1995 Mercedes Benz 124

Routine

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System3
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Suspension1
000
Engine1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Headlights09E025000
Filed May 11, 200942,540 vehiclesDope, Inc.

Defect. DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Risk. DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.

Electrical System › Wiring95V031000
Filed Feb 21, 199550,000 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Inc.

Defect. THE FRONT PASSENGER METAL FOOT REST CAN, OVER TIME, ABRADE THROUGH THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE FOOT REST CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO SHORT CIRCUIT.

Risk. A SHORT CIRCUIT CAN CAUSE THE WIRES TO OVERHEAT, STALL THE ENGINE, OR INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY AN AIRBAG, ANY OF THESE INCREASES THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL ADDITIONAL WIRING HARNESS CABLE FASTENER TIES AND EDGE PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR SHARP EDGES OF THE METAL FOOT REST.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Nov 20, 2013117,000 milesVA

THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS HAD MELTED IN TWO LOCATIONS. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOLD ME THAT HE HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS. *TR

Engine
Filed Jun 19, 2012100,000 milesCA

THE CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER AT A SLOW SPEED AT ANY STOP. THE ENGINE ALMOST DIES IF YOU DON'T GIVE GAS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. *JS

Electrical System
Filed Apr 27, 2012KY

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION HAS DISINTEGRATED, CRACKED AND FLAKED OFF OF THE WIRES EXPOSING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF BARE COPPER INCLUDING CONNECTIONS TO THE GLOW PLUG RELAY AND EVERY CONNECTOR DIRECTLY ATTACHING TO AN ENGINE COMPONENT. REMOVAL OF THE WIRING HARNESS SHOWS CRACKING AND DISINTEGRATION IF THE HARNESS INSULATION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE HARNESS. WAS CAUSING INSTRUMENTATION MALFUNCTIONS IN GLOW PLUG CIRCUITS. SIGNIFICANT EXPOSED POWER WIRE COPPER WOULD GROUND THE SYSTEM OUT IF EVEN A SLIGHT SHIFTING OF THE HARNESS TOOK PLACE AS WOULD HAPPEN IN ANY MINOR ACCIDENT. I HAVE SAVED SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF THE DEFECTIVE WIRING. *TR

Suspension
Filed Apr 26, 2012250,000 milesKY

RIGHT FRONT SPRING PERCH AND SURROUNDING RAIL IS CRUMBLING. ONE LEG OF THE PERCH AT THE WELD HAS COMPLETELY BROKEN LOSE. THERE IS NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT RUST ON THE VEHICLE. IF THIS FAILS, THE SPRING MAY BREAK THROUGH THE RAIL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, OR THE SPRING MAY FALL OUT. AT SPEED, THIS COULD BE A VERY BAD SITUATION. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Feb 7, 201284,013 milesPA

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER, AFTER DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM, SAID THAT A CODE INDICATING THAT THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR WAS FAULTY HOWEVER THEY DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE "THIS YEAR CAR WAS DESIGNED WITH A HARNESS THAT WAS BIODEGRADABLE." THE INSULATION HAS BEGUN TO CRUMBLE REQUIRING A NEW HARNESS. THE PART IS ABOUT $1100 PLUS LABOR FOR INSTALLATION. *TR

Unknown or Other
Filed Mar 21, 2002CA

THIS CAR HAS ONLY 33000 MILES AND THIS KIND OF PROBLEM SHOULD'T BE HAPPENING .I TALKED TO THE DEALER THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL ABOUT IT.ONLY THING THEY SAY IT IS NOT UNDER WARANTY.I DONT UNDERSTAND THAT I THIS CAR EVER BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS KIND PROBLEM?

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1995
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20011000Routine
1995 — this page6200Routine
19942200Routine
19930300Routine
19921300Routine
19910100Routine
19900100Routine

Compare every 124 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 11, 2009. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.