1993 Mercedes Benz 300 Series

THE INSULATION AROUND THE SPARK PLUG WIRES INSIDE OF THE IGNITION HARNESS HAS DETERIORATED CAUSING SHORT CIRCUITS AND MISFIRING. THIS OCCURRED IN A MODEL 1993, 300E WITH 160,000 MILES. THIS IS PREMATURE FOR A VEHICLE BOASTING LONGEVITY AND RELIABILITY. REPORTING OF THIS SAME PROBLEM IS SO WIDESPREAD SUGGESTING POOR DESIGN CHOICE IN PLACEMENT OF THE HARNESS AND/OR INFERIOR INSULATING MATERIAL. THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT HARNESS HAS JUMPED FROM AROUND $400 IN 2004 TO OVER $900 TODAY ( FEB 2007). IS THIS GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE OR EXPLOITATION OF CUSTOMER TRUST? *JB

THE WIRING HARNESS IN MY VEHICLE, LIKE MANY OTHERS OF THE SAME MAKE/MODEL/VINTAGE, IS BEGINNING TO CAUSE ENGINE ISSUES. THE CAR STALLS AND MISSES WHEN IDLING AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. IT WOULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS FOR THE VEHICLE TO STALL ON THE HIGHWAY ETC. MERCEDES IS WELL AWARE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, AND IT IS A MATTER OF WHEN THE PART WILL FAIL AND NOT IF. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT CAUSES THE ISSUE. MERCEDES DESIGNED THE HARNESS TO DEGRADE OVER TIME, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE DEGRADATION IS HAPPENING AT A FASTER RATE THAN EXPECTED, LEAVING THE CONSUMER AT RISK OF INJURY. THIS IS A DAILY DRIVER VEHICLE AND SAFETY IS A HUGE CONCERN. THE PART IS EXOBIDANTLY EXPENSIVE AND NOT READILY AVAILABLE, SO I AM STUCK DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT IS POSSIBLY UNSAFE UNTIL THE PART IS MADE AVAILABLE TO ME.

UNEXPLAINED ELECTRICAL-RELATED PROBLEMS THAT AFFECT THE CAR'S ABILITY TO OPERATE NORMALLY AND SAFELY. SEVERAL INSTANCES OF CAR GOING INTO "LIMP HOME" MODE AFTER STOPPING AT STOPLIGHT. THIS OCCURRED ON 1/3/05. TURNING OFF CAR AND RESTARTING RESOLVED ON ALL OCASIONS. CAR ALSO RUNS ROUGH AND HAS INSTANCES WHERE IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE WHEN REQUIRED TO DO SO (FIRM PRESSURE ON ACCELERATOR (AS IN PASSING) CAUSE ENGINE TO 1. MISFIRE AND 2. NOT DOWNSHIFT. SERVICE PEOPLE WILL NOT LOOK AT THE PROBLEM UNTIL "KNOWN ENGINE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS" IS REPLACED. IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE AND SEARCHABLE ON THE INTERNET THAT THE WIRING HARNESSES IN THE MB W124 CARS WERE MADE WITH AN INSULATION THAT DECAYS RAPIDLY AND CAN CAUSE INTERNAL SHORTS MAKING PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. MERCEDES WILL, OF COURSE, NOT ADMIT THIS. THIS PUTS ALL ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEMS AT JEOPARDY AND THEREFOR, THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE IN JEOPARDY. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A COMPLETE RECALL BY MB. IT REPRESENTS POOR QUALITY CONTROL, POOR TESTING OF COMPONENTS, AND AN ARROGANCE UNSURPASSED BY AUTO MAKERS. I AM IDENTIFYING THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE ALTHOUGH ISOLATED INSTANCES OF THE CAR ENGINE OPERATING ERRATICALLY HAVE OCCURRED SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2001. *AK

I HAVE OWNED THREE PREVIOUS MBZ AUTOMOBILES. TODAY, I OWN A 1993 300SE WITH LESS THAN 46000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THIS CAR'S ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE WAS MORE THAN $72000. EVEN THOUGH I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS AUTOMOBILE, AND WHILE IT IS MOSTLY GARAGED AS IT IS MY WEEKEND SEDAN, OVER $7K HAS BEEN SPENT IN CORRECTING KNOWN PROBLEMS OF THIS MODEL. TO NAME JUST A FEW OF THE LARGER ITEMS CORRECTED, A LEAKING HEAD GASKET, BAD MOTOR MOUNTS, AND INOPERABLE PNEUMATIC SELF CLOSING DOORS. WILL I CONTINUE MY AFFAIR WITH MBZ, LEXUS MAY BE GETTING A CALL&& *AK