1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E problems & reliability
19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 17 | 89% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The check engine light came on and before I could pull over there was smoke coming from under the hood. When I opened the hood the air cleaner assembly was melted through and some flame was still glowing in the driver side air filter. The upper engine wiring harness was charred along the driver side and the connector…”
Power Train · filed Jun 19, 2014
“1992 mercedes benz 400e. Consumer writes in regards to several recall notices rendered vehicle useless. *smd mercedes benz wrote to the consumer, stating there were no outstanding recall campaigns on the vehicle. The consumer referenced recall numbers, 92v083000 and 94v004000. *jb”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Mar 6, 2014
“1992 mercedes benz 400e. I am concerned about the safety of the wiring harness on this vehicle. Insulation on wires is cracking and peeling off exposing wires to other wires and the engine. I am concerned about this causing a fire. I am aware that this is common to this model because of the composition of the…”
Electrical System · filed Oct 31, 2008
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.