NHTSA Complaint #10172363 — 1995 MERCEDES BENZ 280

(1) WHILE DRIVING MY 95 MERCEDES C280 ON I-44 HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION I HIT A SMALL BUMP. IMMEDIATELY THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON, BUT THE ENGINE SEEMED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM, SO THEY CHECKED THE WARNING LIGHT AND FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS TO BE DETERIORATED, WHICH THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL HARNESS. AT $1745 TO REPLACE AND WITH IT OPERATING NORMALLY AND WITH THEIR ASSURANCE IT SHOULD NOT CAUSE A FIRE OR ANY OTHER PARTS TO FAIL, I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED. WHEN I TALKED WITH CAROL, A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE NATIONAL MERCEDES OFFICE, SHE REFERRED ME TO KENNETH HOLLAND AT ELITE, THE DEALERSHIP IN SPRINGFIELD, MO FOR A REDUCED COST BUT HE REFUSED BECAUSE MERCEDES DID NOT AUTHORIZE IT. I AM CONCERNED AFTER READING OF OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD ACCIDENT RESULTING FROM FAILED WIRING HARNESS ON THIS MODEL. *NM