1995 Mercedes Benz C Class

MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C280 WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND STALLED ON THE ROAD. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO MERCEDES DEALER AND FOUND THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS TO BE DEFECTIVE AND DETERIORATING AND CRUMBLING CRACKED AND EXPOSED WIRES. MY IGNITION PORTION FAILED WHERE THE WIRES CONNECT TO THE SPARK PLUGS AND HIGH ENERGY COILS SHORTING OUT AGAINST THE ENGINE FRAME. VEHICLE TOWED AND TECHNICIANS REPLACED ENGINE HARNESS PARTS PLUS LABOR $1,500. REPAIR BILL. THE HARNESS IS A MANUFACTURED DEALER NEW ITEM ONLY NO REPAIR COULD BE MADE AS THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS IS DEFECTIVE AND CONTROLS CRITICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE ENGINE OPERATION. *TR

I OWN A 1995 C280 MERCEDES, PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY MY DAUGHTER FOR 5 YEARS. THE CAR ALWAYS IDLED ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY BACKFIRES, LACKS OVERALL POWER. MY DAUGHTER HAD IT TO THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY NEVER REALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. TWO DAYS AGO I STARTED IT, HEARD A LOUD POP AND SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD AND SMELLED ELECTRICAL WIRES BURNING. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST MERCEDES DEALER. THEY WANT A TOTAL OF $3300 TO REPAIR IT. THE ISSUE IS THE WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IN 1993-1995 C280 MODELS MERCEDES TRIED A NEW INSULATION COVERING ON THE WIRES AND IT DOES NOT HOLD UP. IN FACT, I HAVE SEEN THE RESULT IN NUMEROUS PICTURES OF THE CONDITION THE WIRES. THE INSULATION JUST DESINTERGRATES. I READ THAT UP UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO MERCEDES WAS REPLACING THEM BUT THEN THEY JUST STOPPED. WHY ISN'T THIS AN OFFICIAL RECALL FAILURE. *TR

DEFECTIVE ENGINE HARNESS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LURCH AND STALL AT CRITICAL MOMENTS LIKE WHEN PROCEEDING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION OR ENTERING A HIGHWAY. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. MERCEDES SEEMS TO BE IN DENIAL OF THIS PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE VERY MUCH AWARE IT EXISTS. THE PART IS APPROX 1,000.00 PLUS LABOR TO FIX A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HAS CAUSED FIRES IN SOME OF THESE VEHCLES. ALL I WANT IS MERCEDES TO HAND ME A NEW HARNESS SO I CAN REPAIR MY CAR. BUT IF SOMEONE GETS INJURED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. IT APPEARS THAT, DUE TO IT'S DESIGN USING "BIODEGRADABLE" PLASTIC WIRE INSULATION, THE HARNESS IS PRONE TO SHORTING OUT AND FAILING AND EVEN POTENTIALLY STARTING AN ENGINE FIRE. MY MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE, AS A MERCEDES BENZ SPECIALIST, HE HAS SEEN THIS HAPPEN OVER AND OVER. THE INSULATION JUST CRUMBLES AND FLAKES OFF OF THE WIRES, CAUSING SHORTS AND MALFUNCTION. IN MY CASE, THE CAR LOST POWER IN A SITUATION THAT PUT ME DANGER OF BEING REAR-ENDED. THE ONLY REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE HARNESS AT A COST WELL OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. *TR