Other / unspecified
Filed Jun 13, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE REMOVING THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL, THE VEHICLE'S FACTORY EQUIPPED JACK FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE FELL ON THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE COLLAR BONE THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
- NHTSA ID
- 11101643
- Incident
- Jun 12, 2018
- Mileage
- 100,000 mi
ElectricalEngineInterior & seats
Filed Jan 5, 2016
CAR WAS NOT STARTING BROUGHT TO MERCEDES DEALER REPLACED A SENSOR AND THE MECHANIC AND ADVISOR SHOWED ME THE WIRE HARNESS TOLD ME I SHOULD CHANGE IT IT IS BRITTLE AND I WILL HAVE FUTURE PROBLEMS I ONLY HAVE 60,000 MILES ON THIS VECHICLE
- NHTSA ID
- 10818056
- Incident
- Jun 15, 2015
Fuel system
Filed Mar 22, 2015
I SMELL GASOLINE INSIDE MY 1994 E320 WHEN I'M DRIVING, JUST STARTED SMELLING IT ON 3/20/15. NEVER BEFORE THIS DATE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10700895
- Incident
- Mar 20, 2015
- Mileage
- 131,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 22, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. NONE OF INDICATORS ON THE PANEL FUNCTIONED EXCLUDING THE CLOCK. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER BEING DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10593414
- Incident
- May 5, 2014
- Mileage
- 15,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalFuel system
Filed Sep 12, 2013
RECENTLY BOUGHT CAR. WIRING HARNESS HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED, BUT COMPUTER HAS NOT ACTED CORRECTLY SINCE THE WIRING SHORTED OUT DUE TO FAULTY INSULATION. THROWING FAULTS AND NO IDLE. SURGES FORWARD OR BACKWARDS ON ITS OWN. WHILE BACKING IT OUT OF GARAGE, IT SURGED BACKWARDS SO FAST THE BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD. HIT TRACTOR PARKED IN DRIVEWAY BEFORE GETTING IT STOPPED. BROKE REAR BUMPER COVER. I HAVE OLDER VEHICLES (1974 CHEVY) (1990 CHEVY PICKUP) WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WIRING PROBLEMS. NOW I HAVE A REALLY NICE 1994 E320 THAT IS JUNK BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD THE $12 - $1500 TO REPAIR IT. I CAN NOT DRIVE IT UNTIL I CAN HAVE IT REPAIRED. GOOD THING I WASN'T IN TRAFFIC BEHIND A COP WHEN IT DECIDED TO SURGE FORWARD ON IT'S OWN, OR I WOULD BE WRITING THIS FROM INSIDE A JAIL CELL. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10543216
- Incident
- Sep 9, 2013
- Mileage
- 167,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 15, 2013
AFTER THE VEHICLE IS RESTORED, THE OWNER STARTED TO EXPERIENCE SIGNS OF ELECTRICAL MISHAP. AT FIRST, THE OVERVOLTAGE PROTECTION RELAY (OVP) SHORTED OUT AND THUS, THE CAR COULDN'T BE STARTED. AFTER REPLACING THE OVP, $100, THE CAR STARTED FINE AND ENDED UP BEING DRIVABLE BUT THE OWNER NOTICED A VERY SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS MISFIRE, IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE CYLINDERS LEADING FROM THE ECU TO THE DISTRIBUTOR. OWNER STILL ENDED UP GOING TO A VIRGINIA STATE LICENSED INSPECTION AND EMISSION. WHERE IT FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE OF MALFUNCTIONS IN THE BRAKE LIGHT, AS IT APPEARS THAT THE REVERSE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON. THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WAS ALSO FAULTY AS IT WOULDN'T TURN ON. EVEN THOUGH THE OWNER FAILED INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN STILL PROCEEDED TO TEST THE EMISSIONS OF THE CAR. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE EMISSIONS FAILED BECAUSE OF HC (HIGH CARBON) WHICH CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE MISFIRING OF MULTIPLE CYLINDERS, WHICH IS THEN ASSOCIATED TO THE LACK OF POWER THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING. AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE EMISSIONS, THE TECHNICIAN ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND ENDED UP HAVING A SMALL FIRE THAT WAS IGNITED IN THE EXPOSED WIRES OF THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS THAT IS CLOSE TO THE BATTERY AREA. AFTER THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, THE CAR WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE STARTED, ASSUMING THAT THE CONSUMER WOULD NEED A REPLACEMENT FOR THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE IN THE W124 CHASSIS, M104 ENGINE BASED E320. THERE APPARENTLY ISN'T ANY RECALL BUT ACTION FROM THE MERCEDES-BENZ USA SHOULD BE IMPERATIVE TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE OWNERS OF THESE PARTICULAR CAR. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10535552
