Electrical
Filed Jan 3, 2009
1995 MERCEDES BENZ E300 DIESEL, WIRING HARNESS IS DEFECTIVE. INSULATION IS FAILING AND WIRES ARE EXPOSED. I AM CONCERNED THIS COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10253696
- Incident
- Jan 2, 2009
- Mileage
- 155,000 mi
1995 Mercedes-Benz 300
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
16
Latest Jan 3, 2009
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Overview
Our database contains 16 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz 300, most frequently naming the electrical, brakes and transmission categories. 3 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 1995 | 1 | 1 |
| Aug 1995 | 1 | 2 |
| Sep 1995 | 1 | 3 |
| Oct 1995 | 1 | 4 |
| Dec 1995 | 2 | 6 |
| Feb 1996 | 1 | 7 |
| Dec 1996 | 1 | 8 |
| Feb 1997 | 1 | 9 |
| Mar 1998 | 1 | 10 |
| Jan 1999 | 1 | 11 |
| Dec 2000 | 1 | 12 |
| Mar 2001 | 1 | 13 |
| Dec 2005 | 1 | 14 |
| Aug 2006 | 1 | 15 |
| Jan 2009 | 1 | 16 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Electrical631.6%
- Brakes315.8%
- Transmission210.5%
- Fuel system15.3%
- Interior & seats15.3%
- Exterior lighting15.3%
- Steering15.3%
- Suspension15.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Electrical
Filed Aug 28, 2006
1995 E300D WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTEGRATING WITH RESPECT TO THE WIRE INSULATION. WHEN THE WIRE IS FLEXED DURING NORMAL MAINTENANCE THE INSULATION FLAKES OFF LEAVING EXPOSED COPPER WIRE THE CAN SHORT OUT CRITICAL COMPONENT'S AND CAUSE A FIRE. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10166691
- Incident
- Aug 27, 2006
- Mileage
- 163,756 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 9, 2005
WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10144877
- Incident
- Nov 4, 2005
- Mileage
- 168,491 mi
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Mar 19, 2001
THE ENGINE RAN VERY ROUGH AND RAW GAS WAS GOING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED THE INSULATION AND CAUSE THE WIRES TO TOUCH. THIS CAUSED THE #6 INJECTOR TO SPRAY TO MUCH FUEL. THE WIRES THAT TOUCHED ALSO BURNED OUT THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. THE CRANK CASE AND THE EXHAUST WERE FILLED WITH GAS, AND STILL NO "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. MERCEDES-BENZ HAS A DIAGNOSTIC DIRECTORY # AF07.00-U-3400A ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE WILL NOT PAY FOR THIS REPAIR. THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. I FELL THAT MERCEDES-BENZ SHOULD BE RESPONSABLE AND THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THIS CARS BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS FIRE HAZARD.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 742685
Electrical
Filed Dec 2, 2000
Fire reported
THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL HARNESS ON 1995 E320 MERCEDES ARE FLAWED BEYOND BELIEF. THE ENTIRE HARNESS BUNDLE WHICH INCLUDES HIGH VOLTAGE LINES FOR IGNITION COILS AND THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM HAS A SEVERE FIRE PROBLEM DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WIRE INSULATION IS INFERIOR IN MATERIAL QUALITY. THE INSULATION ALONG THESE WIRE IS CRACKING AT A RATE OF EVERY 1/4 INCH, THROUGOUT THE ENTIRE HARNESS. HIGH VOLTAGE COPPER WIRE ARE MAKING CONTACT, THESE WIRE RUN ON TOP OF THE FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM. ALL AUSTIN BASED MERCEDES SHOPS INFORM ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL, BUT MERCEDES WILL NOT ADMIT TO IT. THIS PROBLEM IS AS DANGEROUS AS ANY FACING THE CURRENT BOARD AND TO HAVE MERCEDES BENZ ACT LIKE IT IS NOT A PROBLEM IS JUST A BUNCH OF FUEY. PLEASE SEND AN INVESTIGATOR TO LOOK AT THIS WIRING HARNESS AND I WILL ASSURE YOU THAT THIS WILL BE A RECALL EVENT ONCE YOU SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THESE HARNESS'S. THANKS.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 737212
- Incident
- Nov 1, 2000
Electrical
Filed Jan 2, 1999
Fire reported
CONSUMER WAS TURNING A CORNER WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED , TOTAL VEHICLE FAILURE.SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE HOOD BURSTING INTO FLAMES . NO DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE, BUT TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, INCLUDING THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE MELTED. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 836664
- Incident
- Jan 2, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 31, 1998
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT
- NHTSA ID
- 533418
- Incident
- Jan 31, 1998
Suspension
Filed Feb 3, 1997
NOISES COME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE WHEN SLOWING DOWN ON AN INCLINE WHEN REVERSIN BECAUSE THE CONTROL ARM BOLTS ARE LOOSE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 808504
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
MB77/35
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
UNKNOWN
MBNA82/81
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
BONDING HEADLAMP LENS TO HOUSING. *TW
4477
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
NEW SOFT TOP CONTROL MODULE WHICH LOWERS THE WINDOWS SLIGHTLY WHEN OPENING DOOR. *TW
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.