NHTSA Complaint #720365 — 1995 MERCEDES BENZ 320

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND MY SERVICE TECH ADVISED ME OF A DETERIORATED ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION. I CONTACTED OUR PARTS SUPPLIER AND WAS TOLD THAT MERCEDES WAS HAVING A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE HARNESSES IN 1994 AND 1995 E CLASS MODELS. AT THAT POINT I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE A FACTORY REP LOOK AT MY CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE FACTORY REP SAID MERCEDES WAS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF RECONDITIONING CARS. I THEN ASK TO SPEAK TO THE FACTORY REP MYSELF. THE FACTORY REP CALLED AND SAID HE KNEW OF NO SUCH PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED I TAKE MY CAR TO ATLANTA SINCE THEY HAD EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM IN THEIR REGION. AFTER CALLING SEVERAL DEALERS INSIDE HIS REGION AS WELL AS OTHERS I FOUND THAT ALL DEALERS WERE AWARE OF THIS FIRE HAZARD AND MOST WERE REPLACING THE HARNESS AT NO COST. THE PART NUMBER IS 124 440 5632 AND IS STOCKED AT MOST MAJOR DEALERS BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING PROBLEM. MY FEELING IS , IF MERCEDES-BENZ KNOWS OF THIS SAFETY PROBLEM, WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN ISSUED. PLEASE CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW OF YOUR FINDINGS. SINCERELY KEITH B. KINGAN. *AK