- Incident
- Aug 12, 2013
- Mileage
- 143,000 mi
UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITION ENGINE STARTED REVVING UP TO ABOUT 3500 RPM AS IF I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. FREAKY EXPERIENCE BUT LUCKILY THE ROAD WASN'T TOO BUSY. I SLOWED DOWN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (WAS DRIVING IN PORTLAND OREGON INNER CITY AREA) BY PRESSING THE BRAKES AND FLIPPING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL BUT THE ENGINE KEPT REVVING UP AROUND 3000-4000RPM. WHEN I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND STARTED IT AGAIN, IT WASN'T SO BAD BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING UP AND DOWN BY ITSELF BETWEEN ABOUT 750 AND 2000RPM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAD GONE INTO - WHAT I LATER READ ON INTERNET TO BE CALLED - LIMP HOME MODE WHICH MADE IT VERY ANNOYING FOR ME TO DRIVE. RESEARCH ON INTERNET TELLS ME MY E320 WAGON WITH THE M104 ENGINE HAS A TYPE OF BIODEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WHICH FALLS APART AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. I LOVE MY MERCEDES AND IT DRIVES BEAUTIFULLY, BUT THAT WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM MAKES IT A PROBLEMATIC CAR, AND DANGEROUS TOO. I AM NOT WILLING TO SPEND $1,500 ON A NEW HARNESS FROM THE DEALER, SINCE IT IS NOT A RESULT OF BAD MAINTENANCE, BUT MORE A DESIGN FLAW BY MERCEDES BENZ AG. THEY SHOULD TAKE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND DO A RECALL. SURPRISED THEY DIDN'T ALREADY DO THAT (DID THEY?) AS I CAN IMAGINE THE BIG DAMAGE TO THE MERCEDES BENZ NAME AND IMAGE IF SOMEBODY WERE TO END UP IN A FATAL CAR CRASH DUE TO A BIODEGRADABLE WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM. THANKS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10484043
- Incident
- Nov 9, 2012
- Mileage
- 162,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 11, 2012
DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS KNOWN TO EXIST ON MANY MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES MADE FROM 1990 ON, I HAVE THE EXCESSIVE EXPENSE OF REPAIRING AND REPLACING EXPENSIVE PARTS (THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS) IN THIS VEHICLE THAT FAILED PREMATURELY DUE TO FAULTY WIRING INSULATION. THE WIRING INSULATION IS INEFFICIENT AND WAS CORRECTED ON LATER MODELS, BUT CONSIDERING THAT IT IS A POOR DESIGN ON MERCEDES PART, I BELIEVE THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WIRING ISSUE. THESE CARS DO JUSTIFY THEIR PRICE IF MAINTAINED PROPERLY, AND MY VEHICLE IS OLDER AND ASIDE FROM THE WIRING HARNESS, IS IN GOOD RUNNING ORDER; YET ME, AS A CUSTOMER WHO PAYS THE PRICE TO MAINTAIN MY VEHICLE, I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS JUSTIFIED THAT MERCEDES ORIGINALLY INCLUDED IN THE VEHICLE PRICE THE COST OF A SUPPOSED QUALITY WIRING HARNESS, YET WHEN IT FAILS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW, THE CONSUMER PAYS THE PRICE TO HAVE IT REPLACED WITH WHAT SHOULD HAVE ORIGINALLY BEEN INSTALLED. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT IN THE RECENT ROUGH ECONOMY THAT AN AUTO MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD RESULT IN MILLIONS LOST, AND ATTEMPT TO MAXIMIZE PROFITS ON THE FLAW BY CHARGING CUSTOMERS FOR THE UPDATED HARNESS, BUT I FEEL THAT IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES AND SHOULD BE SORTED OUT FOR DRIVERS OF ALL VEHICLES WITH THE FAULTY HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE ON A SAFETY BASIS, IF IT HAS JEOPARDIZED THE LIFE OF THE DRIVER, THEN IT SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE (SURELY THAT IS THE LEAST THAT COULD BE DONE). MY CAR HAD A SHORT TODAY IN THE WIRING HARNESS AND IT CAUSED UNINTENDED SURGE OF ACCELERATION WHEN I PULLED UP TO A CURB AND THE CAR JUMPED OVER THE CURB AND BROKE OFF A BIG PLASTIC PIECE OF THE BUMPER. I ASK MYSELF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS AT A BUSY INTERSECTION AND THIS HAPPENED? *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10470205
- Incident
- Aug 10, 2012
- Mileage
- 174,000 mi