Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
30–25K
025–50K
350–75K
875–100K
11100–150K
8150K+
33 reports with mileage · 14 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Electrical System. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports4 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
47 reports
59,187 miles · Nov 24, 2007
Electrical System
1995 MERCEDES C280 SEDAN. MILEAGE 59,187. ENGINE WIRING HARNESS DEFECTIVE DUE TO POOR SUBSTANDARD OEM QUALITY HAS DETERIORATED INTERNALLY AND VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONS IN MANNER WHICH MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT OR FIRE. VEHICLE IS UNUSABLE. MERCEDES BENZ USA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS FAULT INVOLVING THIS VEHICLE MODEL AND RELATED VEHICLE MODELS. …
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1995 MERCEDES C280 SEDAN. MILEAGE 59,187. ENGINE WIRING HARNESS DEFECTIVE DUE TO POOR SUBSTANDARD OEM QUALITY HAS DETERIORATED INTERNALLY AND VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONS IN MANNER WHICH MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT OR FIRE. VEHICLE IS UNUSABLE. MERCEDES BENZ USA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS FAULT INVOLVING THIS VEHICLE MODEL AND RELATED VEHICLE MODELS. COST TO REPLACE IS OVER $1700. REPAIR DONE OUT OF POCKET TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS AND FIRE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10209811
96,404 miles · Nov 8, 2007
Electrical System
DEGRADING WIRE HARNESS CAUSES MY 95 MERCEDES C280 TO CUT OUT IN TRAFFIC CAUSING SEVERE SAFETY ISSUES {FUEL,BRAKES,FIRES, ACCIDENTS] I NOW OWN A PIECE OF WORTHLESS JUNK THAT MERCEDES WILL NOT ADMIT HAS THIS VERY COMMON VERY SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE 96,000 MILES ,ASR SYS FAIL ,COMPUTER MOD FAIL ,CHECK ENG CODES WILL COST 2000-3000 TO…
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DEGRADING WIRE HARNESS CAUSES MY 95 MERCEDES C280 TO CUT OUT IN TRAFFIC CAUSING SEVERE SAFETY ISSUES {FUEL,BRAKES,FIRES, ACCIDENTS] I NOW OWN A PIECE OF WORTHLESS JUNK THAT MERCEDES WILL NOT ADMIT HAS THIS VERY COMMON VERY SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE 96,000 MILES ,ASR SYS FAIL ,COMPUTER MOD FAIL ,CHECK ENG CODES WILL COST 2000-3000 TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT,,PLEASE TELL MERCEDES THANKS FOR APIECE OF JUNK. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10208228
104,000 miles · Nov 7, 2007
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT/BLOWN HEAD GASKET. BAD O2 SENSOR. EVENTUALLY TRACED TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. MAYBE THIS IS WHY THE MERCEDES 280C IS SINGLED OUT FOR SMOG ONLY CHECK IN CA. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10208159
126,000 miles · Oct 5, 2007
Electrical System
OUR VEHICLE FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALMOST KILLED MY FAMILY. THE CAUSE WAS AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. *JB UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TO BUY A NEW WIRING HARNESS AT THE COST OF $765.00. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
NHTSA ODI #10205097
135,000 miles · Sep 4, 2007
Electrical System
THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO MY 1995 MERCEDES C280, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CAR JUST SUDDENLY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE ON THE ROAD AND THREE OCCASIONS ON THE FREEWAY. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND FOUND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BAD AND THERE WAS A SHORTAGE FROM TIME TO TIME CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SUDDENLY STOP. WE CAN'T USE TH…
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THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO MY 1995 MERCEDES C280, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CAR JUST SUDDENLY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE ON THE ROAD AND THREE OCCASIONS ON THE FREEWAY. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND FOUND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BAD AND THERE WAS A SHORTAGE FROM TIME TO TIME CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SUDDENLY STOP. WE CAN'T USE THE CAR FOR NOW BECAUSE ITS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10201834
92,000 miles · Aug 16, 2007
Electrical System
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS DETERIORATING TO THE POINT OF EXPOSED WIRE AT 90,000 MILES. ENGINE FAILURE CAUSES STANDING IN DESOLATE AREA OF MONTANA. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10199862
73 miles · Aug 14, 2007
Electrical System
I HAVE A 1995 C280 MERCEDES BENZ AND I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE BEEN READING IN THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MID 90'S MERCEDES BENZ. THE FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTEGRATED CAUSING EXPOSE WIRING AND MY CAR IS MIS-FIRING AND SHAKING IS UNCONTROLLABLE. I'M APPALLED TO SEE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME …
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I HAVE A 1995 C280 MERCEDES BENZ AND I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE BEEN READING IN THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MID 90'S MERCEDES BENZ. THE FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTEGRATED CAUSING EXPOSE WIRING AND MY CAR IS MIS-FIRING AND SHAKING IS UNCONTROLLABLE. I'M APPALLED TO SEE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING, AND MERCEDES FAIL TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURE SHOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF RECALL IN EFFECT BECAUSE THIS IS A EXPENSIVE CAR PARTS TO REPLACE AND IT HAS TO BE REPLACE BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE ANACCIDENT OR FIRE. SOMEONE SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER, ITS DESPICABLE. I THOUGHT THIS CAR COMPANY HAD SOME INTEGRITY BUT ITS VERY APPARENT ID DOESN'T. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10199600
156,000 miles · Aug 8, 2007
Electrical SystemFireInjury
WIRE HARNESS UNDER HOOD,FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT IT OUT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10198844
145,000 miles · Apr 11, 2007
Electrical SystemFire
THE WIRING HARNESS WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS BACKING THE CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. I CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE HARNESS,THEY SEEMED TO THINK IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE WIRING TO CATCH ON FIRE. IF ANYONE THERE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THIS CAR IT IS IN MY DRIVEWAY. I DON'T THINK AM GOING T…
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THE WIRING HARNESS WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS BACKING THE CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. I CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE HARNESS,THEY SEEMED TO THINK IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE WIRING TO CATCH ON FIRE. IF ANYONE THERE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THIS CAR IT IS IN MY DRIVEWAY. I DON'T THINK AM GOING TO SPEND $2,000 TO FIX IT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10187544
152,000 miles · Feb 16, 2007
Electrical System
MY 1995 C280 MERCEDES QUIT RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD MY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR CAR. THIS CAR WAS ALWAYS SERVICED AT A MERCEDES DEALER SHIP. WHY COULD THIS HAVE NOT BEEN POINTED OUT BEFORE I…
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MY 1995 C280 MERCEDES QUIT RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD MY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR CAR. THIS CAR WAS ALWAYS SERVICED AT A MERCEDES DEALER SHIP. WHY COULD THIS HAVE NOT BEEN POINTED OUT BEFORE I GOT STRANDED? I AM ALSO TOLD THIS IS A VERY EXTREME FIRE HAZARD. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10182767
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
1995 Mercedes Benz 280 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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