Mercedes Benz E320 headlight problems

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Mercedes Benz has a KNOWN safety problem with this model and has not put it under recall yet and it needs to be. The wire casing in the wiring harness for the headlights crumbles and leaves exposed wires that touch, short, and draw causing dim headlights. Due to being cited for dim headlights the night before, I called MBUSA on December 27 2023 and they initially REFUSED to take a case from me.

NHTSA complaint #11562004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

INSTRUMENT PANEL NOT WORKING FOR LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS OR LONGER DID NOT DRIVE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE

NHTSA complaint #11455595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TAKATA RECALL SRS LIGHT ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT

NHTSA complaint #11083130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE INSULATION COVERING THE ELECTRICAL WIRING THAT POWERS THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES HAS FAILED AND CRUMBLED AWAY EXPOSING THE BARE COPPER WIRE. THIS CIRCUIT POWERS TWO HALOGEN 55 WATT BULBS (110 WATTS TOTAL OR ~10 AMPS) AT 12 VOLTS. THE INSULATION FAILURE WILL PRESENT AN IMMEDIATE VEHICLE FIRE HAZARD IF THE ELECTRICAL PROTECTION FUSE FAILS TO ACTUATE AS A RESULT OF THE SHORT CIRCUIT CREATED BY POTENTIAL BARE WIRE CONTACT. IF THE ELECTRICAL PROTECTION FUSE DOES ACTUATE PROPERLY THE CAR WILL LOSE FORWARD ILLUMINATION WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR SAFE VEHICLE OPERATION AT NIGHT. IN EITHER INSTANCE A PROPERTY AND PERSONAL HAZARD CAN RESULT FROM THIS DEFECT. THIS DEFECT CAN BE TRACED DIRECTLY TO THE WIRE MERCEDES BENZ SELECTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF THIS CIRCUITRY. EITHER THE GAUGE OF THE WIRE SELECTED IS INSUFFICIENT TO DISSIPATE THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE CURRENT FLOW THE CIRCUIT DEMANDS OR THE INSULATION OF THE WIRE SELECTED IS INHERENTLY DEFECTIVE AS EVIDENCED BY ITS CRUMBLING DETERIORATION FOR A COMPONENT THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. IN EITHER CASE THIS WIRING FAILURE CONSTITUTES A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO RECALL AND CORRECTION BY THE MANUFACTURER AT HIS EXPENSE. THE DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE A FAILED LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULB, A MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY THAT CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO BE PERFORMED A NUMBER OF TIMES DURING THE VEHICLE'S LIFESPAN. THE DEFECTIVE INSULATION WAS IMMEDIATELY EVIDENT BY VISUAL AND TACTILE OBSERVATION. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY CLEAR AN IMMEDIATE HAZARD WAS PRESENT AND THAT THE LIGHTING COULD NOT BE USED RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE UNDER CONDITION WHEN THE LIGHTING CIRCUIT MIGHT BE OPERATED.

NHTSA complaint #10807129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCEDES BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKING POWER DIMINISHED AND REQUIRED A LOT MORE PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #10743372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

DURING RENEWAL OF HEADLAMP BULBS I FOUND THAT INSULATION HAD BROKEN OFF LEAVING SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF BARE CONDUCTORS. WIRES ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER AND IF THEY TOUCH THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSS OF LIGHTING OR ELECTRICAL FIRE. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, WHILE DRIVING ON A DARK ROAD, IT LIKECOULD RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC CRASH. THIS IS COMMONLY DISCUSSED BY OWNERS IN THE MERCEDES-BENZ FORUMS. I AM SURPRISED THAT MERCEDES HAS NOT BEEN FORCED TO RECALL W211S FROM 2003 TO 2009 MODEL YEARS.

NHTSA complaint #10704589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE TEMPERATURE LED HAS COMPLETELY GONE OUT AND THE CLOCK/GEAR SELECTION LED IS UNREADABLE... I BELIEVE SEEING ANOTHER COMPLAINT OF THE SAME TYPE IN THE DATABASE, DON'T REMEMBER THE MODEL BUT WAS WONDERING WHY IF THIS IS A TREND DOES MERCEDES NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THE SITUATION. I REALIZE THAT THE WARRANTY IS ONLY GOOD FOR SO LONG BUT IF OTHER CARS ALL HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IT SEEMS AS IF MERCEDES WOULD WANT TO PROTECT THE REPUTATION OF QUALITY DURABILITY AND EXCELLENCE BEHIND THEIR NAME.

