U.S. public vehicle records

1995 Mercedes Benz E320 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

96 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

108,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1995 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 79 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood is the most frequently named component, appearing in 37 of 96 complaints (38.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	73	76.0%
Engine operation	19	19.8%
Braking behavior	4	4.2%
Transmission and shifting	2	2.1%
Steering behavior	2	2.1%
Fuel system concerns	2	2.1%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood

Electrical System

Electrical System:Wiring

Engine And Engine Cooling

Fuel System, Gasoline

Engine

Fuel/Propulsion System

Structure:Body:Door

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	37
Electrical System	32
Electrical System:Wiring	20
Engine And Engine Cooling	7
Fuel System, Gasoline	3
Engine	2
Fuel/Propulsion System	2
Structure:Body:Door	2

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 37; Electrical System: 32; Electrical System:Wiring: 20; Engine And Engine Cooling: 7; Fuel System, Gasoline: 3; Engine: 2; Fuel/Propulsion System: 2; Structure:Body:Door: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 29; 150,000 and above: 16

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 17 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2001

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

2014

2015

2019

2001: 1; 2003: 14; 2004: 3; 2005: 7; 2006: 17; 2007: 13; 2008: 16; 2009: 4; 2010: 4; 2011: 6; 2013: 5; 2014: 4; 2015: 1; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 73 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 19 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10005396 · 2003-02-06 (February 6, 2003)

I OWN A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ E320 STATION WAGON THAT HAS 76,000 MILES ON IT AS OF 2/6/03. DURING A 75,000 MILE SERVICE, THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING HARNESS WAS DECOMPOSING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SHORTLY AFTERWARD THE "CHECK ENGINE " TROUBLE LIGHT BEGAN TO COME ON REPEATEDLY. THE ENTIRE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERS SERVICE TECHNICIAN MADE A COMMENT ON MY PAPERWORK THAT THE HARNESS HAD FRAYED THROUGH IN ONE AREA AND WAS SHORTING OUT IN A VALVE COVER. THIS TYPE OF DEFECTIVE PRODUCT CONS…

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005396 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007924 · 2003-02-21 (February 21, 2003)

OEM WIRING HARNESS IN 1995 E320 BECOMES BRITTLE AND CRACKS AT AROUND 100,000 MILES THAT CAUSES ENGINE TO MISFIRE.

Owner-reported narrative. 124,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007924 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006267 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)

VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A FAULTY MASS AIR METER. DEALER REPLACED THE MASS AIR METER. CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006267 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021251 · 2003-06-08 (June 8, 2003)

BAD ENGINE WIRING WHICH POSSIBLY CAUSED ENGINE TO STALL IN TRAFFIC. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10021251 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10164222 · 2006-08-02 (August 2, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISENGAGED AFTER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS TURNED ON. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WHEN THE CONTACT FELT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL PULL AWAY FROM THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE INSULATION ON THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT INFORMED.

Owner-reported narrative. 131,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164222 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10217423 · 2008-02-08 (February 8, 2008)

MY 1995 E-320 WAGONS ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION HAS DETERIORATED TO A POINT WHERE THE CAR WAS GOING CRAZY, ODD ACCELERATOR BEHAVIOR, LOSS OF POWER, LOSS OF TRANS CONTROL, LOSS OF TRACTION CONTROL, ALL WIRE INSULATION ON THIS HARNESS HAS DETERIORATED TO THE POINT THAT IT IS AMAZING THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FIRE OR ACCIDENT B/C OF THE MALFUNCTIONS. I CANNOT BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AROUND WITH MY 20 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN THE CAR WITH IT LIKE THIS. WHEN THE CAR STATED ACTING UP. I TOOK IT TO A CERT. MECHANIC AND HE SHOWED ME THAT I THE C…

Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217423 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10155439 · 2006-04-16 (April 16, 2006)

WIRING HARNESS IN 1995 MERCEDES BENZ E320 DETERIORATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP ABRUPTLY AND HAD TO BE TOWED - THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND MERCEDES HAS NO RESPONSE TO CORRECT OR DISCOUNT THE REPAIR PARTS - PAID 3200.00 TO REPLACE ENGINE HARNESS, FUEL ACTUATOR, TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS - *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155439 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10155731 · 2006-04-19 (April 19, 2006)

I OWN A 95 E320 MERCEDES BENZ WHICH HAS 98,000 MILES. SINCE I'VE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE CAR PROPERLY; I CHANGE OIL EVERY 4,000 MILES, I CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION JUST LAST YEAR, ETC. RECENTLY THE SMOG PUMP WORE OUT SO I ASKED A CERTIFIED MERCEDES BENZ TECHNICIAN TO REPLACE IT. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT, HE INFORMED ME THAT HE FOUND ALL OF THE FUEL INJECTION WIRE HARNESSES TOTALLY STRIPPED OF THEIR INSULATION INSIDE THE OUTER FABRIC COVER. HE SAID THE WIRES WERE TOUCHING EACH OTHER AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIX. HE ALSO SAI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10155731 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10250100 · 2008-11-28 (November 28, 2008)

THE CAR ABRUPTLY BEGAN TO RUN POORLY, TO THE EXTENT THAT POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WERE NOT PRESENT. INVESTIGATION FOUND DETERIORATED INSULATION ON THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WHICH CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED AND NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE ENGINE RETURNED. WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN MADE FOR THIS PROBLEM? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 640,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10250100 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10155541 · 2006-04-17 (April 17, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SMOG PUMP WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE SMOG PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THE WIRING HARNESS BETWEEN THE FUEL INJECTOR AND IGNITION WAS DETERIORATING AND COULD OVERHEATING. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 95V031000, REGARDING THE WIRING. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 05/02/06. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155541 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10233206 · 2008-07-04 (July 4, 2008)

THE ENGINE INJECTOR WIRE HARNESS IS CRUMB LINK AND CAUSING A LOT OF PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND MB KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT. THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL. BONNIE LANG *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233206 at NHTSA ↗