THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS MADE WITH BIODEGRADABLE INSULATION THAT HAS CRACKED AND FALLEN OFF THE THE WIRES CAUSING SHORT CIRCUITS IN THE GLOW PLUG SYSTEM.
- NHTSA ID
- 11331311
- Incident
- Jun 15, 2020
- Mileage
- 212,000 mi
Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz E 300. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–6 of 6
THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS MADE WITH BIODEGRADABLE INSULATION THAT HAS CRACKED AND FALLEN OFF THE THE WIRES CAUSING SHORT CIRCUITS IN THE GLOW PLUG SYSTEM.
THE COPPER CORE OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRE ARE EXPOSED CAN EASILY CAUSE SHORTING OF ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A DAILY DRIVING VEHICLE SINCE 1995 SPENDING THE WHOLE LIFETIME IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THIS IS HAPPENING TO ALL MODEL LINE 1995 MERCEDES E300 DIESEL, BUILT IN THOSE PARTICULAR MODEL YEAR. THESE WIRES ARE CONSIDERED LIFETIME AND THAT IT SHOULD NOT CONSIDERED BE REPLACED AFTER 10 OR 15 OR EVEN 20+ YEARS IN USE.
ALL OF THE WIRE INSULATION ON THE MAIN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAD DECAYED. SEVERE RISK OF FIRE. APPARENTLY MERCEDES-BENZ USED BIO-DEGRADABLE WIRE INSULATION. WHEN EXPOSED TO THE HEAT THAT IS IN THE ENGINE BAY, THE COATING COVERING THE WIRES DISINTEGRATES. VEHICLE HAS 90,000 MILES, ORIGINAL OWNER, NO ACCIDENTS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 DIESEL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WOBBLED AND A SQUEAKY NOISE WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME HOLDING THE SUSPENSION SHOCK ON THE DRIVER SIDE WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED WELDING. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,872.
THE INSULATION ON THE ENGINE GLOWPLUG WIRING HARNESS HAS DETERIORATED LEAVING THE COVERING IN DUST EXPOSING BARE WIRES THAT SHORT OUT AND CAUSE MALFUNCTIONS. MBUSA WAS CONTACTED AND THE ONLY RESPONSE WAS TO GET A LOCATION. I INQUIRED A SECOND TIME BUT GOT NO RESPONSE EXCEPT A NEW HARNESS WAS $565 AT LOCAL DEALER. *TR
WIRE INSULATION COVERING HAS DETERIORATED DUE TO HEAT AND AGE LEAVING POWDER OF INSULATION AND BARE WIRES CAUSING MALFUNCTION. MBNA WAS CONTACTED BUT NEVER ANSWERED EXCEPT TO GET MY COUNTRY. SECOND ATTEMPT AT COMMUNICATING WITH THEM GOT NO RESPONSE. *TR
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.
Data on this page last refreshed .