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 to the cam actuator had disintegrated. After getting the car towed home I followed the harness back to the amp connector and all of the insulation on the wires had completely degraded to a powder. I also checked the wires on the maf sensor and the throttle body and found the same condition. This is a manufacturing issue: substandard wiring insulation on all wiring in the engine compartment.
The worst 1992 Mercedes Benz 400E problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical17
- Acceleration1
- Brakes1
- Engine1
- Transmission1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical17
- Acceleration1
- Brakes1
- Engine1
- Transmission1
Recalls 2
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system
- What is wrong
- High ambient engine compartment temperatures are experienced after the vehicle is operated and then parked. If the vehicle is restarted a short time later and the charcoal canister is saturated with fuel, it is possible that fuel vapor may be expelled through the inlet vent line of the canister onto the electric auxiliary radiator fan preresistor.
- Risk
- Under certain operating conditions the electric auxiliary radiator fan preresistor becomes hot enough to ignite the fuel expelled from the charcoal cannister and result in an underhood fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reposition the fuel vapor canister vent line away from the electric fan preresistor. In addition, the preresistor will have a larger heat shield and a fused wiring harness will be installed.
Recall number 94V004000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- The plastic brake hydraulic hose from the automatic slip control unit was misrouted too close to the pre-resistor for the electric auxiliary engine cooling fan which becomes hot under certain conditions. This could cause the hose to melt and leak brake fluid onto the hot pre-resistor.
- Risk
- Brake fluid can catch on fire when it contacts the hotpre-resistor, posing the risk of injury to anyone in or near the vehicle.
- Remedy
- Replace and reroute any hose that may have been misrouted.
Recall number 92V083000 · Recall details
What 1992 Mercedes Benz 400E owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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.
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 insulation material. I do not want injury to myself or others while driving this automobile.
Mb wiring harness failure 1992 400se.
The engine / fuel injection wiring harness of my 1992 mercedes-benz 400e (145,000 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 a mercedes benz 400e and the wiring harness eventually withered and deteriorated due to faulty manufacturing.
1992 mercedes-benz 400e wiring harness multiple failures. Replaced engine wiring harness shortly after I purchased this car (used) in 2005 due to deterioration of insulation from the wires. I was told at the time that this is a common problem with this era of mb due to some planned obsolescence or targeted self-destruction by the manufacturer. Today I am told that I need to replace the wiring harness leading to the starter motor for the exact same reason. These are expensive parts, only available from the manufacturer and require extensive labor to replace. This is absolutely a manufacturer's defect and should be resolved by a company that clearly advertises a "long-life" product.
The wiring harness on my 1992 400e has disintegrated, as I've read to be common of the mercedes of the early 1990's. My car shudders dramatically when idling, and alternates between periods of slow/no acceleration to unexpected lurching forward.
1992 mercedes e 400 main engine wiring harness failure. Harness fried due to poor wiring insulation. I own two mercedes and both are for sale. Will never buy a car from mercedes ever again. Too much money and too mant problems.
Automobile repair shop showed me the problem with the wiring harness. The wiring harness wires were fried and became brittle.
Compare the 1992 Mercedes Benz 400E
Other model years
19921993
Questions about the 1992 Mercedes Benz 400E
Is the 1992 Mercedes Benz 400E reliable?
Owners have filed 19 complaints about the 1992 Mercedes Benz 400E, close to a typical 400E model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1992 Mercedes Benz 400E?
Electrical system, with 17 complaints, typically around 125,000 miles. Next is acceleration (1).
How many recalls does the 1992 Mercedes Benz 400E have?
2 recalls, covering engine and engine cooling and service brakes, hydraulic.
What year does the Mercedes Benz 400E have the most electrical problems?
The Mercedes Benz 400E model years with the most electrical complaints are 1992 (17 complaints) and 1993 (14 complaints).
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