# 1994 MERCEDES BENZ SL — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
> NHTSA complaint `555590` · 2005-09-22 · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCEDES BENZ
- **Model:** SL
- **Year:** 1994
- **Manufacturer:** Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
- **Miles at failure:** 82,560
## Narrative
INSULATION ON ELECTRICAL WIRING CRUMBLES TO DUST, RESULTING IN SHORTS, DAMAGED ELECTRONICS, ENGINE STALLING, ABS FAILURE, ETC. IT APPEARS MBZ USED DEFECTIVE INSULATION ON THE ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING HARNESSES. IN ALL LOCATIONS THAT ARE EXPOSED TO HIGHER THAN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE THE INSULATION CRUMBLES TO DUST. . DEALER SAYS 'ITS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 92-95 MODEL YEARS'. REPLACEMENT HARNESSES COST OVER $3000 (2 RQD) AND REPLACEMENT COMPONENTS WITH INTEGRAL DEFECTIVE WIRING COST OVER $8000 (NOT INCLUDING ANY COMPUTER BOXES THAT GET DAMAGED BY SHORTS.  *NM
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*