1995 Mercedes Benz C Class

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 1995 C280 MERCEDES-BENZ IN AUGUST OF 2002. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 20,000 MILES AND WAS GARAGE KEPT. THE CAR RAN FINE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS BUT BEGAN EXPERIENCING TROUBLE WITH THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING, OCCASIONALLY NOT STARTING, AND ULTIMATELY LEAVING ME STRANDED. IN FEBRUARY OF 2006 I TOOK THE CAR TO A NON DEALER REPAIR SHOP WHICH SPECIALIZES IN MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES. AFTER EXPLAINING THE CAR'S PROBLEMS, THE TECHNICIAN IMMEDIATELY SAID THE WIRING HARNESSES ON THIS MODEL AND YEAR ARE ALL DEFECTIVE. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND SHOWED ME WHERE THE PLASTIC COATING HAD ERODED FROM THE WIRES. HE RUBBED THE OUTSIDE SURFACE OF A COUPLE OF WIRES TO SHOW ME HOW THE PLASTIC INSULATION DISINTEGRATED IN HIS FINGERS. I PAID TO HAVE THE WIRING HARNESS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2,354.76. NOBODY WAS HURT NOR DID ANYONE DIE. I TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION BEFORE ME, MY WIFE OR CHILDREN BECAME A STATISTIC. THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM AND SHOULD OWN UP TO IT. *NM

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON, SRS LIGHT COMING ON AND FINALLY ELECTRIC FAN STOPPED WORKING CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND NEARLY CATCH FIRE. UPON EXAMINING THE CABLE HARNESS INSULATION WAS FOUND TO BE CRUMBLING AND IN SOME PLACES COMPLETELY MISSING. AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT BETWEEN 94-96 BENZ CHOSE A BIODEGRADABLE INSULATION FOR THEIR HARNESS AND IT IS A WELL KNOW FACT AMONGST THE OWNERS THAT IT CRUMBLES AWAY. BENZ IS NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY AND IS CHARGING $1500 FOR CABLE REPLACEMENT. *NM

VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. AFTER NUMEROUS HOURS OF INVESTIGATIONS AND REPLACING POTENTIALLY FAULTY PARTS, IT WAS REALIZED THAT THIS WAS A WIRE HARNESS FAILURE. A COMMON PROBLEM FOUND ON THIS MODEL, I.E. DEGRADATION OF WIRING HARNESS, LEAVING BARE WIRES WHICH SHORT-CIRCUIT. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE RESULTING IN DEATH IF NOT ADDRESSED SINCE THE HARNESS ESSENTIALLY CONTROLS ELECTRICAL AND SAFETY SENSOR. *JB

THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ C280 (120,000 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 READ MANY REPORTS OF OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ CARS OF THE SAME AGE RANGE HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES THAT THEY REFUSE TO RECALL. THIS REPAIR WILL COST ME $2300 TO FIX AT A NON-DEALER SHOP. *NM

THE WIRING HARNESS ON THE ENGINE DEGRADES DRASTICALLY TO THE POINT OF THE WIRES BEING NAKED. THE HARNESS USED IN ALL 1994-1996 CARS WERE MADE OF EXPERIMENTAL INSULATION AND SO DOES NOT LAST AND REQUIRES CHANGING WITHIN G 50,000 MILES. THIS CAUSES THE WIRES RUNNING THROUGH THE ENGINE TO SHORT AND POSES A SIGNIFICANT FIRE HAZARD. THE SHORTING OF THE HARNESS BURNS THE SENSORS CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE AND CAUSES MISFIRES IN THE CYLINDERS CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE TO ENGINE COMPONENTS. SEVERAL TUNE UPS WERE PERFORMED TO TRY TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BUT LATER ITS WAS ESTABLISHED THAT THE WHOLE HARNESS WAS THE CULPRIT.

THE WIRING HARNEST ON MY CAR IS BAD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND THIS YEAR. THIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. THE CAR CAN NOT BE DRIVEN. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR IT SPEEDS UP VERY FAST AND ITS HARD TO STOP IT. THE BRAKES GET HARD AND TAKES A WHILE TO STOP. I HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. NOW THE CAR STARTS BUT THE MOTOR RACES UP AND DOWN ALL BY ITSELF.*AK