1995 Mercedes Benz E320

WIRING HARNESS ON MY 1995 E320 HAS DETERIORATED TO AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL UNUSUAL CHECK ENGINE INDICATIONS WHICH HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE FALSE ALARMS. IN ONE CASE IT CAUSED A PROBLEM FOR ME IN GETTING MY CALIFORNIA SMOG CERTIFICATION BECAUSE OF A FALSE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AFTER CONSULTING WITH SEVERAL MERCEDES AUTHORIZED MECHANICS I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS WIRING HARNESS CONDITION IS A KNOW PROBLEM AFFECTING SEVERAL MODELS OVER SEVERAL YEARS. I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE WIRES AND CAN SEE THE INSULATION CRACKING AND CRUMBLING BEFORE MY EYES. I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ USA IN NJ AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT SUBJECT TO RECALL AND WAS 12 YEARS OLD WITH HIGH MILEAGE (105000 MILES). AS A RESULT I AM FORCED TO REPLACE WIRING HARNESS AT MY OWN EXPENSE TO RECTIFY AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURE DEFECT RESULTING IN SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. *NM

I TOOK MY 1995 E320 MERCEDES INTO A REPAIR SHOP AFTER SMELLING BURNT OIL. THE REPAIR SHOP ADVISED ME THAT I HAD A HEAD GASKET LEAK AND THAT THE HARNESS WIRING SYSTEM IS DEGRADED. ADDITIONALLY, THE TIMING COVER LEAKS OIL AND THE THROTTLE BODY ACTUATOR WIRING IS ALSO DEGRADED. THE AFTER MARKET BENTLEY REPAIR MANUAL CITES THE HEAD GASKET AND WIRING HARNESS ARE BEING A COMMON PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS 91K MILES. THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS REFLECT A POOR DESIGN AND I POSTULATE A BUILT IN OBSOLESCENCE BY THE MANUFACTURER. THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY MERCEDES FOR RECALL; INSTEAD MERCEDES IS PROFITING FROM THESE PROBLEMS. FOR INSTANCE, THE WIRE HARNESS FOR MY AUTO CAN ONLY BE PROCURED FROM MERCEDES AT A COST OF 1200$. *NM

WIRING HARNESS ON 1995 MERCEDES E320 FAILS AND CAUSES CAR TO STOP WHILE DRIVING DOWN BUSY CITY STREETS. WIRING INSULATION IS COMPLETELY CRACKED AND CAUSING A SHORTING SITUATION. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE CONTACTED OVER TEN PEOPLE PERSONALLY THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE ARE HUNDREDS ON THE NET. HOW BAD DOES THIS HAVE TO GET BEFORE MERCEDES DOES SOMETHING TO FIX IT? *NM

I OWN A 95 E320 MERCEDES BENZ WHICH HAS 98,000 MILES. SINCE I'VE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE CAR PROPERLY; I CHANGE OIL EVERY 4,000 MILES, I CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION JUST LAST YEAR, ETC. RECENTLY THE SMOG PUMP WORE OUT SO I ASKED A CERTIFIED MERCEDES BENZ TECHNICIAN TO REPLACE IT. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT, HE INFORMED ME THAT HE FOUND ALL OF THE FUEL INJECTION WIRE HARNESSES TOTALLY STRIPPED OF THEIR INSULATION INSIDE THE OUTER FABRIC COVER. HE SAID THE WIRES WERE TOUCHING EACH OTHER AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIX. HE ALSO SAID THAT SEVERAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALERS KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM AND IT WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE TO THEM. AFTER CONTACTING THEM, MERCEDES BENZ SEEMS TO THINK THIS PROBLEM IS NOT OF THEIR CONCERN BECAUSE THE EXPIRATION OF ITS WARRANTY, SO THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS A DEFECT THAT COULD INJURE BY ACCIDENT OR START A FIRE AND NOT A WARRANTY PROBLEM. MERCEDES-BENZ NEEDS TO RECALL THESE CARS AND REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR BECOMES INJURED. *JB