1995 Mercedes-Benz 280 Owner Complaints

THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THE THE BALL JOINT IS ATTACHED BROKE DETACHING THE WHEEL AND CAUSING THE TIRE TO COLLAPSE. A MERCEDES-BENZ SPECIALIST IN MY AREA WHO REPAIRS ONLY MERCEDES-BENZ ADVISED ME THAT THIS IS ALL TOO COMMON WITH THIS SERIES OF MERCEDES-BENZ HAS RANGING FROM 1994 TO 1998 IN BOTH C CLASS AND E CLASS VEHICLES. THE REPAIR SHOP THAT REPLACED THE CONTROL ARM WAS ALSO SURPRISED ON HOW THIN THE SHEET METAL CONTROL ARM IS WHERE THE BALL JOINT MOUNTING IS WELDED ONTO THE SHEET METAL. OVER TIME RUST FORMS ON THE INSIDE OF THE SHEET METAL WHICH IS HOLLOW. TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME REPAIR SHOP HAD ANOTHER CUSTOMER COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ON A 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ. MERCEDES-BENZ HAS NEVER MADE A RECOIL, AND DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS SERIES OF VEHICLES. WHICH IN REALITY IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10576310

Incident

Jan 15, 2014

Mileage

286,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING, CAR GRADUALLY LOST POWER UNTIL COMPLETELY SHUT-OFF. MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROADWAY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN ON AGAIN. NO POWER AT ALL. COULD NOT EVEN TURN ON HAZARDS. THANKFULLY, A GOOD SAMARITAN PULLED UP BEHIND ME WITH THEIR FLASHERS ON AND PROVIDED ME WITH A BOOST THAT POWERED UP MY VEHICLE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE MAIN ROADWAY. HOWEVER, ONCE I STOPPED AT THE NEXT STOP SIGN THE CAR SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. AGAIN, THE SAME GUY CAME TO MY AID. THIS TIME WE LET THE BATTERY CHARGE FOR A MUCH LONGER TIME. I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR BUT, THE RPM'S WERE GOING CRAZY. THE DIALS WERE GOING UP AND DOWN. THE CAR WAS REVVING UP AND DOWN. THE FUEL GAUGE, ODOMETER AND OTHER GAUGES WERE AT ZERO. ODD. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT I NEEDED A NEW WIRING HARNESS AS HE SHOWED ME THE INSULATION ON MINE HAD COMPLETELY DETERIORATED WAS CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT. HE STATED THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM FOR THESE VEHICLES AND THAT IT MAY CAUSE A FIRE OR A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD. THIS REPAIR IS COSTING ME $1700. MB CUSTOMER SERVICE ARE NO HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10476841

Incident

Sep 14, 2012

Mileage

130,000 mi

CAR HAS BEEN A GOOD RUNNING CAR FRO SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES, HOWEVER TODAY IT STARTED, WHAT SEEM TO BE A MISFIRE. I CHECKED THE SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, IGNITERS AND THEY WERE ALL IN GOOD CONDITION SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED RECENTLY. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT 35 MILES AN HOUR THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKED AND SMOKE FILED THE INSIDE AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ON A BUSY CROSS ROAD, SO INSTANT PANIC SET IN, BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF VISION AND UNABLE TO BREATH FROM THE FUMES. I SUFFER FROM MIGRAINES AND HAD TO GO TO THE DOCTOR FOR A CHECK UP BECAUSE MY HEALTH HAS NOT BEEN THE SAME SINCE. AS DAYLIGHT CAME I FINALLY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE AND IT WAS THE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON CERTAIN YEARS OF MERCEDES BENZ, PER THE VAST AMOUNT OF INFORMATION REGARDING THE ISSUE AND HOW I AM NOW WRITING ABOUT IT. THE CAR HAS BEEN A GOOD RUNNING CAR, BUT MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10471970

Incident

Aug 22, 2012

Mileage

202,122 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C280. WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10458447

Incident

Aug 18, 2010

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE WIRE HARNESS ON MY VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY DETERIORATED. IT ACTUALLY CAUGHT FIRE BY THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CONNECTOR. ALL OF THE INSULATION ON THE HARNESS IS GONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10455008

Incident

Apr 1, 2008

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAS BADLY DETERIORATED DUE TO USING POOR MATERIALS. THIS IS A VERY HIGH OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT IT CAN CAUSE STALLING, SUDDEN ACCELERATION, FIRE AND IT CAN ALSO CAUSE VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS TO OTHER VEHICLE SYSTEMS. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM OUT OF CONCERN FOR CONSUMER SAFETY, AND EXPENSE.

