IllustrationTHE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS HAD MELTED IN TWO LOCATIONS. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOLD ME THAT HE HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS. *TR
1995 Mercedes Benz 124
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 124 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 4 of 6 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
6 reportsTHE CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER AT A SLOW SPEED AT ANY STOP. THE ENGINE ALMOST DIES IF YOU DON'T GIVE GAS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. *JS
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION HAS DISINTEGRATED, CRACKED AND FLAKED OFF OF THE WIRES EXPOSING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF BARE COPPER INCLUDING CONNECTIONS TO THE GLOW PLUG RELAY AND EVERY CONNECTOR DIRECTLY ATTACHING TO AN ENGINE COMPONENT. REMOVAL OF THE WIRING HARNESS SHOWS CRACKING AND DISINTEGRATION IF THE HARNESS INSULATION…
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ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION HAS DISINTEGRATED, CRACKED AND FLAKED OFF OF THE WIRES EXPOSING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF BARE COPPER INCLUDING CONNECTIONS TO THE GLOW PLUG RELAY AND EVERY CONNECTOR DIRECTLY ATTACHING TO AN ENGINE COMPONENT. REMOVAL OF THE WIRING HARNESS SHOWS CRACKING AND DISINTEGRATION IF THE HARNESS INSULATION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE HARNESS. WAS CAUSING INSTRUMENTATION MALFUNCTIONS IN GLOW PLUG CIRCUITS. SIGNIFICANT EXPOSED POWER WIRE COPPER WOULD GROUND THE SYSTEM OUT IF EVEN A SLIGHT SHIFTING OF THE HARNESS TOOK PLACE AS WOULD HAPPEN IN ANY MINOR ACCIDENT. I HAVE SAVED SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF THE DEFECTIVE WIRING. *TR
RIGHT FRONT SPRING PERCH AND SURROUNDING RAIL IS CRUMBLING. ONE LEG OF THE PERCH AT THE WELD HAS COMPLETELY BROKEN LOSE. THERE IS NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT RUST ON THE VEHICLE. IF THIS FAILS, THE SPRING MAY BREAK THROUGH THE RAIL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, OR THE SPRING MAY FALL OUT. AT SPEED, THIS COULD BE A VERY BAD SITUATION. …
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RIGHT FRONT SPRING PERCH AND SURROUNDING RAIL IS CRUMBLING. ONE LEG OF THE PERCH AT THE WELD HAS COMPLETELY BROKEN LOSE. THERE IS NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT RUST ON THE VEHICLE. IF THIS FAILS, THE SPRING MAY BREAK THROUGH THE RAIL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, OR THE SPRING MAY FALL OUT. AT SPEED, THIS COULD BE A VERY BAD SITUATION. *TR
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER, AFTER DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM, SAID THAT A CODE INDICATING THAT THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR WAS FAULTY HOWEVER THEY DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE "THIS YEAR CAR WAS DESIGNED WITH A HARNESS THAT WAS BIODEGRADABLE." THE INSULATION HAS BEG…
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THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER, AFTER DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM, SAID THAT A CODE INDICATING THAT THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR WAS FAULTY HOWEVER THEY DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE "THIS YEAR CAR WAS DESIGNED WITH A HARNESS THAT WAS BIODEGRADABLE." THE INSULATION HAS BEGUN TO CRUMBLE REQUIRING A NEW HARNESS. THE PART IS ABOUT $1100 PLUS LABOR FOR INSTALLATION. *TR
THIS CAR HAS ONLY 33000 MILES AND THIS KIND OF PROBLEM SHOULD'T BE HAPPENING .I TALKED TO THE DEALER THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL ABOUT IT.ONLY THING THEY SAY IT IS NOT UNDER WARANTY.I DONT UNDERSTAND THAT I THIS CAR EVER BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS KIND PROBLEM?
Official recalls
195V031000 · Electrical System:wiring
Feb 21, 1995
THE FRONT PASSENGER METAL FOOT REST CAN, OVER TIME, ABRADE THROUGH THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE FOOT REST CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A SHORT CIRCUIT CAN CAUSE THE WIRES TO OVERHEAT, STALL THE ENGINE, OR INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY AN AIRBAG, ANY OF THESE INCREASES THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL ADDITIONAL WIRING HARNESS CABLE FASTENER TIES AND EDGE PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR SHARP EDGES OF THE METAL FOOT REST.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.