1994 Mercedes Benz E Class

MERCEDES BENZ ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. AS MANY ENTHUSIASTS AND OWNERS KNOW, THE MAIN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IS MOST 1992 TO 1995 MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES SUFFERS DETERIORATION AND PREMATURE FAILURE. THE RESULT IS POOR RUNNING CONDITION AND THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE. MY OWN HARNESS SHOWED SIGNS OF DETERIORATION AT THE 7 YEAR MARK AND MERCEDES BENZ WOULD NOT REPLACE IT UNDER GOODWILL, HOWEVER, BECAUSE I WAS HAVING OTHER WORK DONE, THEY REPLACED IT FOR THE PART COST ONLY WAIVING LABOR CHARGES. *JB

1994 E320 HAD INTERMINTENT RUNNING PROBLEMS. CAR WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING, ESPECIALLY DURING A RAIN OR AFTER WASHING THE CAR. REPLACED MANY PARTS(MASS AIR METER, TUNE UP, OVP RELAY, FUEL PUMP RELAY, ETC) TO CHASE THE PROBLEM, NONE OF WHICH SOLVED IT. BEGAN TO LOOK ON MERCEDES FORUMS AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. BEFORE I REPLACED THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IT BEGAN TO SMOKE HEAVILY FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I HAD AN EXTINGUSIHER WITH ME AND STOPPED IT FROM CATCHING FIRE. MERCEDES COVERED PART OF THE COST UNDER THEIR "GOODWILL" PROGRAM HOWEVER I HAD TO INSTALL IT WHICH TOOK ABOUT 8 HOURS. THE FIRST OCCURANCE HAPPEND AROUND 125K MILES HOWEVER IT WAS MANY MONTHS AND MILES LATER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED.

ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 4 MONTHS MY CAR HAS SUDDENLY CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS, ALL WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. THESE INCIDENTS RESULTED IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL POWER, RESULTING IS POOR BRAKING AND STEERING. ON A PREVIOUS DEALER VISIT, THE CAR WAS INSPECTED AND SERVICED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THIS CAR IS NOW AT THE DEALER HAVING THE WIRING HARNESS REPLACED AS A COST OF $1500 WITHOUT ANY GOOD WILL FROM MERCEDES BENZ. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AFFECTING A LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLES, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER STILL APPEARS TO BE IGNORANT TO THE FACT. THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE ON THE INTERNET SUGGESTING THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM.*AK

THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS ON MY 1994 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 IS CRACKED BECAUSE OF THE USE OF POOR WIRING INSULATION CAUSING MY CAR TO DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. TO RESTART IT, I HAVE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, PUT THE SHIFTER GATE TO P, TURN THE KEY ALL THE WAY BACK, AND FINALLY RESTART IT. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL OCCUR, I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN MANY ACCIDENTS BECUASE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE BENZ TECHS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT MERCEDES-BENZ REFUSES TO MAKE IT A RECALL. *AK

VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL VISITS TO THE DEALER, I FINALLY FOUND THE ANSWER TO MY PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET MERCEDES NEWSGROUP. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER DENIES THE OVER VOLTAGE REGULATOR WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE 1994 E320, IT APPARENTLY STILL EXISTS. TAKING THE INFORMATION FROM THE NEWSGROUP, THE DEALER REPLACED THE OVER VOLTAGE REGULATOR AND MY STALLING PROBLEM AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WAS FIXED PERMANENTLY. I FEEL MERCEDES SHOULD REFUND SOME OF THE $1200 IN REPAIRS I INCURRED WHILE THE DEALER GUESSED AT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE SINCE THE CAR WOULD START AFTER A FEW RETRIES AFTER THE TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE AND RUN JUST FINE UNTIL THE NEXT TOTAL FAILURE A FEW DAYS LATER. PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE THE OVER VOLTAGE REGULATOR PROBLEM IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE PEOPLE COULD'VE BEEN KILLED BY THE FAILURE OF THIS $89.00 PART.*AK