN'T HELP. *PH

Owner-reported narrative. 163,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050025 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10138922 · 2005-10-06 (October 6, 2005)

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI CASE NUMBER: 10137365 COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD DETAILS: INSULATION ON ELECTRICAL WIRING CRUMBLES TO DUST, RESULTING IN SHORTS, DAMAGED ELECTRONICS, ENGINE STALLING, ABS FAILURE, ETC. IT APPEARS MBZ USED DEFECTIVE INSULATION ON THE ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING HARNESSES. IN ALL LOCATIONS THAT ARE EXPOSED TO HIGHER THAN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE THE INSULATION CRUMBLES TO DUST. . DEALER SAYS 'ITS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 92-95 MODEL YEARS'. REPLACEMENT HARNESSES COST OVER …

Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10138922 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10188610 · 2007-04-23 (April 23, 2007)

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10188610 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10206785 · 2007-10-24 (October 24, 2007)

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS COVERING MATERIAL ON BOTH MY 1994 MB E500'S HAS DETERIORATED CAUSING SHORTS BETWEEN WIRES, ENGINE MISS-FIRING, HABITUAL "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT BEING ON, ETC. HAVE DISCUSSED ISSUE WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE MB MECHANICS AND THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON 1991 --> 1996 MB'S. OBVIOUSLY THE WIRE COVERING MATERIAL IS DEFECTIVE AS THIS HARNESS SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR. MB AT THE VERY LEAST SHOULD PROVIDE REPLACEMENT HARNESSES AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMERS THAT PURCHASES THEIR AUTOMOBILES. FOR MB TO RESPOND THAT THIS CONDITION IS NORM…

Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206785 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10230080 · 2008-06-05 (June 5, 2008)

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHILE MY CAR (1994 MERCEDES S500)STARTED TO SMOKE A GREAT DEAL. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF I WAS STRANDED FOR 6 HOURS UNTIL I COULD GET A TOW TRUCK. AFTER SPENDING $2000.00 DOLLARS TO GET FIXED IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE PROBLEM THAT CAUSED ALL OF THIS TO HAPPEN WAS AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND I WOULD NEED ANOTHER. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FROM SHOP BUT CAR CUT OFF IN TRAFFIC. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT HOME. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND LOOK AT THIS: HTTP://USERS.ADELPHIA.NET/~INFOAGE1/COMPLAINTS_NHTSA_MERCE…

Owner-reported narrative. 186,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230080 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.

96V175000 · Visibility

Reported: 1996-09-19 (September 19, 1996)

IF ONE OF THE HEADLAMP WIPER ARMS BECOMES MISALIGNED, THE WIPER BALDE CAN LODGE IN THE GROOVE UNDER THE HEADLAMP. IF THE WASHERS ARE ACTIVATED WITH THE WIPER BLADE IN THE MISALIGNED AND LODGED POSITION, THE WASHER PUMP WILL RUN CONTINUOUSLY EXPELLING ALL AVAILABLE FLUID.

Consequence: PUMP OPERATION IN THE ABSENCE OF FLUID CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP WASHER PUMP ON THESE VEHICLES.

NHTSA campaign record ↗