1995 Mercedes Benz C220

I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC WITH AN UNRELATED ENGINE PROBLEM WHICH WAS RESOLVED. AFTERWARDS THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT THE ENGINE MAIN WIRING HARNESS TO ME AND INFORMED ME IF I DON'T REPLACE IT, IT COULD HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES LIKE THE CAR CATCHING OF FIRE, STOPPING AT ANY MOMENT AND MAIN COMPUTER DAMAGE. THEY SHOED ME THE WIRE INSULATIONS IN THE WIRING HARNESS AND I WAS APPALLED BY WHAT I SAW. THEY WERE ALL CRACKED, AT PLACES MISSING, AND VERY CLOSE TO ACTUALLY TOUCHING AND SHORTING OUT. ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT IN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY OR ELECTRICAL REPAIR TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS. THE WIRING HARNESS COST IS ABOUT $1000 AND THE LABOR IS SEVERAL HOURS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH SHOULD BE RECTIFIED BY MERCEDES-BENZ BY ISSUING A RECALL AND REPLACING THE HARNESS AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A SYSTEMIC DEFECT, AND MANY MERCEDES-BEND CARS OF THE SAME ERA AROUND 1995-1998 HAD TO BE REFIT WITH NEW WIRING HARNESSES. IT IS NOT CAUSED BY NORMAL WEAR ALTHOUGH MY CAR HAS HIGH MILEAGE, BUT POOR MATERIALS USED. *TR

THE POORLY DESIGNED WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO MANUFACTURES DEFECT OF BIODEGRADABLE SHIELDING ... IT IS THE HARNESS FROM THE E.C.M. TO THE ENGINE... IF THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED DURING THIS FAILURE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY TO EITHER THE DRIVER/PASSENGER OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD ... I HAVE OWNED OLDER M.B. AND NEVER SEEN THIS KIND OF WIRING IN MY 10+ YEARS OF DRIVING AND REPAIRING THESE KIND OF CARS... THIS ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO MBUSA AND THEY TRIED TO SAY IT IS DUE TO NON MAINTENANCE THROUGH M.B..... THIS PART SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN THE LIFE OF THE CAR AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE...WHAT DID I MISS ? HOW DO YOU DO MAINTENANCE ON A WIRE ? HOW?... THIS ISSUE WAS FOUND TO HAPPEN OFF THE LINE AND THEY PRODUCED THIS CRAP...RECALL/REPAIR THANK YOU PLEASE FIX OR RECALL THIS THERE ARE OTHERS WHO TRUSTED THEIR FAMILY'S TO THIS COMPANY AND SOME ARE STILL UNAWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND ARE IN DANGER... *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C220. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAULTY WIRING HARNESS INSTALLATION BECAME BRITTLE, BEGAN TO CRACK AND WAS FALLING OFF OF THE CONDUCTORS WHICH DETACHED THE WIRES FROM THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED BY THE DEALER BACK IN 2000 AND THEY REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE FOR $800. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS FOR $700. THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS OR A WARRANTY FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C220. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED AND WAS THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS A SHIRT CIRCUIT IN THE WIRING HARNESS INSTALLATION AND THAT IT WAS FRACTURED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,000.

I PURCHASED MY C220 IN 1995 FROM A DEALER IN NORTH CAROLINA. WITHIN THREE YEARS THE LCD BECAME NONFUNCTIONAL(RADIO AND TAPES BECAME DEAD). IN FOURTH YEAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP, THEY FIXED AND CHARGED HUGE AMOUNT BUT AFTER A MONTH OR SO IT CAME ON AGAIN. I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP TO CHANGE WIRE HARNESS BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GIVE A GUARANTEE THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON SO I DIDN'T GET THAT SERVICE. TILL TODAY I AM DRIVING MY CAR WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND NOTHING HAVE HAPPENED. I THINK THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE FIXED BY MB WITHOUT ANY CHARGE TO ITS CUSTOMERS. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS CAR IS NOT WORTH FOR THE MONEY. MY DRIVER SEAT CAN NOT BE FULLY ADJUSTED USING ITS MECHANICAL SYSTEM. THE UPHOLSTERY ALSO COMING DOWN FROM THE ROOF AND THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER BODILY FAULTS IN MY C220. *TR

THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION IN MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C220 HAS DETERIORATED TO THE POINT OF DUST. THIS RESULTED IN THE CAR STALING AT OVER 35 MPH, AND MY WIFE BEING PUT IN HARMS WAY WHEN THE CAR LOST POWER. SHE COULD NO LONGER CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND HIT A MAILBOX. I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THEY HAD "NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS" WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS WAS DESTROYED, BUT YET THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF MERCEDES BENZ'S UNFORGIVABLE IGNORANCE TO THIS SUBJECT. I WOULD LIKE MY HARNESS REPLACED AT THE LEAST. *TR

I HAVE A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C220 AUTOMATIC 4 CYLINDERS. I HAD MY ENGINE CHECK LIGHTS ON AND I WENT TO THE DEALER TO CHECK AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME MORE THAN $1700 TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF REPLACEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO ENGINE WIRE HARNESS WHICH CONTROLS THE ECU AND CAN CAUSE DANGER TO OUR LIVES. IT SHOULD BE THE MANUFACTURERS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE HIGH GRADE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS WHICH SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 20 YEARS WHEN WE ARE PAYING HIGH PRICES FOR THE LUXURY CARS AND ENDING UP AS A JUNK. I HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY WOULD DIRECT ALL THESE DEALERS TO RECALL AND FIX THESE FAULTS RIGHT AND NOT GETTING A PENNY FROM US. *TR

FRACTURE OF FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM. DESIGN DEFECT RESULTING IN LATENT INTERIOR CORROSION THAT ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN THIS CRITICAL PART SEPARATING INTO TWO PIECES, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO PARTIALLY SEPARATE FROM THE CAR. HAD THIS OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED IT WOULD DOUBTLESS HAVE CAUSED A SEVERE LOSS OF CONTROL AND STEERING. IT MAY WELL HAVE RESULTED IN FATALITIES. *TR