NHTSA Complaint #10392515 — 1993 MERCEDES BENZ 300 SERIES

AFTER A MAJOR SERVICE TO THE VEHICLE, DURING WHICH THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED, A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EMERGE. ONE SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WAS THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ON ONE OCCASSION, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS COMPLETE POWER AND I HAD TO REACT QUICKLY TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY TO SAFETY. AFTER THE ENGINE COOLED DOWN SLIGHTLY, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I HAD THE CAR SERVICED AND A NUMBER OF SENSORS WERE REPLACED BUT THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING MUCH RICHER SHORTLY AFTER THIS LAST SERVICE. IT WASN'T UNTIL THE VEHICLE FAILED A STATE EMMISSIONS TEST, AND I HAD TO RETURN THE VEHICLE ONCE AGAIN TO THE DEALER, THAT THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DISCLOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH PREMATURE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS INSULATION DETERIORATION ON SEVERAL MODEL YEARS IN THE MERCEDES 300 AND 400 SERIES. AND IT WAS THE DECOMPOSITION OF THE INSULATION THAT WAS CAUSING THE SHORT CIRCUITS IN THE ELECTRONICS OFTEN DURING MAJOR SERVICE WHEN THE BRITTLE WIRES ARE DISTURBED. THIS DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL HOWEVER WAS NOT BEING CONSIDERED RECALLABLE BY THE MANUFACTURER, HE SAID. THE WIRE JACKETS ARE NOW VERY VISIBLY BRITTLE AND CRACKED AROUND THE ENGINE. THIS DEFECT IS NOW WELL KNOWN AND THE SAFETY CONCERNS ARE FAIRLY WIDESPREAD. IT TOOK CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE ON MY PART BEFORE THE DEALER WAS WILLING TO ADMIT THIS MATERIAL AND POTENTIALLY SERIOUS MATERIAL DEFECT IN THE MODEL YEAR TO WHICH MY VEHICLE BELONGS. THE MECHANIC STATES THAT BECAUSE OF THE NON-DISCERNABLE ERROR CODES RECORDED, THE ONLY WAY TO EVEN BEGIN TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEMS I MUST SPEND AN ADDTIONAL $1200 FOR THE ENGINER HARNESS PLUS APPROXIMATELY $1000 LABOR TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE WIRES FIRST, BEFORE FURTHER TROUBLESHOOTING FOR WHAT HAS BEEN DEMANGED BY THE SHORT CIRCUITS. I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE IN NOT MAKING THIS A PRIORITY SAFETY ISSUE AND RECALL ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED. *TR