NHTSA ID

10389389

Incident

Feb 25, 2011

Mileage

150,000 mi

ROTTED DISINTEGRATED WIRING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ELECTRICAL PROBLEM--DASHBOARD LIGHTS THAT GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY---- ABS, CLOCK, OUTSIDE TEMP GAUGE, REAR DEFROSTER. HAD PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION---WIRING WAS "PATCHED UP" AS BEST AS IT COULD BE AND STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A 1995 C-280 WITH APPROX. 118000 MI. I HAVE ALSO HAD AN UNRELATED PROBLEM WHICH, ACCORDING TO MY BENZ MECH, JUST LIKE THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THESE CARS,WAS A DISINTEGRATING GAS HOSE THAT HAD GASOLINE SPEWING EVERYWHERE. THE THREE (EXPENSIVE) HOSES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO SHOW RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE PROBLEMS. PERHAPS A CLASS ACTION SUIT MIGHT STIR THEM UP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247400

Incident

Mar 1, 2008

Mileage

10,900 mi

1.TEMPERATURE AND FUEL GAUGE HAS INTERMITTENT ISSUES. ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ONE COLD MORNING. 2. ENGINE STALLS / STUTTERS WHEN COLD. LOST POWER TO CAR AND ALMOST HIT A WALL TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. 3 3. NO MONEY TO CORRECT THE ISSUE YET. I DRIVE A DIFFERENT CAR DAILY AND TRY TO AVOID USING THIS ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10244954

Incident

Oct 3, 2008

Mileage

106,100 mi

THE WIRES IN MY ENGINE HARNESS TO MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C280,THE INSULATION OF THE WIRES DISINTEGRATED(TURNED TO DUST).ITS BEEN SAID THAT IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND THAT MERCEDES DOESN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT .WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF PAYING $1300 PROBLEM (WE WILL KEEP THE OLD PART).MERCEDES IS CASHING IN ON THERE MISTAKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10241136

Incident

Aug 31, 2008

Mileage

170,000 mi

ENGINE WIRE HARNESS ALL WIRE INSULATIONS IN THE HARNESS ARE IN A SERIOUS DISINTEGRATED AND ARE SHORTING OUT ON EACH OTHER IN A WRAPPED UP HARNESS CONFIGURATION MY GOD IS ANYONE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS . *TR

NHTSA ID

10226124

Incident

Apr 7, 2008

Mileage

84,000 mi

1995 MERCEDES C280 SEDAN. MILEAGE 59,187. ENGINE WIRING HARNESS DEFECTIVE DUE TO POOR SUBSTANDARD OEM QUALITY HAS DETERIORATED INTERNALLY AND VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONS IN MANNER WHICH MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT OR FIRE. VEHICLE IS UNUSABLE. MERCEDES BENZ USA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS FAULT INVOLVING THIS VEHICLE MODEL AND RELATED VEHICLE MODELS. COST TO REPLACE IS OVER $1700. REPAIR DONE OUT OF POCKET TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS AND FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209811

Incident

Nov 23, 2007

Mileage

59,187 mi

DEGRADING WIRE HARNESS CAUSES MY 95 MERCEDES C280 TO CUT OUT IN TRAFFIC CAUSING SEVERE SAFETY ISSUES {FUEL,BRAKES,FIRES, ACCIDENTS] I NOW OWN A PIECE OF WORTHLESS JUNK THAT MERCEDES WILL NOT ADMIT HAS THIS VERY COMMON VERY SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE 96,000 MILES ,ASR SYS FAIL ,COMPUTER MOD FAIL ,CHECK ENG CODES WILL COST 2000-3000 TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT,,PLEASE TELL MERCEDES THANKS FOR APIECE OF JUNK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208228

Incident

Nov 1, 2007

Mileage

96,404 mi

MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT/BLOWN HEAD GASKET. BAD O2 SENSOR. EVENTUALLY TRACED TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. MAYBE THIS IS WHY THE MERCEDES 280C IS SINGLED OUT FOR SMOG ONLY CHECK IN CA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208159

Incident

Nov 6, 2007

Mileage

104,000 mi

OUR VEHICLE FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALMOST KILLED MY FAMILY. THE CAUSE WAS AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. *JB UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TO BUY A NEW WIRING HARNESS AT THE COST OF $765.00. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10205097

Incident

Sep 17, 2007

Mileage

126,000 mi

THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO MY 1995 MERCEDES C280, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CAR JUST SUDDENLY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE ON THE ROAD AND THREE OCCASIONS ON THE FREEWAY. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND FOUND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BAD AND THERE WAS A SHORTAGE FROM TIME TO TIME CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SUDDENLY STOP. WE CAN'T USE THE CAR FOR NOW BECAUSE ITS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10201834

Incident

Jul 7, 2007

Mileage

135,000 mi

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS DETERIORATING TO THE POINT OF EXPOSED WIRE AT 90,000 MILES. ENGINE FAILURE CAUSES STANDING IN DESOLATE AREA OF MONTANA. *JB

NHTSA ID

10199862

Incident

Jul 14, 2007

Mileage

92,000 mi

I HAVE A 1995 C280 MERCEDES BENZ AND I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE BEEN READING IN THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MID 90'S MERCEDES BENZ. THE FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTEGRATED CAUSING EXPOSE WIRING AND MY CAR IS MIS-FIRING AND SHAKING IS UNCONTROLLABLE. I'M APPALLED TO SEE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING, AND MERCEDES FAIL TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE MERCEDES MANUFACTURE SHOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF RECALL IN EFFECT BECAUSE THIS IS A EXPENSIVE CAR PARTS TO REPLACE AND IT HAS TO BE REPLACE BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE ANACCIDENT OR FIRE. SOMEONE SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER, ITS DESPICABLE. I THOUGHT THIS CAR COMPANY HAD SOME INTEGRITY BUT ITS VERY APPARENT ID DOESN'T. *JB

