1995 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Owner Complaints

ENGINE WIRE HARNESS HAS DETERIORATED DUE TO MERCEDES' CHOICE TO USE BIODEGRADABLE WIRE INSULATION. WIRES ARE SHORTING WHICH ALMOST LED TO AN ACCIDENT, COULD LEAD TO A FIRE AND HAVE CAUSED THE ANTI SLIP REGULATOR SAFETY SYSTEM TO FAIL AND THE CAR TO RUN IN LIMP MODE WITH SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED POWER. CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN I LOST POWER INITIALLY AND AT THE TIME WAS SURPRISED BY THE LOSS OF POWER. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CONTROL ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT SINCE THE GAS PEDAL STOPPED FULLY RESPONDING TO INPUT. I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND AM SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THIS HAS NOT BEEN PUT OUT AS A RECALL ITEM.

NHTSA ID

11194764

Incident

Mar 8, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

CAR CAN HARDLY RUN--WITHOUT STALLING-HARD TO START MERCEDES DEALER SAID TO SELL IT BECAUSE OF WIRING PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

11162777

Incident

Dec 18, 2018

91-96 MERCEDES ENGINE WIRE HARNESS DISINTEGRATES COMPLETELY TO SHORTING OUT ALL GAUGES AND ENGINE OPERATIONS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS... DEADLY DANGEROUS . THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A MASS GROUP TO FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE NHTSA FOR NOT DEMANDING MERCEDES TO IMPLEMENT A RECALL ON ITS DEADLY MISTAKE. ( WE HAVE NOT LOST A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT TODAY FROM 1989... THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

NHTSA ID

11016263

Incident

Dec 1, 1995

Mileage

1,000 mi

I HAVE 1995 SL500 LAST 8 YEARS HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES, RELATED TO WIRING HARNESS ,MISFIRE ,STEERING PUMP,AIR PUMP AND MORE. I AM THE FIRST OWNER.ALL THE WIRES ARE DETERIORATING,I THNIK WE NEED NHTSA TO INSPECT THESE CAR MANUFACTURERS.IF MANUFACTURER INSTALLED THE FAULTY WIRING THEY SHOULD STAND UP AND OFFER REPAIRS AT THE MERCEDES DEALERS.FREE. REGARDS

NHTSA ID

10966708

Incident

Mar 7, 2012

Mileage

145,000 mi

MERCEDES BENZ WIRING HARNESS PROBLEMS 1993 ' 1995 CAR DOES NOT RUN CORRECT

NHTSA ID

10920297

Incident

Oct 8, 2014

Mileage

135,000 mi

CAR IMMEDIATELY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE. DRIVING VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO STALL. WAS NOT ABLE TO EVEN PULL TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. WAS LATER ABLE TO JUMP START VEHICLE, HOWEVER STILL HAD ISSUES WITH STALLING AND NO ACCELERATION. HAVE BEEN INFORMED IT IS A "HARNESS WIRING ISSUE".

NHTSA ID

10724745

Incident

Jun 10, 2015

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS WEAKENED OVER TIME AND DOESN'T RETRACT THE BELT. BELT FITS LOOSE OVER TORSO AND GETS SHUT IN DOOR EASILY SINCE IT DOESN'T RETRACT POSSIBLY CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE TO THIS SAFETY CRITICAL INSTALLATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10631372

Incident

Jul 1, 2014

Mileage

95,000 mi

THIS VEHICLE HAS A BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THESE HARNESSES ARE DETERIORATING. MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER, NO POWER STEERING, NO NOTHING ON A FREEWAY AND I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT KILLED. MERCEDES AND THE DEALERSHIPS BOTH KNOW THAT VEHICLES WITH THIS TYPE HARNESS ARE DEATH TRAPS. I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED, BUT WIRING HARNESS WAS NEVER INVESTIGATED AS CAUSE OF ACCIDENT. WHY ARE YOU NOT TAKING ACTION AGAINST MERCEDES? EVERY VEHICLE STILL ON THE ROAD SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY IF IT HAS A BIO-DEGRADABLE WIRING HARNESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10513085

