1994 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Service and Repair Manual

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE NEAR DRIVERS FIREWALL. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED HOWEVER STRONG FUEL VAPORS REMAINED. ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN. I SUBMITTED A REPORT FOR MY 1999 MERCEDES WHICH CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE HOOD INSULATION FALLING ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.

STARTED THE CAR AT WORK AND IT WAS RUNNING ROUGH HAD NO ACCELERATION. WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. A MECHANIC FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATING, FLAKING AND FALLING APART EXPOSING ALL THE WIRES. THE CAR WOULD NO LONG EVEN START. I CALLED MERCEDES TO SEE IF THEY WOULD HELP WITH THE COST OF THE PART REPLACEMENT. THEY DENIED ANY PROBLEM WITH THE PRODUCT AND WOULD NOT ASSIST IN ANY REPAIR. I LOGGED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM UNDER MY NAME AND HAVE TRIED MANY TIMES TO GET ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE CAR IS STILL SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AS THE REPLACEMENT HARNESS IS OV

FACTORY MATERIAL DEFECT. ENGINE WIRE HARNESS INSULATION IS BREAKING DOWN AND FLAKING OFF, LEAVING EXPOSED WIRE. IGNITION IS POOR AND THREATENS TO STALL, ESPECIALLY WHEN ENGINE TEMPERATURE WARMS UP TO 85-90C. I FEAR THE ENGINE MAY FAIL OR CATCH FIRE DURING A DRIVE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS ALSO A SHORT IN THE AUDIO SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS BEAUTIFUL. IT IS A SHAME TO HAVE IT SITTING SINCE 2008. *TR

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TRACK DOWN THE CAUSE OF AN OCCASIONALLY ERRATIC IDLE I REMOVED THE ENGINE COVER TO EXAMINE THE PLUG WIRES AND DISCOVERED A RATHER ALARMING PROBLEM/SAFETY ISSUE. THE MAIN ENGINE WIRE HARNESS FOR THE FUEL INJECTORS AND OTHER ENGINE SYSTEMS HAD BARE WIRES!!?? UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION THE WIRE INSULATION APPEARS TO HAVE SIMPLE VANISHED??? NOT JUST ON EXPOSED WIRES (AS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY RODENTS FOR EXAMPLE) BUT IF YOU PEAL BACK THE OUTER HARNESS COVER ALL THE WIRES INSIDE ARE BARE AND THERE APPEARS TO BE THE REMNANTS OF THE INSULATION AS POWDER WITH OCCASIONAL LITTLE P

1994 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. HARNESS INSULATION SEEMS TO BE DISINTEGRATING. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING LOUD NOISES. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESSES HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE WITH SUCH WIRING CONDITIONS. THE REPAIR WAS RATHER EXPENSIVE AND WAS COVERED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE CONTACT ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET FOR THE SAME DEFECT HOWEVER; NO RECALL HAD BEEN CONDUCTED YET. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP.

MY WIRING HARNESS HAS DISINTEGRATED. I HAVE SHORTS IN THE WIRING THAT HAVE SO FAR AFFECTED THE ALTERNATOR, HEATING COOLING, FUEL INJECTION AND LIGHTS. *NM

HFM & OTHER WIRING HARNESSES ARE DETERIORATED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED TO MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS SINCE NEW. DETERIORATED WIRING HARNESS CAUSES CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS, IGNITION MALFUNCTIONS, ELECTRICAL SHORTS OCCUR IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WIRE INSULATION / COATINGS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT UP TO THE TASK. THIS IS DANGEROUS SITUATION. *JB