The ineptitude of this once mighty company is only matched by their arrogance and disdain for customers in handling this issue with the defective wire harnesses. Over 1.5 million vehicles are estimated to be affected and it's not a matter of IF but of WHEN your harness will fail.
Safety Defects have no statute of limitations. This has nothing to do with warranty, it's an engineering error that creates a potentially hazardous condition (engine fires, sudden stoppage in traffic, stranding in dangerous locales, etc). Mercedes is well aware of the problem they created and refuses to do the right thing which is recall all vehicles affected, not wait for the NHTSA to do it, nor count on naive customer/victims not to do anything about it erroneously thinking that the age of the vehicles is a factor.
I am collecting a list of like affected owners to pursue action against Mercedes for this safety defect.
Don't post the same thing in multiple areas of the same forum
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2000 C230K -- Desert Silver Metallic
2002 ML320 -- Alabaster White
1991 300CE -- Blue Black Metallic -- 129,000 miles -- Sold
1981 300SD -- Classic White -- 190,000 miles -- Sold
1977 240D -- Over 300k miles (Wrecked) -- My 1st car
2005 Porsche Cayenne S - Dad's
2004 Porsche 911 Turbo S
corrosion on the wires comes from moisture that gets into the engine bay via rainstorms, etc...
as a preventive step, I plan to wrap the entire harness in electrical tape to keep the corrosion from building up in the first place. I don't plan on wrapping each individual wire since there is no need for that at this point. or ever....
I recently bought a 1993 300e mercedes a week ago with the same electrical problem. It was not running at when I got It. After a little time in testing the wire which I was told by th privious owner was the problem, I was able to start the car. The problem are the plugs connected to the ignition coils. I did the same repair and it works. Repair plugs kits are also available at the mercedes dealership. At first the parts department is advising me to replace the enitre engine wire harness at costof $1800 Canadian (wow expensive for on old car).The repair plugs will cost is lesss than $100C. I will give you update when i get the parts. Things to do is to strip all the tapes on the harness and thinking of replacing with tubes instead of retaping. This way I will able to recheck and repair wires as needed.
I woud suggest to use the split plastic tube to cover the wires. This is available in any auto parts store. This way you can recheck your wires without removing the electrical tape.
I also did repair my engine wire harness by raplacing each wire at a time. Splice a the ends to te plugs. Took meapproximatel 8 hours. this is is working only after office hours. Car start at first try.
I still have the idle surging.
My car failed aircare. I took my car to the repair shop for dignostic. The technician cannot do a proper diagnostic. The technician told me that there is still some shortage with the wiring.
I haven/t check the throttle actuator wiring yet.
I took a peak by cuttng a small cut the rubber casing. it seems that the insulators are gone too.
Is there a way testing wires for shortage?
Will the ECU be damage when there is wiring shortage?
I am confused regarding the wiring harness. Below is a link I found which sells the wiring harness for only $52.00. I am not sure this is the right one that you guys are discussing. Please advise.
Made a new harness for my C-280, used the original connectors, spliced the wires (automotive heat ressistent) next to the plugs (connections) with solder and heat shrink tubing, took about 4 days to complete the project, car started on the first try, no trouble codes present, car is performing GREAT, car now has a steady idle of 550 rpm. Moral of this story ? You can DIY !
Ed
Removing the old one:
It's Off:
Repairing : Top of picture, Injectors and Coil plugs (red wire) repaired.
P.S It's important to take many pics, it helps solve repair and installation doubts !
I did the same procedure to my 300E. By replacing each wire at a time. I got replacement plugs connecting to the ignition coil from MB. Car started the first time. However, I still have the idle surge. I have not check the throttle actuator yet.
Rebuilding a C202 wiring harness? Thanks for the photographs and information sharing, but as far as I am concerned, your skills far surpass any that I could achieve!
Anyone interested in a harness re-build service? I have been doing automotive electrical for the last 16 years, and I am a 1st class certified MECP technician.
I have all the supplies to do this, and i ONLY use solder and heat shrink tubing, NO CRIMP CONNECTORS!!!
Would $300 per harness and about a week turn-around time be decent?
What do you guys think, im just trying to help....
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