Incident

May 20, 2013

Mileage

103,000 mi

WAS DRIVING CAR AND ENGINE STARTED TO MISFIRE, STUMBLE AND LOSE POWER AS I WAS CROSSING TRAFFIC INTO A SIDE ROAD. ALMOST WAS HIT FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE BY A LARGE TRUCK THAT WAS MOVING AT ME AT OVER 50MPH. I HAD LEFT PLENTY OF TIME/SPACE TO DO THIS CROSSING PROPERLY. HOWEVER, THE CAR ALMOST STALLED OUT MID WAY ACROSS AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY TO GET OUT OF THE WAY IN A TIMELY MANNER.. ENGINE GOT SLIGHT SURGE JUST IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO LIMP HOME. STARTED IT UP A FEW LATER AND RAN FINE AS I CAREFULLY DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR EVALUATION. DEALER MECHANIC FOUND THE WIRE INSULATION ON THE ENGINE HARNESS AND THE GAS ACTUATOR WHERE SERIOUSLY DETERIORATED AND EXPOSING BARE WIRES INSIDE. VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS COSTING OVER $3,300.00 PARTS AND LABOR FOR THESE 2 REPAIRS ALONE.. I THINK THIS DEFECT WOULD HAVE SHOW UP MUCH SOONER ON MY VEHICLE EXCEPT THAT I ONLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE SEASONALLY AND THE CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE AT 44K. I COLLECT MANY OLD CARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS INSULATION DEFECT ON A 18 YEAR OLD VEHICLE BEFORE. I DO NOT THINK THIS DEFECT IS ACCEPTABLE ON A VEHICLE THAT ORIGINALLY COST NEARLY 100K. AS THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AND STARTED SHOWING UP MANY YEARS AGO ON OTHER CARS, MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD PROVIDE AT LEAST SOME RELIEF TO OWNERS FOR THE REPAIR COSTS OF THEIR POOR ENGINEERING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10511697

Incident

Apr 9, 2013

Mileage

43,890 mi

HAD TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESSES IN THE CAR AT A COST OF $3500.00. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS AGAIN AT A SIMILAR COST. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS NONSENSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510279

Incident

Jun 18, 2008

Mileage

50,500 mi

TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE AS IT WASN'T RUNNING PROPERLY (COMPUTER CODES, STALLING, ETC) FOUND OUT THAT IN 1995 THE MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY PUT BIODEGRADABLE WIRING. HAD TO SEND TO GERMANY FOR A NEW WIRING HARNESS ($1500) MAY HAVE TO PURCHASE THE OTHER WIRING HARNESS IN THE NEAR FUTURE ($3000). WHAT KIND OF CAR COMPANY PUTS BIODEGRADABLE WIRING IN THEIR CARS?? A MERCEDES IS KNOWN TO LAST UP TO SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES, BUT NOT WHEN THE WIRING STARTS DISINTEGRATING!! I HAVE SINCE FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF CLASS ACTION SUITS FOR THIS SAME MATTER AGAINST THE MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY. THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE OR THE PROBLEM. HAD I KNOWN OF THIS, I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR IN THE FIRST PLACE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10479888

Incident

Apr 2, 2012

Mileage

63,000 mi

MERCEDES BENZ ENGINEERED THEIR 1995 SL500 WITH FAULTY WIRING. I HAVE EXPERIENCED TIMES WHEN THE CAR WOULD NOT IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I HAVE CROSSED AN INTERSECTION AND THE CAR STALLED, HAD NOT POWER AND JUST WOULD NOT RUN. THIS HAS ALMOST BEEN THE CAUSE OF MORE THAN ONE ACCIDENT. SEVERAL HOURS HAS BEEN SPENT BY MECHANICS WORKING ON THE CAR DOING RESEARCH TO DIAGNOSIS THE ISSUES. WE BECAME AWARE OF THE FAULTY WIRING THAT MERCEDES BENZ USED AND IN TURN HAS CAUSED SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL. THERE HAS BEEN $1,000.00'S OF DOLLARS SPENT ON MY VEHICLE FOR DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM,REPLACING MODULES, WIRING HARNESSES, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, FUEL PUMP JUST TO NAME A FEW. I HAVE PHOTO'S OF THE FAULTY WIRING USED FOR THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT HARNESS AND OF THE WIRING LEADING FROM THE ETA (THROTTLE BODY) TO THE COMPUTER. MERCEDES BENZ HAS NOT NOTIFIED REGISTERED OWNERS OF THIS KNOWN PROBLEM, NOR RELEASED ANY SERVICE BULLETINS TO QUALIFIED MECHANICS. I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED A COMPANY WITH A REPUTATION FOR PROVIDING OUTSTANDING AND DEPENDABLE VEHICLES TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THIS AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. INSTEAD THEY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO IGNORE THE COSTLY MISTAKE AND HAVE PASSED IT ON TO THE OWNERS. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, IT HAS ONLY BEEN A MONETARY. I WONDER IF OR HOW MANY HAVE PAID THE PRICE BY INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10458245

