1995 Mercedes Benz 300 SERIES: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
12 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
177,900 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1995 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 12 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 83.3% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 33.3% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 8.3% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 8.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 8.3% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 6 |
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 1 |
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 6; Electrical System: 4; Electrical System:Wiring: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 8
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (8). 3 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2007: 4; 2008: 5; 2011: 1; 2012: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10200978 · 2007-08-28 (August 28, 2007)
MY MERCEDES WAGON STALLED AND WOULD NOT RE-START IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER FREEWAY TRAFFIC WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK. MY TECHNICIAN TRACED IT TO A DISINTEGRATING ENGINE WIRE-HARNESSES AND STATED I WAS LUCKY IT DID NOT START EITHER A FIRE, OR "FRIED"/SHORTED-OUT THE ENGINE COMPUTERS WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED. REPLACED AT OVER $600 PARTS & LABOR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10200978 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10203075 · 2007-09-15 (September 15, 2007)
1995 MERCEDES E 300 DIESEL, THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IS FALLING APART. THE INSULATION IS CRUMBLING AND ALL THE WIRES ARE SHORTING CAUSING MALFUNCTIONS OF ALL ENGINE SYSTEMS, AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. IMPOSSIBLE TO FIX THE CURRENT HARNESS BECAUSE EVERY WIRE IS INVOLVED, HAVE TO REPLACE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE, I HAVE HAD MANY CLASSIC CARS THAT ARE MUCH OLDER THAN THIS THAT HAVE PERFECT WIRING TO THIS DAY. I WAS TOLD BY A NON-MERCEDES SHOP THAT THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT BY MERCEDES TO MAKE THE INSULATION EASILY TO RECYCLE AND THAT ALL CARS …
Owner-reported narrative. 155,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10203075 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10203190 · 2007-09-17 (September 17, 2007)
THE MAIN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FOR MY 1995 E300 DIESEL IS DETERIORATING, AND POSING A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 213,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10203190 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10212919 · 2007-12-27 (December 27, 2007)
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS SHEATHING/INSULATION IS BRITTLE, CRACKING, DISINTERGRATING AND BARE WIRES ARE EXPOSED CAUSING ELECTRICAL AND FUEL DELIVERY MALFUNCTIONS. VEHICLE LOSSES POWER AND REVS HIGH AND LOW, CAUSING CHALLENGING DRIVABILITY OF THE AUTOMOBILE WITH SPORADIC DOWNSHIFTING ANOMALIES. ERRONEOUS DASH LIGHTS EG. ENGINE, ASC FLUTTER ON AND OFF AND FUEL MILEAGE HAS DROPPED TREMENDOUSLY. MERCEDES DEALER QUOTES THE REPAIR ABOVE $1000 AND ACKNOWLEDGES THIS A COMMON AND DANGEROUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10212919 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10214284 · 2008-01-09 (January 9, 2008)
ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS WIRING INSULATION UNDER HOOD IS DETERIORATED, CRACKED, TURNED TO POWDER AND IS FALLING OFF COPPER WIRES. GLOW PLUG WIRING HAS CRACKED AND EXPOSED COPPER CAUSING MALFUNCTION TO GLOW PLUG RELAY. AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WIRING FAILED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 146,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10214284 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10221013 · 2008-03-13 (March 13, 2008)
THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND EA/CC/ISC WIRING INSULATION HAS BADLY DETERIORATED ON MY 1995 E300 DUE TO HEAT FATIGUE FROM POOR MANUFACTURING. THE DECAY HAS REACHED THE POINT OF LEAVING BARE EXPOSED WIRE WITHIN THE HARNESS. THESE WIRES MAKE CONTACT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL, SURGE, A/C COMPRESSOR NOT TO WORK, AND SET MISC. ENGINE CODES. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES AS EVIDENCED BY CONVERSATION THREADS ON SEVERAL WELL REGARDED FORUMS. THE GENERAL UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MERCEDES WAS ATTEMPTING TO CREATE ECO-FRIENDLY WIRE I…
Owner-reported narrative. 190,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10221013 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10226574 · 2008-05-04 (May 4, 2008)
1995 MERCEDES-BENZ E300D WIRING HARNESS: TEMPERATURE READING NOT ACCURATE, THOUGH ON THE HIGH SIDE SO I FEEL LIKE THE CAR IS OVERHEATING BUT REALLY NOT ENGINE IDLE SENSOR INACCURATE LEADING TO READING OF LOW RPM AT IDLE AND TACHOMETER NOT ALWAYS WORKING OTHER CONSEQUENCES: AUXILIARY FANS MOTORS BLOWN DUE TO FANS RUNNING AT HIGH SPEED ALWAYS INSTEAD OF VARIABLE AND INTERMITTENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND WAS GIVEN THE BAD NEW ABOUT THE WIRING HARNESS. COST TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS AND OTHER INCIDENTALS: $2,250. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 299,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10226574 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10229755 · 2008-06-03 (June 3, 2008)
VEHICLE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY, BLOWING FUSES, WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON, ENGINE COOLING FAN NOT OPERATING PROPERLY, AND ENGINE OVERHEATING. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE INSULATION IS SEVERELY DETERIORATED ON THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS (MERCEDES BENZ PART NUMBER 124-440-32-32). THE INSULATION ON ALMOST ALL OF THE WIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND CRACKED OPEN AND LARGE PORTIONS OF THE INSULATION HAVE FALLEN OFF LEAVING BARE WIRES EXPOSED WHICH ARE CAUSING SHORT CIRCUITS AND GROUND CIRCUITS. THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT OPER…
Owner-reported narrative. 177,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10229755 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.