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1994 MERCEDES BENZ 280 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

fire · 593545 · 2006-08-23

Vehicle

Make
MERCEDES BENZ
Model
280
Year
1994
Manufacturer
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Miles at failure
173,000

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS (THAT SUPPLIES 12 VOLTS DC TO THE COILS THAT CONVERT IT INTO HIGH VOLTAGE FOR USE IN THE SPARK PLUGS), HAD A CRITICAL FAILURE IN THE WIRE INSULATION. OVER TIME THE INSULATION WILL HARDEN AND CRACK TO THE POINT THAT WIRES SHORT OUT. THIS FAILURE IS NOT LIMITED TO ONLY THIS HARNESS, IN FACT IT HAS BEEN FOUND TO CAUSE ELECTRICAL FIRES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR. THOUGH MY CAR HAS NOT HAD A FIRE, THE HARNESS DID HAVE THIS INSULATION FAILURE, WHICH CAUSED CYLINDERS 2 AND 5 TO MISFIRE COMPLETELY, ON A PERMANENT BASIS UNTIL I REPLACED THE HARNESS AT A COST OF $800 FOR THE PART ALONE. I REPLACED THE PART MYSELF TO SAVE THE COST OF SHOP TIME. THIS WAS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT SEVERELY IMPACTED THE POWER AVAILABLE IN THE CAR, AND WHEN ENTERING A HEAVILY TRAVELED INTERSECTION FROM A STOP SIGN, I WAS NEARLY T-BONED BY AN ONCOMING CAR BECAUSE IT WAS SO DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR UP TO SPEED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR MODEL YEARS 1994-1997. I KNOW OF A PERSON WHO LIVES NOT FAR FROM ME, WHO EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FIRE DUE TO THIS FAILURE. *JB

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10166285
Machine
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