NHTSA Complaint #10448946 — 1995 MERCEDES BENZ 320

DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, MISSING INSULATION WAS DISCOVERED ON WIRING TO A SENSOR IN THE AIR TUBE, VISIBLE OUTSIDE OF TAPE WRAP. I MADE SURE THAT WIRES WERE NOT TOUCHING AND INSULATED THE EXPOSED AREAS AT THE CLIP-ON CONNECTOR TO THE SENSOR. ENGINE MISSFIRE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO FUEL DELIVERY AND INJECTOR CLEANER WAS ADDED TO TANK. DRIVEABILTY CONTINUED TO WORSEN, AS ENGINE MISSFIRE BEGAN TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN. I WAS RECENTLY MADE AWARE OF THE WIRING ISSUES, SO I DECIDED TO REMOVE THE TAPE WRAP ON THE LEAD TO THE SENSOR. THE ENTIRE LENGTH THAT I EXPOSED, HAS CRACKED AND MISSING INSULATION. I THEN STOPPED, AS DISTURBING ANY ADDITIONAL WIRING WILL WORSEN THE PROBLEM. I CHECKED WITH MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT MERCEDES ISN'T DOING ANYTHING TOWARD FIXING THE DEFECTIVE WIRING, AND THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE DISPOSED OF THEIR VEHICLES OR JUST QUIT DRIVING THEM RATHER THAN SPEND THE MONEY TO HAVE REPAIRS MADE. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 90,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. DUE TO THE RISK OF FIRE, NOW IT JUST SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY UNTIL I DECIDE IF I WANT TO HAVE IT HAULED AWAY. *TR