NHTSA Complaint #10025434 — 1995 MERCEDES BENZ E320

I OWN A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ E320 WAGON. PURCHASED IN FEB 2003 WITH 5300 MILES ON ODOMETER. THE HFM ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY AFTER TRIP TO DEALERSHIP FOR EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION/HEAVY SULFUR ODOR. MERCEDES BENZ WEB CHATROOMS (MBWORLD.ORG, BENZWORLD.ORG, MERCEDESSHOP.COM) DETAIL LITERALLY SEVERAL DOZEN CASES OF DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESSES WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT FOR W124 CARS WITH M104 ENGINES OF MODEL YEARS 1992 TO 1995. THESE WIRING HARNESSES WERE APARENTLY MADE WITH WIRES WHOSE INSULATION IS PRONE TO EXCESSIVE DEGREDATION WITH HEAT AND TIME. THE LOSS OF INSULATION EVENTUALLY LEADS TO SHORT-CIRCUITING OF THE WIRES AND A HOST OF DRIVEABILITY ISSUES. REPLACEMENT OF MY HARNESS FIXED MY PROBLEM. THIS PART IS APPARENTLY UNIVERSALLY DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY, AND AS SUCH I BELIEVE THAT A RECALL OF THE DEFECTIVE ITEM IS IN ORDER. *AK