Incident

Mar 1, 2011

Mileage

102,300 mi

1995 MERCEDES SL500 WITH 105,000 MILES. I HAD TO REPLACE THREE WIRING HARNESSES: FUEL INJECTION/ENGINE MANAGEMENT, ALTERNATOR/LOWER ELECTRICAL HARNESSES, AND HAD TO HAVE THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY WIRING REBUILT. ALL OF THE WIRING INSULATION WAS BRITTLE AND EXPOSED CAUSING DRIVEABILITY ISSUES AND THE INABILITY TO RUN OR ACCELERATE. THE REPAIRS COST $2,000 PLUS AND MERCEDES SAYS THERE IS NO DEFECT. BALONEY! *TR

NHTSA ID

10370919

Incident

Mar 3, 2008

Mileage

100,000 mi

LEAVING WILLIAMSBURG VA ON I64 FOR NEWPORT NEWS 6-21-2010 AT 4:30 PM THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLOSIVELY FAILED. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND BROUGHT TO THE SHOULDER. BEFORE THIS THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WOULD COME ON AT TIMES. THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY, THE TEMPERATURE WAS 80-99F. THE BLOW OUT LOOKED TO BE CAUSED BY THE RIM SPINNING IN THE TIRE AND THE PLY STOCK DELAMINATING FROM THE BEAD, THEN THE SIDE WALL SPLIT. THERE WAS SEVERAL OUNCES OF GROUND RUBBER IN THE TIRE WHEN REMOVED FROM THE RIM. THE TIRES HAD THE PRESSURE CHECKED THE WEEK BEFORE WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE DEVELOPED A SLOW LEAK AND WAS REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE RETURNED TO THE PURCHASE LOCATION AND REPLACED DUE TO ROAD HAZARDS. THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN JANUARY. THE TIRES ARE MICHLIEN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS, 225/50ZR16 92Y DIR BSW. THE CAR IS A MERCEDES SL500 1995. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAMAGED TIRE. RETAILER KEPT TIRE TO BE REIMBURSED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10340345

Incident

Jun 21, 2010

Mileage

43,182 mi

1995 SL500 HAD THE SAR LIGHT GO ON AND THE CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" AND BARELY RAN ENOUGH TO GET IT TO THE SERVICE GARAGE. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED A FAULTY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND SHOWED ME HOW THE INSULATION ON THE WIRES WAS LITERALLY BREAKING AWAY FROM THE ELECTRICAL WIRING. THIS HE SAID WAS SHORTING OUT THE CONTROL MODULE. HE TOLD ME HIS WAS VERY COMMON ON THE MERCEDES OF THIS VINTAGE AND THAT IT WAS A HAZARD. THE CAR ONLY HAS 83,000 MILES ON IT AND MY WIFE BABY IT'S LIKE HER OWN CHILD. IT IS GARAGED EACH NIGHT AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THE WIRING HARNESS SHOULD HAVE DESINTEGRATED WITH SO FEW MILES. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE PRODUCT IS DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10291681