NHTSA ID

10199600

Incident

Aug 14, 2007

Mileage

73 mi

WIRE HARNESS UNDER HOOD,FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT IT OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10198844

Incident

Aug 5, 2007

Mileage

156,000 mi

THE WIRING HARNESS WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS BACKING THE CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. I CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE HARNESS,THEY SEEMED TO THINK IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE WIRING TO CATCH ON FIRE. IF ANYONE THERE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THIS CAR IT IS IN MY DRIVEWAY. I DON'T THINK AM GOING TO SPEND $2,000 TO FIX IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187544

Incident

Apr 9, 2007

Mileage

145,000 mi

MY 1995 C280 MERCEDES QUIT RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD MY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR CAR. THIS CAR WAS ALWAYS SERVICED AT A MERCEDES DEALER SHIP. WHY COULD THIS HAVE NOT BEEN POINTED OUT BEFORE I GOT STRANDED? I AM ALSO TOLD THIS IS A VERY EXTREME FIRE HAZARD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10182767

Incident

Feb 13, 2007

Mileage

152,000 mi

THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS FOR THE ENGINE, FUEL INJECTION AND REST OF CRITICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE (1995 C280) HAS DISINTEGRATED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER SEEMED TO HAVE USED AN INFERIOR AN UNSUITABLE INSULATION FOR THE WIRES, WHICH, FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN TIME, DETERIORATE ALLOWING THE WIRES TO SHORT AND PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM FUNCTIONING AS WELL AS CREATING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION (STALLING IN FREEWAY, FIRE IN ENGINE, ETC). THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT BUT REFUSES TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION OR TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY. WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE NEW AND HAVE MAINTAINED IT WITH THE UTMOST CARE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10176538

Incident

Dec 10, 2006

Mileage

82,578 mi

MY CAR ACTS HAZARDOUS. FROM TIME TO TIME INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCUR LIKE ENGINE STALLS,ENGINE ERRATICALLY INCREASE RPM, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR NO REASON, GAUGES NOT WORKING FROM TIME TO TIME, WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINES SEEMS TO STALL BUT RUNS ON 3 CYLINDERS I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT IT OFF TO RESTART. MY CAR WENT OFF AND TOOK 6 TRIES TO GET THE CAR STARTED. REPLACED HEAD GASKET AT 130K ANOTHER MERCEDES BENZ PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10172882

Incident

Nov 7, 2006

Mileage

132,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE WIRING HARNESS WITHIN THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10172837

Incident

Jan 2, 2006

Mileage

125,000 mi

(1) WHILE DRIVING MY 95 MERCEDES C280 ON I-44 HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION I HIT A SMALL BUMP. IMMEDIATELY THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON, BUT THE ENGINE SEEMED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM, SO THEY CHECKED THE WARNING LIGHT AND FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS TO BE DETERIORATED, WHICH THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL HARNESS. AT $1745 TO REPLACE AND WITH IT OPERATING NORMALLY AND WITH THEIR ASSURANCE IT SHOULD NOT CAUSE A FIRE OR ANY OTHER PARTS TO FAIL, I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED. WHEN I TALKED WITH CAROL, A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE NATIONAL MERCEDES OFFICE, SHE REFERRED ME TO KENNETH HOLLAND AT ELITE, THE DEALERSHIP IN SPRINGFIELD, MO FOR A REDUCED COST BUT HE REFUSED BECAUSE MERCEDES DID NOT AUTHORIZE IT. I AM CONCERNED AFTER READING OF OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD ACCIDENT RESULTING FROM FAILED WIRING HARNESS ON THIS MODEL. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172363

Incident

Oct 11, 2006

Mileage

78,330 mi

MULTIPLE ENGINE FAILURE EVENTS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CAR WOULD COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN. LOCAL MERCEDES REPAIR SHOP INVESTIGATED AND INFORMED ME OF THE MAIN ENGINE HARNESS WIRING DETERIOATING AND THIS WAS NORMAL FOR THIS MODEL YEAR CAR (WIRES ARE BIODEGRADABLE). MY WIRES HAD FELL APART AND WAS SHORTENING OUT DUE TO BARE WIRES TOUCHING AND EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS. THUS, THIS REQUIRED RE-WIRING THE CAR WITH A NEW HARNESS. CHECKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WIRING ISSUE WAS DUE TO WEAR/TEAR AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE WIRING AT FULL PRICE FOR PARTS & LABOR. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SCENARIO FOR A CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. THE REPLACEMENT WIRES ALSO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THIS ITEM AND REPLACE WITH A IMPROVED (NON-BIODEGRADABEL) WIRING HARNESS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10170426

Incident

Apr 12, 2002

Mileage

185,420 mi