1999 Mercedes Benz 400 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 100.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 1 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 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. 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
2000: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. 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.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 719069 · 2000-02-21 (February 21, 2000)
SINCE JANUARY 25,1999, MY ML430 HAS BEEN IN THE SERVICE DEPT. A TOTAL OF 18 DAYS. ON TWO OF THOSE OCCASIONS, MY VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 35MPH. AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS, DEALER FINALLY FOUND DEFECT AND REPLACED PARTS OF TRANSMISSION. NOW IN FEBRUARY 2000, MY TRANSMISSION IS HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. THIS TIME A MODULE HAS TO BE REPLACED. I HOPE THESE DEFECTS WILL END SOON. I FEEL THAT I HAVE PURCHASED A LEMON. THANK YOU . RACHEL HARRIS ([email removed]). *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 719069 at NHTSA ↗
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1992 | 1993 | 1995 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System:Wiring | 337.5%ODI 10164376 · 142,000 mi1992 MERCEDES 400E WITH ABOUT 140,000 MI. HAS A DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS WHICH HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL HUNDRED COMPLAINTS ALREADY POSTED AND MANY ENGINE FIRES. THE WIRES IN THE HARNESS HAVE NO PROTECTION AGAINST HEAT AND LAY RIGHT ABOVE THE ENGINE. THE HARNESS CONTAINS SEVERAL WIRES, ALL OF WHICH SHOW DIRECT METAL TO METAL CONTACT THAT COULD EASILY CAUSE A FIRE. AFTER CALLING ED AT THE MERCEDES DIRECT HELP LINE, HE DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OR RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS OBVIOUS ENGINEERING DEFECT. ALL OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THIS WIRING HARNESS SHO… | 330.0%ODI 10032138 · 128,000 miTHE DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE SPARK PLUGS CAUSES A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. IN ORDER TO REPLACE OR INSPECT THE PLUGS WIRE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE UNBOLTED AND PUSHED BACKWARDS, WIRE HARNESS SHOULDN'T BE MOVED. WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT, CAUSING A SHORT OUT OF ALL COMPONENTS IN THAT CIRCUIT.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System | 112.5%ODI 10233466 · 172,103 miMY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD IS ROTTING AWAY. I HAVE A/C PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRES AND HAVE HAD LOSS OF POWER AT THE MOST INCONVENIENT TIMES. I'M STARTING TO HAVE DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS DUE TO THIS WIRING HARNESS AND AM VERY NERVOUS OF A POSSIBLE FIRE AS MY GRANDDAUGHTER IS USUALLY IN THE CAR. IF THIS IS A PROBLEM OTHER MERCEDES OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING, I FEEL IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY MERCEDES. *TR | 220.0%ODI 10257513 · 75,000 miI HAVE A 1993 400 SEL MERCEDES BENZ THAT HAS HAD PROBLEMS FOR YEARS AND NOW TURNS OUT TO BE A DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY RECENTLY WHICH ALMOST GOT ME KILLED WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 110.0%ODI 812558THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER MILDLY REARENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 725916VEHICLE SHUTS ITSELF OFF WHILE IN MOTION. PROBLEM PERSISTS AT RANDOM TIMES AND SITUATIONS. INCIDENTS HAPPENED TRAVELING AT 60MPH AFTER 30MIN OF TRAVEL, AT 5MPH AFTER 1 HOUR OF TRAVEL, AND AT 5MPH IN REVERSE SECONDS AFTER TURNING VEHICLE ON. INCIDENTS HAPPENED THE DAY AFTER DEALER DELIVERED NEW VEHICLE. BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN INFORMED. DEALER TOWED TRUCK TODAY TO INSPECT. *AK | 150.0% |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 112.5%ODI 10152570 · 198,456 miREMOVED AND REPLACED ENGINE HARNESS WIRING,(1992 MERCEDES BENZ 400SE)BASE CONTROL MODULE, CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. *NM | 110.0%ODI 10187255 · 150,000 mi1993 400 SEL WIRING HARNESS # [phone removed] ROTTED AWAY. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 112.5% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 719069SINCE JANUARY 25,1999, MY ML430 HAS BEEN IN THE SERVICE DEPT. A TOTAL OF 18 DAYS. ON TWO OF THOSE OCCASIONS, MY VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 35MPH. AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS, DEALER FINALLY FOUND DEFECT AND REPLACED PARTS OF TRANSMISSION. NOW IN FEBRUARY 2000, MY TRANSMISSION IS HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. THIS TIME A MODULE HAS TO BE REPLACED. I HOPE THESE DEFECTS WILL END SOON. I FEEL THAT I HAVE PURCHASED A LEMON. THANK YOU . RACHEL HARRIS ([email removed]). *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 110.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 753422WHILE ENGAGING TO A COMPLETE STOP, BRAKE ENGAGED- AT THE RATE OF 5 MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD BECOMING AIRBORNE THROUGH A STORE WINDOW, LANDING HALFWAY INTO THE STORE AND THE REAR OF THE CAR HANGING IN THE AIR OUTSIDE OF THE STORE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FOREWARNING, SUCH AS A JOLT OR A FEELING OF ACCELERATIONS TO THE OCCUPANTS.*AK |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 8006094WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH AND WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, CAUSING INJURY TO CONSUMER'S FACE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 112.5%ODI 751341THE DRIVER DOZED OFF, WOKE UP WHEN WENT OFF THE ROAD, OVERCORRECTED AND WENT INTO A SKID, HEADING INTO THE DITCH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE PASSENGERSIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAD TO BE CUT OFF TO REMOVE THE DRIVER. STATE FARM INS. CO. TOTALED THE VEHICLE.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2000: 2 complaints · 2001: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2001 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Power Train:Automatic Transmission |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.