NHTSA complaint #10661028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WIRE IN WIRING HARNESS TO TRUNK LID SEVERED, PREVENTING THIRD BRAKE LAMP AND BOTH LICENSE PLATE LAMPS FROM FUNCTIONING.

NHTSA complaint #10640623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

BOUGHT CAR NEW AND LOVE IT. BUT LAST WEEK THE RIGHT LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT FAILED. I HAD LEFT AND RIGHT H7 STANDARD LOW BEAM HALOGEN BULBS CHANGED SINCE THE FRONT BUMPER HAS TO BE REMOVED. LATER THAT DAY THE NEW LEFT SIDE H7 FAILED. SO MY MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THE HELLA LIGHT FIXTURE SEEN IN MB, BMW, ETC.. COMMONLY HAVE PREMATURE DISINTEGRATION OF WIRING INSULATION. THEY PULLED BOTH LIGHT FIXTURES, SHOWING ME THE BARE WIRES INSIDE BOTH FIXTURES. THE MB WIRING HARNESS WAS UNAFFECTED. FOR THE COST OF ABOUT $1200 I REPLACED BOTH HELLA HEADLIGHT FIXTURES. I REVIEWED BMW AND MB FORUMS ONLINE AND IN BOTH THERE ARE SIMILAR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HELLA WIRE INSULATION FAILURE IN HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE ISSUE. FROM THE FORUMS IT SEEMS THAT FIRES HAVE OCCURRED. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT AUTO ACCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED WHEN NIGHT LIGHTING HAS FAILED. AT A MINIMUM THERE HAVE BEEN MANY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS THAT SHOULD BE PART OF A RECALL. I DID NOT CONTACT MERCEDES BENZ BECAUSE THIS SEEMS TO BE A GLOBAL PROBLEM WITH A AUTOMOTIVE PARTS SUPPLIER AND NOT SPECIFIC TO MB OR THE E CLASS.

NHTSA complaint #10614815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS ON MY CAR. THE INSULATION ON THE 2 WIRES TO THE BULB CRUMBLED ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT WHEN I TOUCHED THE WIRES. WIRING IS DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE WIRES COULD TOUCH CAUSING THE FUSE TO BLOW AND CAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.

NHTSA complaint #10587691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE PLASTIC COATING ON THE WIRING FOR THE HEADLIGHTS IS COMING OFF LEAVING EXPOSED COPPER WIRES THAT SHORT OUT CAUSING HEADLIGHTS, ETC. TO FAIL.

NHTSA complaint #10563714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE WIRING IN THE TRUNK THAT GOES TO THE REAR BRAKE AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS FAILED AND OPENS THE TRUNK FAILED. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK WITH THE REMOTE OR THE BUTTON IN THE CAR. THE ONLY WAY WAS TO USE THE VALET KEY. THERE WAS ALSO A WARNING IN THE DASH ABOUT ALL OF THESE LIGHTS BEING OUT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY FOUND THE GROUND WIRE IN THE WIRING HARNESS BETWEEN THE TRUNK LINER AND THE TRUNK LID HAD BROKEN DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR.

NHTSA complaint #10558042 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT LOW BEAM HEADLAMP STOPPED WORKING. WE CHANGED THE LIGHT BULB, BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WE NOTED THAT THE SOCKET FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM APPEARED BURNT. WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO REWIRED THE RIGHT FRONT LOW BEAM LIGHT SOCKET AND WIRE HARNESS. AFTER THIS INITIAL PROBLEM, THE DRIVER SIDE HIGH BEAM HEADLAMP STOPPED WORKING. WE REPLACED THE LAMP BULB. WE NOTED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE HIGH BEAM HEADLAMP SOCKET APPEARED BURNT. WE DID NOT REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE HIGH BEAM HEADLAMP SOCKET. SO IT DOES NOT WORK. AFTER THE ABOVE TWO PROBLEMS, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE, TAIL, AND PARKING LAMP STOPPED WORKING. WE CHANGED THE LAMP BULB, BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE, TAIL, AND PARKING LAMP SOCKET DID NOT APPEAR BURNT. INSTEAD THE LAMP WAS LOSE AND COULD NOT BE TIGHTENED. WE USED BLACK ELECTRIC TAPE TO HOLD THE LAMP IN PLACE, WHICH HAS WORKED. HOWEVER, WE MUST PERIODICALLY RE-TAPE.

NHTSA complaint #10557183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

STRONG GAS SMELL THE PROBLEM FUEL SENDING UNIT LEAKING VAPOR.

NHTSA complaint #10523465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I CHANGED THE LOW BEAM HALOGEN BULBS IN MY HEADLIGHTS WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRE LEADS TO THE BULB HAD LOST NEARLY ALL OF THEIR INSULATION, EXPOSING BARE WIRE. THE INSULATION FLAKES WERE SITTING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CAPSULE THAT CONTAINS THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS NORMALLY CLOSED, ACCESSED BY A REMOVABLE "DOOR". BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAD THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SPARKING/FIRE DANGER, SO I APPLIED ELECTRICAL TAPE OVER THE WIRES. HAD I NOT CHANGED THE BULBS [THEY LOSE BRIGHTNESS OVER THE YEARS], I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNAWARE OF THIS DANGER. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS SAME WIRE INSULATION HAS BEEN USED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. I AM AMAZED THAT MERCEDES HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW IN 2007.

NHTSA complaint #10495250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

2001 MERCEDES BENZ. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO COMPLAINT CONCERNING CLOUDING OF THE HEADLIGHTS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $450 TO REPLACE TWO POLYCARBONATE HEADLIGHT COVERS. THE CONSUMER FOUND ANOTHER COMPANY TO REPLACE THEM FOR $100. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR A LARGE SUM OF MONEY.

NHTSA complaint #10430929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) SEPTEMBER 12, 1998 I PURCHASED A 1999 E320W.] I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THE CAR. THE CAR IS DRIVEN LEISURELY. TO DATE, IT ONLY HAS 92,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN REGULARLY OBTAINING THE A & B MAINTENANCE SERVICES. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONING FOR MONTHS AND MB ALLEGEDLY CAN'T DIAGNOSE IT; AND I HAVE BEEN USING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. A SECOND OPINION MECHANIC SAID IT IS OIL SLUGGING WHICH WAS RECALLED BUT MB WON'T HONOR. HE ALSO SAID MY ENGINE / MOTOR NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS ALSO AN INTERMITTENT SCRAPING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. DURING ALL OF THE SERVICES TO MB THEY NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALL NOR PROVIDED SERVICE TO ENSURE THAT MY CAR WAS NOT AFFECTED. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT A TOTAL RECALL BUT A CASE-BY-CASE SITUATION AND I AM NOT ELIGIBLE. I AM VERY FEARFUL WHEN I AM DRIVING. EACH TIME I GO OUT I FEAR WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN. I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY FOR A ENGINE. PLEASE HELP ME. I CAN PROVIDE A TIMELINE OF THE HISTORY OF MY VEHICLE WHICH WITH HINDSIGHT LOOKS LIKE I PURCHASED A LEMON. THE SECOND OPINION MECHANIC INFORMED ME OF THE RECALL/CLASS ACTION BUT MB CONCEALED THE INFORMATION. *TR THE LOCKS WERE INOPERABLE AND THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE SERPENTINE BELT, BALL JOINTS, TIE ROD ENDS WERE ALL REPLACED. THE FUEL SENSOR LEVEL WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS A SHIMMY IN THE SUSPENSION. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRES AND LEFT RIM. THE VALVE STEM WAS LEAKING, THE LEFT REAR WINDOW WAS INOPERABLE. THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY, BUT REGULARLY TURN INTO LINE BARS. THE TAIL LIGHT CIRCUIT BOARD AND THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LAMP, RIGHT FRONT HEAD LIGHT AND LEFT FRONT PARKING BULBS WERE HAD TO BE REPLACED UPDATED IVOQ 05/27/10.

NHTSA complaint #10327199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

2001 MERCEDES E-320. CONSUMER EXPRESSES DISCONTENT WITH HEADLIGHT COVERS AND REQUESTS MONEY TO REPLACE THEM. *TGW SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THEN THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A SQUEAL, WHICH THE LOCAL DEALER INSISTED WAS THE AC FAN, BUT IT WAS NOT. THE HEADLIGHT COVERS WERE COMPLETELY OPAQUE. THE HEADLIGHT COVERS WERE MADE OUT OF PLASTIC WHICH CAUSED THE LIGHTS TO BECOME DIM.

NHTSA complaint #10319796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.