1993 Mercedes Benz 600: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
83,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1993 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.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 6 complaints (66.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 83.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 16.7% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 16.7% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 16.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 16.7% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Power Train | 2 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 |
Electrical System: 4; Power Train: 2; Electrical System:Wiring: 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 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
2002: 1; 2006: 1; 2008: 1; 2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2012: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Engine operation 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 10152808 · 2006-03-15 (March 15, 2006)
1993 MERCEDES BENZ 600 SL - ENGINE MAIN WIRING HARNESS HAS DISINTEGRATED. THIS CAR HAS UNDER 80,000 MILES ON IT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 79,452 miles reported. Look up ODI 10152808 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10232347 · 2008-06-26 (June 26, 2008)
VEHICLE IS A 1993 MERCEDES BENZ 600SEL. THE ASR (ACCELERATION SLIP CONTROL) WARNING LIGHT APPEARS AFTER THE ENGINE HAS STARTED (USUALLY LESS THAN 10 MINUTES). THE ENGINE SUFFERS LOSS OF POWER AND VEHICLE BECOMES UNDRIVABLE. MERCEDES MECHANIC STATES THE ENGINE HARNESS BODY MOUNTED (PART NO 1405404805) NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE WIRING IN THE HARNESS HAS APPARENTLY DEGRATED TO THE POINT WHERE SHORTING IS OCCURRING IN THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT(S).MERCEDES WANTS $3600 FOR THE PART ANT $650 FOR LABOR. THIS IS A PART THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE REPLACED…
Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232347 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10342052 · 2010-07-08 (July 8, 2010)
MERCEDES BENZ DEALER SAYS THAT MY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO INSULATION CRACKING ON THE WIRES. THEY STATE THAT ENGINE DAMAGE AND FIRE COULD RESULT FROM THIS DEFECT. IN ADDITION A WARNING LIGHT IS ON WHICH OF COURSE RENDERS THE CAR UNSALEABLE. THEY FURTHER STATE THAT THIS IS SYMPTOMMATIC IN ALL THE AGE CARS FROM MB. I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT MAY CATCH FIRE AND CANNOT BE SOLD! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10342052 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10398393 · 2011-05-01 (May 1, 2011)
I OWN A WHITE 1992 600SEL WITH 85,000 ORIGINAL MILES. THE CAR'S INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. HOWEVER, THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTEGRATING CAUSING ALL KIND OF ERRATIC ENGINE AND DRIVE-ABILITY BEHAVIOR. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT ALL. IT IS LOOSING POWER, POWER STEERING IS GETTING STIFFER, AND SMELLS LIKE SULFUR ALL THE TIME. THE LAST TWO DAYS THE CAR IS RUNNING VERY SLUGGISH AND MAKES MERGING INTO TRAFFIC OR JOINING TRAFFIC ON FREEWAYS DANGEROUS AS THE CAR CAN'T GAIN SPEED FAST ENOUGH DUE TO THE HESITATION CAUSED…
Owner-reported narrative. 83,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10398393 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10482633 · 2012-10-30 (October 30, 2012)
I WAS DRIVING MY 1993 MERCEDES TO A GAS STATION IN MY TOWN BEFORE A PLANNED TRIP OF SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES OF OPEN HIGHWAY. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. I SLOWED DOWN AND TURNED ONTO A SIDE STREET. SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE TRANSMISSION HUMP SO I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND RAN TO FIND A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WHILE CALLING 911. POLICE ARRIVED AND KEPT ME AWAY FROM THE CAR, WHICH BURST INTO FLAMES. AFTER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HOSED IT ALL DOWN THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND I WAS VERY SHA…
Owner-reported narrative. 122,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10482633 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 9005925 · 2002-01-17 (January 17, 2002)
POWER TRAIN PROBLEMS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 9005925 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 ↗