10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 2
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 105,340 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Re: case 45839 I have the engine wire harness that was taken out of the car. It is amazing that this car ran at all. I would like to send you the harness so that you can see the extent of the problem Mercedes is covering up. It cost me over $2100 to get this problem repaired by the dealer. Please let me know if I can send you the harness. Dave young
- Cincinnati, OH, USA
Car started acting like it was driven by remote control. Starting stopping the engine revved up to 7000 RPM I could not hold it by the brake had to turn the car off and have it towed. Wiring harness had shorted out. I hear this may be a common problem. I'm glad I was driving instead of my 16 year old son. This could have had a much grimmer outcome.
- Cincinnati, OH, USA
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.
- Navarre, FL, USA
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.
- Hazlet , NJ, USA
Disintegrating wiring harness on mb C280 1995. This caused my car to stop running and various other electrical faults until replaced by my mechanic - who stated "this happens to all mbs of this vintage - it was bad wiring that mb bought. Good thing you caught it because it can do more damage".
- Atlanta, GA, USA
Defective engine wiring harness has caused automobile to be inoperable and unsafe. Manufactuer is aware and will not stand behind their product. 1995 Mercedes C280.
- Lenoir City , TN, USA
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.
- Rockford, IL, USA
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.
- Harleysville, PA, USA
Wiring harness shorted out and almost caught fire in engine bay.
- Bermagui, 00, USA
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 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.
- Walhalla, SC, USA
Failure of engine compartment wiring harness with the rotting and cracking of harness has caused engine to misfire causing rapid power loss in intersections. Shorting of connections cause ECU related malfunctions and read error codes on vehicle. Premature degradation of wiring harness.
- Flushing, NY, USA
The contact owns a 1995 Mercedes Benz C220. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled, lunged, the antilock braking system failed, and the power steering failed twice. There were no recalls available. The Mercedes mechanic discovered that the wiring harness was disintegrating. The current mileage was 63,000 and failure mileage was 58,000.
- Miami , FL, USA
Vehicle has had continual mechanical as well as electrical problems, details not provided.
- Los Angele, CA, USA
- Austin, TX, USA