1996 Mercedes-Benz C Class Owner Complaints

1996 MERCEDES C220; ELECTRICAL HARNESS PROBLEMS; ENGINE WILL TURN OVER BUT WILL NOT START; SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL START AND RUN, THEN WILL CUT OFF WHEN SLOWING UP AT A STOP OR WHEN PUTTING INTO REVERSE. SEVERAL MECHANICS SAY THAT THE MERCEDES COMPANY ALLOWED INFERIOR WIRING TO BE USED BUT WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED OR DEALERS SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WIRING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10404400

Incident

Feb 1, 2011

Mileage

146,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES BENZ C280. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CHECK ENGINE AND BATTERY LIGHTS BEGAN ILLUMINATING MOMENTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V058000, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 119,293.

NHTSA ID

10376256

Incident

Jan 8, 2011

Mileage

119,293 mi

THE CAR NOT RUN THE WIRING OF COMPUTER TO FUEL INJECTION IS FAILS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10234969

Incident

Feb 14, 2008

Mileage

40 mi

HESITATION/ NO RESPONSE FROM ENGINE. SIGNAL LIGHTS/ EMERGENCY FLASHERS NOT WORKING AT TIMES. THIS PROBLEM PUT MY FAMILY AT RISK SINCE IT WAS IN A INTERSECTION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10172599

Incident

Nov 3, 2006

Mileage

82,000 mi

I OWN A C 280 (96) [XXX] CAR STARTED CONSUMING MORE GAS THAN NORMAL, WAS HARDER TO START, STARTED MISSING AND DROVE SLUGGISH. I REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND CABLES. BUT IT GOT WORSE, AND THEN QUIT, AS IF IT WAS OUT OF TIME. I SEND IT TO AN IMPORTED CAR SERVICE SHOP IN DALTON, GA. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MERCEDES BENZ BENZ. THE WIRING HARNESS UNDERHOOD (INSULATION ON THE WIRING) CRUMBLED TO PIECES, LIKE DUST AND SHORTED RELAYS AND ALL THE CAR. I PAID OVER $2600.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I STILL HAVE THE OLD HARNESS AS EVIDENCE THAT IT SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE Y COULD LEAD TO A WORSE PROBLEM, LIKE FIRE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE HAS REPAIRED SEVERAL C-280 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT MERCEDES BENZ HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. AN EXPENSIVE CAR AS IT IS SHOULD BE BUILT BETTER THAN THIS. (THE WIRING HARNESS ITSELF IS WORTH $1600.00 OR MORE. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10151604

Incident

Feb 3, 2006

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ON HIGHWAY, ENGINE WILL STALL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, ON DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS HAD HAPPENED IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY, AND CONSUMER HAD TO PULL VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID ACCIDENTS. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT HAD CAUSED STALLING.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COMES ON FREQUENTLY.*SLC ALSO THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED. *YD

NHTSA ID

8000709

Incident

Dec 13, 2001