NHTSA Complaint #10005396 — 1995 MERCEDES BENZ E320

I OWN A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ E320 STATION WAGON THAT HAS 76,000 MILES ON IT AS OF 2/6/03. DURING A 75,000 MILE SERVICE, THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING HARNESS WAS DECOMPOSING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SHORTLY AFTERWARD THE "CHECK ENGINE " TROUBLE LIGHT BEGAN TO COME ON REPEATEDLY. THE ENTIRE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERS SERVICE TECHNICIAN MADE A COMMENT ON MY PAPERWORK THAT THE HARNESS HAD FRAYED THROUGH IN ONE AREA AND WAS SHORTING OUT IN A VALVE COVER. THIS TYPE OF DEFECTIVE PRODUCT CONSTITUTES A CLASS 1 SAFETY ISSUE. VIA THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS TYPE CAR FROM 1994 TO 1996 HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR DECOMPOSING WIRING HARNESSES. THIS SITUATION SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY A GENERAL RECALL AND MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA SHOULD REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESSES.