1995 MERCEDES BENZ E300 DIESEL, WIRING HARNESS IS DEFECTIVE. INSULATION IS FAILING AND WIRES ARE EXPOSED. I AM CONCERNED THIS COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD. *TR
1995 Mercedes Benz 300
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 300 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 3 of 16 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
7 reports1995 E300D WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTEGRATING WITH RESPECT TO THE WIRE INSULATION. WHEN THE WIRE IS FLEXED DURING NORMAL MAINTENANCE THE INSULATION FLAKES OFF LEAVING EXPOSED COPPER WIRE THE CAN SHORT OUT CRITICAL COMPONENT'S AND CAUSE A FIRE. *JB
WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. *JB
THE ENGINE RAN VERY ROUGH AND RAW GAS WAS GOING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED THE INSULATION AND CAUSE THE WIRES TO TOUCH. THIS CAUSED THE #6 INJECTOR TO SPRAY TO MUCH FUEL. THE WIRES THAT TOUCHED ALSO BURNED OUT THE E…
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THE ENGINE RAN VERY ROUGH AND RAW GAS WAS GOING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED THE INSULATION AND CAUSE THE WIRES TO TOUCH. THIS CAUSED THE #6 INJECTOR TO SPRAY TO MUCH FUEL. THE WIRES THAT TOUCHED ALSO BURNED OUT THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. THE CRANK CASE AND THE EXHAUST WERE FILLED WITH GAS, AND STILL NO "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. MERCEDES-BENZ HAS A DIAGNOSTIC DIRECTORY # AF07.00-U-3400A ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE WILL NOT PAY FOR THIS REPAIR. THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. I FELL THAT MERCEDES-BENZ SHOULD BE RESPONSABLE AND THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THIS CARS BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS FIRE HAZARD.*AK
THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL HARNESS ON 1995 E320 MERCEDES ARE FLAWED BEYOND BELIEF. THE ENTIRE HARNESS BUNDLE WHICH INCLUDES HIGH VOLTAGE LINES FOR IGNITION COILS AND THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM HAS A SEVERE FIRE PROBLEM DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WIRE INSULATION IS INFERIOR IN MATERIAL QUALITY. THE INSULATION ALONG THESE WIRE IS CRACKI…
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THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL HARNESS ON 1995 E320 MERCEDES ARE FLAWED BEYOND BELIEF. THE ENTIRE HARNESS BUNDLE WHICH INCLUDES HIGH VOLTAGE LINES FOR IGNITION COILS AND THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM HAS A SEVERE FIRE PROBLEM DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WIRE INSULATION IS INFERIOR IN MATERIAL QUALITY. THE INSULATION ALONG THESE WIRE IS CRACKING AT A RATE OF EVERY 1/4 INCH, THROUGOUT THE ENTIRE HARNESS. HIGH VOLTAGE COPPER WIRE ARE MAKING CONTACT, THESE WIRE RUN ON TOP OF THE FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM. ALL AUSTIN BASED MERCEDES SHOPS INFORM ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL, BUT MERCEDES WILL NOT ADMIT TO IT. THIS PROBLEM IS AS DANGEROUS AS ANY FACING THE CURRENT BOARD AND TO HAVE MERCEDES BENZ ACT LIKE IT IS NOT A PROBLEM IS JUST A BUNCH OF FUEY. PLEASE SEND AN INVESTIGATOR TO LOOK AT THIS WIRING HARNESS AND I WILL ASSURE YOU THAT THIS WILL BE A RECALL EVENT ONCE YOU SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THESE HARNESS'S. THANKS.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TURNING A CORNER WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED , TOTAL VEHICLE FAILURE.SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE HOOD BURSTING INTO FLAMES . NO DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE, BUT TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, INCLUDING THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE MELTED. *AK
PASSENGER SIDE WIRING UNDER DASH FAILED AFTER RECALL. *DH
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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