1995 Mercedes Benz S Class

Routine

Owners filed 27 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system › wiring › front underhood. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood10
000
Electrical System8
010
Electrical System › Wiring2
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Tires1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
000
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly1
000
Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling1
000
Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting09E012000
Filed Apr 7, 200916,270 vehiclesSabersport

Defect. SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 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. SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical SystemFire
Filed Sep 3, 2013140,000 milesAL

WIRE HARNESS SHORTED OUT DUE TO NAKED WIRES WITH NO INSULATION CAUSING THE HARNESS TO CATCH FIRE BURNING HARNESS AND FRYING THE ALTERNATOR. THE CAUSE WAS SAID TO BE WIRE HARNESS DETERIORATED. IMPROPER INSULATION ON THE HARNESS. *JB

Electrical System
Filed Mar 14, 201260,000 milesCA

THE ENGINE CONTROL/FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS OF MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S420 (61,000 MILES), HAS CRACKED INSULATION THROUGHOUT AND IS BEGINNING TO SHORT-CIRCUIT WITH THE RISK OF CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION--AND EVEN FIRE--INSIDE MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ CARS OF THE SAME AGE RANGE HAVING THE EXACT SAME DEFECT. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT TO MERCEDES AS FAR BACK AS 1997 THAT THEY CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO RECALL. THE NHTSA APPEARS TO BE LOOKING AT THIS DEFECT AS A SEPARATE ISSUE BY YEAR AND MODEL...IT IS DEFINITELY NOT! IT WAS A SUPPLIER ISSUE FOR ALL MERCEDES MODELS OF THE YEARS 1991-1997 AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS SUCH. YOU HAVE OVER 700 REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM. DO SOMETHING...NOW!!! *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Jan 28, 201245,450 milesNY

DIESEL ENGINE PREGLOW WIRE HARNESS ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TRACTION CONTROL. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Feb 11, 201181,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES S-CLASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ENGAGE IN LIMP MODE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION OVER 25 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMING FROM THE WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS CONNECTED FROM THE COMPUTER TO THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THE WIRING WAS DETERIORATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

Electrical System
Filed Jul 22, 2010243,000 milesNJ

ENGINE WIRE HARNESS CAUSING MY CAR TO STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Apr 4, 2010149,000 milesFL

MY ASR LIGHT IS ON IN MY CAR WHICH IS A MERCEDES BENZ S600 DO TO A BAD WIRING HARNESS ON THE CAR,AND IT PUTS OUT A BIG BIG CLOUD OF SMOKE WHILE DRIVING,I TOOK THE ASR FUSE OUT AND IT STOPS BUT I HAVE TO PUT IT BACK IN BECAUSE THE ABS/AND THE SRS LIGHT COME ON ALSO. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Oct 26, 200998,000 milesCA

1995 MERCEDES S420 ASR COME ON WHILE DRIVING CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO STIFFEN AND DRIVING DIFFICULT IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT WHILE DRIVING. WHILE ASR LIGHT IS ON WHILE DRIVING EASING UP OFF GAS PEDAL CAUSES CAR TO JERK FORWARD WHILE BRAKING. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Apr 29, 2009189,000 milesCA

MERCEDES BENZ 1995 S420 WIRING HARNESS CRACKING OF INSULATION LET TO STUCK STARTER WOULD NOT TURN OFF DRAINED ALL BATTERY POWER BECAME VERY HOT. 'ARCING PRESENT IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FROM BARE WIRES DUE TO FLAKING INSULATION ON WIRING. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Nov 8, 2008178,300 milesID

I HAVE A 1995 MERCEDES S320. THE 'CHECK ENGINE' IS ON, INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I TOOK IT TO MERCEDES DEALER SHOP, AND THEY TOLD ME IT HAVE 8 FAULT CODES. THE FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS IS HARD AND BRITTLE. IT TOOK THEM 4 HOURS TO FIND THE FIX THE SHORT. THE REPAIR COST IS $400. THE FIX DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AS THE 'CHECK ENGINE' WILL COME ON AFTER 50 MILES! THE MB SHOP ALSO RECOMMEND THE WIRING HARNESS TO BE REPLACED, COST ~$1,200 FOR THE PART (NOT INCLUDING LABOR). I THINK THIS IS A DEFECT FROM MERCEDES AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALL/CORRECT BY MERCEDES. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Aug 24, 200892,000 milesMA

ENGINE STARTED TO RUN POORLY WHILE UNDERWAY AND THEN QUIT ENTIRELY. TRACED TO SHORTS IN ENGINE WIRING CAUSED BY A DISINTEGRATION OF INSULATION IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE SEEMED TO BE A BURNING AT THE SITE OF THE FAILURE BY THE DISCOLORING OF THE COPPER STANDS. *TR

