NHTSA Complaint #10394462 — 1995 MERCEDES BENZ SL

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL SL600. SHORTLY AFTER GETTING THE CAR HOME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT THE ASR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SO I STARTED TO RESEARCH WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I FOUND AN ONLINE WEBSITE WHICH HAD SEVERAL ARTICLES ABOUT THE POSSIBLE CAUSES. THE WEBSITE RECOMMENDED THAT THE WIRING SHOULD BE INSPECTED FOR CRACKING AND DETERIORATION OF THE INSULATION. UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THAT THE INSULATION ON MUCH OF THE WIRING GOING TO THE MASS AIR FLOW COMPONENTS AND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE ACTUATORS WAS CRACKED AND FALLING OFF THE WIRES LEAVING ONLY BARE WIRES WHICH ARE IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. I ALSO FOUND THAT THIS IS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN TO MERCEDES BENZ AND HAS BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BUT THEY HAVE NOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. THE PROBLEM IS COMPLETELY PREVENTING ME FROM USING THE VEHICLE AT THIS POINT DUE TO THE HIGH POSSIBILITY OF AN ENGINE FIRE CAUSED BY THE WIRES SHORT CIRCUITING AND ALSO THE PROBABILITY OF DOING DAMAGE TO THE CONTROL MODULES AND COMPUTERS WHICH ARE VERY EXPENSIVE RO REPLACE. *TR