1996 Mercedes Benz C220

RECENTLY THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR. THE TEMPERATURE GAGE WAS SHOWING THE VEHICLE AS HEATING UP. THE TEMP WOULD REACH CLOSE TO 120 F. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY OUR MECHANIC, THE VEHICLE NEEDED THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL WIRING TO BE REPLACED. OUR MECHANIC SAID THAT IF NOT REPLACED, THE CAR WOULD EVENTUALLY CATCH ON FIRE. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING IS FAULTY NOT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR ON THE CAR BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BY MERCEDES FOR FAULTY WIRING. THE WIRING HAS COMPLETELY DETERIORATED AND THE WIRES ARE COMPLETELY EXPOSED AND IF THE WIRES HAPPEN TO TOUCH EACH OTHER, THAT IS WHAT WILL CAUSE THE FIRE. IN ORDER TO GET THESE WIRES REPLACED, IT WILL COST WELL OVER $1500.00 TO REPLACE ALL THE WIRING. *TT

I WAS DRIVING HOME, WHEN I HEARD THE SEAT BELT START SQUEAKING, THEN AFTER A WHILE I SMELLED SMOKE AND THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE DIED SUDDENLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I PUSHED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND OPENED THE HOOD TO LET THE SMOKE OUT. I WAS THINKING I WAS OUT OF COOLANT, BUT THE RESERVOIR TANK WAS FULL. I WAITED FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR TO LET THE ENGINE COOL OFF, BEFORE RESTARTING THE CAR. THE CAR STARTED AFTER THE 3RD TRY, BUT THE SQUEAKING WAS GETTING LOUDER AS I STARTED DRIVING HOME. I WENT DROVE TO THE STORE WITH MY OTHER CAR TO BUY A BELT DRESSER OR BELT SPRAY AND SPRAYED IT ON THE BELT. I WENT TO CHECK ONLINE TO FIND THE CLOSEST MERCEDES BENZ REPAIR SHOP AND RAN ACROSS THE EDMOND.COM WEBSITE AND FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 1996 MB C220 REGARDING THE DRIVE BELT PULLEY WITH RECALL# 96V058000 AND T HEN CALLED MBUSA TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE RECALLED MODEL, BUT SHE TOLD ME THAT MY CAR'S VIN# WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. SO WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED ON EDMOND.COM WHEN THE RECALL SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL OF MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. UPDATED 08/31/11 *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES C220. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A SQUEAKING NOISE AND STARTED SMOKING. THE VEHICLE STALLED MOMENTS AFTER THE SMOKING BEGAN. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE DRIVE BELT PULLEY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 75,000.

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WIRE INSULATION IS BEGINNING TO BIODEGRADE AND CRUMBLE APART. CAR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS WITHOUT A REPLACEMENT PART, WHICH COSTS NO LESS THAN $1350 (FOR A WIRE BUNDLE AND HOOKUPS THAT ARE DOOMED TO FAIL AGAIN IN THE SAME WAY), PLUS 4-7 HOURS OF LABOR COSTS. CAR HAS LESS THAN 60K MILES ON IT AND IS IN OTHERWISE GREAT CONDITION. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE MECHANIC, HE SAID ANYONE WHO OWNS THIS MAKE OF CAR WILL HAVE A MANDATORY $2000 WIRE HARNESS REPLACEMENT FEE SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY (AT LEAST ONCE, IF NOT EVERY FEW YEARS). EVEN WITH A REPLACEMENT, IT WILL ONLY POSTPONE THE ISSUE UNTIL THE NEW ONE INEVITABLY BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN. EXTREMELY POOR AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN! MERCEDES SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MASSIVE DESIGN FLAW AFFECTING ALL CARS OF SEVERAL SIMILAR MODELS WITHIN A HALF-DECADE OR MORE TIME FRAME. THE MAKERS OF THE FAULTY PART ARE MAKING BANK OFF OF MANDATORY REPAIRS AND PART REPLACEMENTS DUE TO THEIR OWN NEGLIGENCE. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG AND UNETHICAL, AND THE MAKERS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND BE FORCED TO RECALL THE PART. *TR