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Mar 10, 200847,820 milesCA

WIRING HARNESS FAILURE CAUSING STALLING. *TR

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Nov 25, 2007NV

MY AUXILIARY FANS WOULD NOT INITIATE, SO WE DECIDED TO REPLACE THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE FANS. LOW AND BEHOLD, THE WIRING THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THIS SWITCH WAS CRUMBLING LIKE STALE BREAD CRUMBS AND FLAKES. I WANTED TO REPLACE THE WIRE, SO I UNDID THE ENTIRE HARNESS. I FOUND WORSE! THE ENTIRE HARNESS WAS CRUMBLING, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE IT BEFORE BECAUSE OF THE BLACK COVERING AROUND THE WIRING. THE HARNESS IS COMPLETELY RUINED AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THE # OF COMPLAINTS I'M FINALLY SEEING REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. WOW! BAD ENGINEERING ON THE PART OF MERCEDES FOR THIS ISSUE. MY CAR IS A 1995 THAT HAS BEEN GARAGE ITS ENTIRE LIFE, FOR THE MOST PART. I AM GOING THROUGH THE PAINSTAKING LABOR OF RE-WIRING THIS ENTIRE HARNESS MYSELF...AND IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD. *TR

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Nov 15, 2007167,000 milesIN

THE FUEL SYSTEM WIRING HARNESS ON MY 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ S600 SHORTED OUT AND MADE MY CAR INOPERABLE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC DRIVE BACK FROM WORK. I WAS ABLE TO 'JIGGLE' THE WIRES ENOUGH TO LIMP TO MY DRIVEWAY. WHILE 'LIMPING', THE CAR CONTINUOUSLY BACKFIRED AND HEAVED TOWARDS THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME, NARROWLY REAR-ENDING THEM. *TR

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Sep 8, 2007212,000 milesAL

ASR LIGHT COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. FAULTY WIRING CAUSING ASR TO FAIL. COST TO REPAIR $1,500. CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN DEFECT.*JB

Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Aug 27, 2007161,000 milesCA

MB WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. *JB

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Dec 11, 200680,000 milesMN

ENGINE STALLS AND RUNS ROUGH. WIRE HARNESS FAILED AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *NM

Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner
Filed Dec 10, 2006LA

I HAVE A 1995 S320 BENZ . ON END OF SEPTEMBER THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I CHANGED THE AIR MASS FLOW SENSOR THAN A MONTH LATER THE A/C SOMETIMES WORK AND OTHER TIMES NOT I CHANGED THE VACUUM HOSES THAT GOES TO AC SOLENOID PLUS THE EGR HOSE, AND ONE WIRE THAT GOES TO THE A/C RELAY. NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN GOES ON AND I CALLED THE DEALER AND ASK IF ANY RECALL ON 1995 S320 THEY SAY NO. YET THERE IS OVER 150 COMPLAINED TO YOUR DEPARTMENT. *NM

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Nov 27, 2006198,000 milesNH

MY 1995 MERCEDES S320 WIRING HARNESS INSULATION DECOMPOSING. BARE WIRES ARE EXPOSED AT ENGINE COIL CONNECTIONS. THE INSULATION ON THE HARNESS WIRES IS JUST CRUMBLING. VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY DISABLED IN LIMP MODE. PRIOR TO THIS, THE VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO LIMP MODE WHILE EXECUTING TURNS. PART COST IS $750; DEALER LABOR COST IS $600. THE WIRING MAY HAVE DAMAGED OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS (I.E.: COMPUTER OR VOLTAGE REGULATOR). THIS WIRING INSULATION PROBLEM IS NOT NORMAL WITH ANY VEHICLE, NO LESS ONE THAT COSTS $65,000 NEW. THIS MOST DEFINITELY SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *JB

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Nov 5, 2006134,000 milesTX

MY 1995 MERCEDES S320 HAS BEEN STALLING AND MISFIRING AND SOMETIMES DOESN'T START UP. I TOOK IT FOR TUNE UP, BUT THE MECHANIC SAID HE CANT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE FAULT WIRING HARNESS INSULATION FROM FACTORY IS PEELING OFF AND MAKING THE WIRES SHORT-CIRCUIT AND IF HE TRIES TO DO ANYTHING IT WILL MAKE IT WORSE,I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL MERCEDES OWNERS WITH EARLIER AND MID 90S WHO HAVE SAME PROBLEM AND I THINK THIS IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD AND YOU SHOULD PETITION THE MANUFACTURER ON OUR BEHALF. *NM

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash
Filed Jun 15, 200672,000 milesMD

PARTS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BEGAN FAILING. DRIVERS WINDOW WOULD NOT OPERATE AND AFTER MUCH TROUBLESHOOTING BY THE REPAIR SHOP, THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER GAUGES ON THE DASH FAILED AND THE PASSENGER WINDOW AND HORN FAILED TO OPERATE. AFTER DISASSEMBLING THE INTERIOR (SEATS, CONSOLE, DASH, ETC.) THE REPAIR SHOP CAME UPON THE PROBLEM - WIRES SHORTING ALL ALONG THE WIRING HARNESS AND CAUSE SPARKS AND SHORTS THROUGHOUT. *NM

20 of 27 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20121100Routine
20092100Routine
20052100Routine
200415410Routine
200328200Routine
200248200Routine
200136510Routine
200081540Routine
19999100Routine
19982100Routine
19972100Routine
19966200Routine
1995 — this page27110Routine
199412100Routine

Compare every S Class 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: Apr 7, 2009. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.