NHTSA Complaint #10522165 — 1997 MERCEDES BENZ SL500

WIRING INSULATION FOR LIGHTS AND POWER STEERING DETERIORATED TO THE POINT OF CAUSING MASSIVE SHORTS IN MULTIPLE SYSTEMS, DRAINING THE BATTERY AND RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I MANEUVERED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ONTO AN OFF RAMP THAT PROVIDED A SAFE EXIT FROM THE 6 LANE BELTWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED. TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, POWER STEERING, HALF OF THE INSTRUMENTS (INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER), BATTERY AND CHARGING SYSTEM ARE INOPERABLE DUE TO BARE WIRES SHORTING OUT THE WIRING HARNESSES. ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS BEGINS WITH REPLACING THE LIGHTING WIRING HARNESS AT A COST OF $4000, WITH NO GUESS AS TO WHAT THE FINAL COSTS MIGHT BE, PROVIDED THEY CAN FIND A WIRING HARNESS. THE SHOP HAS SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH MERCEDES OF THIS VINTAGE AND IS AWARE THAT MERCEDES HAS NOT PROVIDED A VOLUNTARY RECALL TO DEAL WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR