1995 Mercedes Benz SL electrical problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

NHTSA complaint #10394462 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ SL600 (VIN [XXX])WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING WHICH HAS INSULATION WHICH DEGRADES OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS, THE MOST SERIOUS IN MY CASE BEING A DECELERATION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TOO FAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. IT IS A WIDELY KNOWN DEFECT IN MANY MERCEDES BUILT BETWEEN 1991 AND 1997. MERCEDES REFUSES TO FIX THE EXPENSIVE REPAIR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). I HAVE HAD THE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $2000.00, I AM AWAITING INFORMATION ON OTHER REPAIRS CAUSED BY THE FAULTY WIRING.

NHTSA complaint #10356988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I BOUGHT A NEW MB 1995 SL320, ABOUT 18 MONTHS LATER I HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT AND WAS TOLD ITS THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS WHICH WAS REPLACED AT NO COST TO ME, HOWEVER I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE CAR ( IDLE AND HESITATION AND BAD SMELL FROM THE EXHAUST ) FOR A WHILE AND FINALLY I SAW IT , THE WIRES HAVE DISINTEGRATED INSIDE THE SLEEVES ALL WIRE ARE TOUCHING, SOME WIRE HAVE NO INSULATION AT ALL JUST A COPPER WIRE, THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THEN YOU SEE THEIR COMMERCIALS BUILT LIKE NO OTHER CAR. ITS GONNA COST MORE MONEY TO FIX THE CAR THAT THE CAR IS WORTH, I THINK MB SHOULD HAVE A RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM FREE, OR THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM.

NHTSA complaint #10348130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY CARS RPM IN IDLE AND IN DRIVE SUDDENLY WILL GO UP TREMENDOUSLY AND THEN DOWN BACK TO NORMAL. RECENTLY IT STAYS IN A HIGH RPM MODE.

NHTSA complaint #10329788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ SL600 (VIN [XXX])WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING WHICH HAS INSULATION WHICH DEGRADES OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS, THE MOST SERIOUS IN MY CASE BEING A DECELERATION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TOO FAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. IT IS A WIDELY KNOWN DEFECT IN MANY MERCEDES BUILT BETWEEN 1991 AND 1997. MERCEDES REFUSES TO FIX THE EXPENSIVE REPAIR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10321332 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CAR KEEPS STALLING PUTTING ME IN DANGER, ESPECIALLY ON HIGHWAY TRAVEL. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN PERSISTENT SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10254693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WIRE HARNESS INSULATION DETERIORATING.

NHTSA complaint #10228274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, CRACKED, CRUMBLED INSULATION, EXPOSING BARE WIRES AND SHORTING ASR, TRACTION CONTROL, FUEL INJECTION THROTTLE VALVE, AC NOT WORKING. THE I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND MANY HOURS ONLY TO FIND OEM WIRE IS DEFECTIVE! THE MB DEALER WANTS $ 6,000 FOR ONLY 1) SIDE OF THROTTLE VALVE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT AND THE CAR HAS 2). AND THE THROTTLE VALVE IS NOT THE PROBLEM THE DEFECTIVE WIRING IS THE PROBLEM! ITS PLAIN TO SEE THAT NOTHING CAN FUNCTION PROPERLY IF BARE WIRES ARE SHORTING OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM! THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM, ALL WIRES IN THE ENGINE HARNESS ARE BAD!!!

NHTSA complaint #10205907 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

I OWN A 1995 SL600 WITH JUST 42K MILES AND IN PRISTINE CONDITION. THE ASR SYSTEM PERIODICALLY AND RANDOMLY ENGAGED, EVEN WHEN SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT PRESENT. THIS OCCURRED AGAIN 9/22/07 AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN. THE MB DEALER INSPECTED THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED MULTIPLE ERROR CODES. THE CAUSE OF THIS WAS DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESS(S) BASICALLY MELTING DUE TO ENGINE COMPARTMENT HEAT. LUCKILY THE CAR DID NOT DETONATE. HOWEVER, THIS IS A DOCUMETED TYPICAL FAILURE. THE ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR IS $6,000 AND THAT IS JUST FOR THE HARNESS(S) TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE LIKELY MANY MORE PROBLEMS WITH EXORBITANT REPAIR COST, DIRECTLY CAUSED BY THE FAULTY HARNESS IN THIS MODEL. GRANTED THE CAR IS 12 YEARS OLD BUT METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AND JUST 42,581 MILES. FOR A VEHICLE WITH AN ORIGINAL LIST PRICE EXCEEDING $100,000, I FIND THIS DEPLORABLE. THE MARKET VALUE OF THIS CAR WITHOUT THESE REPAIRS IS NULL. I CANNOT AFFORD THE RISK TO MY FAMILY AND THE POTENTIAL FINANCIAL BOTTOMLESS PIT TO REPAIR ALL OF THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THIS KNOWN BY MBUSA BUT NOT THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ALL OF THESE MODEL YEAR CARS SHOULD BE DISALLOWED FOR USE ON OUR ROADS. MBUSA WAS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND FAILED TO RECALL OR EVEN INFORM THEIR CONSUMERS.

NHTSA complaint #10203902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.