Model year record
The 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500 has 1 safety recall and 15 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (13 complaints).
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemWiring › Front underhood; Ignition | 13 | 99,500 mi |
| Engine and engine coolingEngine › Gasoline; Engine | 2 | — |
| EquipmentAppliance › Air conditioner; Electrical › Radio/tape deck/cd etc. | 2 | — |
| Seats | 2 | — |
| VisibilityWindshield | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
MAIN ENGINE/FUEL INJECTION ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS, HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND IS DISINTEGRATING CAUSING WIRES TO RUB TOGETHER AND BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS TO INCLUDE FIRE INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I'VE DISCOVERED FROM DLR HARDNESS INSULATION IS MADE OF BIODEGRADABLE MATERIAL RESULTING IN EARLY DETERIORATION. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE IS STARTING TO EXHIBIT STALLING ISSUES, ROUGH RUNNING, AND INCORRECT FAULT CODES ARE PRODUCED ON THE CAR COMPUTER. *TR
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IS DISENTIGRATING. *TR
ENGINE CUTTING OUT . ALL WIRES IN THE ENGINE HARNESS AND ELECTRIC CABLE CRACKED AND EXPOSED. *TR
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS PN 124-543-95-26; WIRING INSULATION COMPLETELY ERODES OVER TIME WITH NORMAL USE, RESULTING IN NUMEROUS SHORT CIRCUITS. *TR
WIRE INSULATION ON MY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAS DISINTEGRATED EXPOSING THE INTERNAL WIRING COMPLETELY, ESPECIALLY IN BENT AREAS. THIS IS A RESULT OF NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. AS THIS HAPPENS THE ENGINE RUNS WORSE, PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED INCLUDE SURGING IN IDLE, STUMBLING OF ENGINE UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION AND STALLING OR RUNNING ENGINE. THE ONLY COURSE OF ACTION IS TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS WITH A "NEWLY" PURCHASED HARNESS FROM MERCEDES BENZ. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THAT IDEA IS I WILL BE PURCHASING A WIRING HARNESS MANUFACTURED DURING ROUGHLY THE SAME TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN PRODUCTION THAT USES THE SAME DEFECTIVE, ADVANCED DEGRADING WIRING. *JB
THE ENGINE / FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS, AND STARTER/ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500E (61,000 MILES), HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT AND IS BEGINNING TO SHORT OUT WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND EVEN FIRE INSIDE MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE READ MANY REPORTS OF OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ CARS OF THE SAME AGE RANGE HAVING THE EXACT SAME DEFECT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES THAT THEY REFUSE TO RECALL. **NM
UPPER ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IN MY 1992 MERCEDES BENZ 500E (81,000 MILES) HAS COMPLETELY DETERIORATED. THE INSULATION HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND CRACKED AND FLAKED OF THE HARNESS CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORTS WITHIN THE IGNITION SYSTEM CAUSING FAILURE TO START OR RUN CONDITIONS. THROUGH RESEARCH ON THE WEB I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS IS A COMMON SITUATION WITH THE W124 CHASSIS CARS. SINCE IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM I FEEL THAT MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA IS OBLIGATED TO INITIATE A RECALL OR VOLUNTARILY REPLACE THIS KNOWN FAULTY ITEM. *JB
THE ENGINE / FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500 SEL WAS REPLACED ONCE AND NOW HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT, I MIGHT ADD, THIS NEW HARNESS IS "SUPPOSED" TO BE THE NEW AND IMPROVED UPGRADED VERSION. IT DOES HAVE A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER THAN THE ORIGINAL. THE WIRES ARE ALL EXPOSED BECAUSE OF THE CRACKED INSULATION. PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT A RARE WIRE, ALL OF THEM ARE CRACKED AND DAMAGED AND EXPOSED!!! BECAUSE OF THE OUTSIDE RUBBER CASING WHICH HOLDS ALL OF THE WIRES, I WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM UNTIL IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOOO LATE. LUCKILY, MY MECHANIC, ED AT EDS MBZ IN GLENDALE CALIFORNIA, (818) 247-2369 WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE ENOUGH TO IMMEDIATELY CUT THE…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.