Incident

Nov 8, 2009

Mileage

83,000 mi

MY 1996 MERCEDES SL500 WITH LESS THAN 55,000 MILES HAS CRUMBLING WIRE INSULATION ON THE ENGINE CONTROLS WHICH HAS RESULTED IN SHORTED WIRING IN THE ENGINE CONTROLS. THE POOR QUALITY OF THE INSULATION ON THE WIRES IS THE PROBLEM, YET THE CAR MAKER OR THE DEALER HAS NOT DONE A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS WIRING HARNESS FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. I AM TOLD THE COST TO REPLACE ALL THE DEFECTIVE PARTS WILL BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE WITHIN THE MERCEDES COMMUNITY FOR THIS CAR THROUGH 1990-1995. THERE MUST BE THOUSANDS OF CARS INVOLVED WITH THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THIS CAR WAS SOLD TO ME WITHOUT ANY MENTION OF THIS HAZARD. BECAME AWARE OF IT WHEN PRESENTED TO REPAIR SHOPS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10252708

Incident

Jun 24, 2008

Mileage

55,000 mi

I HAVE A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ AND THE WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE WHILE WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND ALMOST HAD A WRECK TRYING TO STOP THE CAR SO I COULD GET OUT, WAS CHOKING FROM THE FUMES. SHOULD I HAVE WAITED UNTIL I HAD A WRECK AND KILLED SOMEONE. SINCE I HAVE READ ON LINE THAT 500 PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT THEY REPORTED TO YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10246046

Incident

Sep 23, 2008

Mileage

141,000 mi

I HAVE A 1995 SL500 MERCEDES BENZ AND THE WIRES GOING TO THE BRAKE SWITCH CAUGHT FIRE, IF I HAD NOT HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER THE HOLE CAR MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT FIRE ALSO I WAS NO GOING FAST WHEN THE FUMES STARTED CHOKING ME AND MY EYES BURNED. I COULD HAVE KILLED MY SELF OR SOMEONE ON THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10242737

Incident

Sep 6, 2008

Mileage

131,000 mi

MY 1995 SL500 RECENTLY LOST POWER WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A FAULTY ALTERNATOR BUT, WHILE THE MB DEALERSHIP WAS LOOKING THE CAR OVER, THE EA WIRING HARNESS WAS FOUND TO BE DEGRADED IN SEVERAL PLACES. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED WHICH ALSO INVOLVED REPLACING THE EA CONTROL UNIT AND THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATOR. THESE PARTS APPARENTLY COME AS KIT FOR ABOUT $4,000.00! I OPTED TO NOT HAVE THAT REPAIRED AT THIS TIME BUT, I WILL BE HAVING IT REPAIRED VERY VERY SOON! IT IS QUITE REMARKABLE THAT A BIODEGRADABLE WIRING HARNESS HAS NEVER BEEN RECALLED OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED AS FAULTY BY THE MANUFACTURER. THIS SHOULD TRULY BE ADDRESSED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10226361

Incident

Apr 25, 2008

Mileage

563,000 mi

CAR GOES INTO LIMP MODE ALSO CAUSING ADDITIONAL ERROR CODES ON MY COMPUTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208852

Incident

Nov 5, 2007

MY 1996 MERCEDES SL500 WITH LESS THAN 55,000 MILES HAS CRUMBLING WIRE INSULATION ON THE ENGINE CONTROLS WHICH HAS RESULTED IN SHORTED WIRING IN THE ENGINE CONTROLS. THE POOR QUALITY OF THE INSULATION ON THE WIRES IS THE PROBLEM, YET THE CAR MAKER OR THE DEALER HAS NOT DONE A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS WIRING HARNESS FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. I AM TOLD THE COST TO REPLACE ALL THE DEFECTIVE PARTS WILL BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THE CAR MUST BE REWIRED BEFORE IT CAN BE DRIVEN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10182478

Incident

Feb 13, 2007

Mileage

56,871 mi

CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC DUE TO WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. STARTED SMALL FIRE THAT WAS EXTINGUISHED BEFORE ANY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. I REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS AND CLEANED ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WIRING HARNESS INSULATION HAD TURNED TO POWDER IN MANY LOCATIONS SHORTING FUEL INJECTORS, MASS SENSOR AND CAM MAGNETS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172352

Incident

Oct 4, 2006

Mileage

119,750 mi