Loom issues - W124

[Bill_33]

Hi everyone

Reading through all the thread etc., am I correct in saying that the loom problems only affect the E280 and E320

and that the earlier 300CE and 230CE plus the E220CE and their saloon and Estate equivalents are NOT affected at all with the same deterioration and "cracking" problem

Cheers

 

[Ade B]

I believe that is correct, the M104 CE-24V is also unaffected.

Ade

 

[Number_Cruncher]

>>am I correct in saying that the loom problems only affect the E280 and E320

No, it also affects E300Ds

 

[Bill_33]

Thanks guys - as you can maybe guess, I am looking for a Coupe

Cheers

 

[Roger Jones]

A US site, now inaccessible, had many dozens of reports of wiring-harness problems on a whole range of models from 1991 onwards, not just the late W124, although the W124 did predominate, and not just the M104. I was under the impression that it was a general problem with the late W124 and it's the first time I've seen any M104s excluded. The M103 does seem to be free of the problem.

These may be of interest:

Mercedes Defects - Exposing irresponsible engineering failures: Mercedes Wire Harness Defect

http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2044

 

[neilrr]

N. America has a range of climates, some of them severely inimical to people & cars, which are vastly different from the moderate climate we are used to in the UK.

The problems which develop over a long term on a car which has lived somewhere like Arizona or Nevada where a winter day is like our summer & baking heat is the norm, or the more northerly States with their hot, humid summers followed by months of sub zero winter are, IMHO, not necessarily comparable to problems associated with older Mercs in the UK.

That's not to say M104 car's don't have loom problems here, but many of the issues I had & saw with cars in the US are just not something that occur here.

 

[Roger Jones]

Fair comment about the climate. But would conditions within the engine compartment not be overwhelmingly determined by the engine heat rather than the ambient heat?

Here's one scrap from the list to which I referred:

Mercedes-Benz 1991-1996 Engine Wiring Harness Defect NHTSA Complaints Summary
" 1994 MERCEDES BENZ E420- WIRING HARNESS IS DECAYING. THE WIRES ARE BRITTLE AND MELTING TOGETHER. THE INSULATION AROUND THE WIRE IS GONE; AS A RESULT, THE WIRE IS BARE AND UNSAFE. THE VEHICLE SUFFER FROM ALL TYPES OF PROBLEMS; SUCH AS, STALL ON THE HIGHWAY, SURGING IN TRAFFIC JAMS, AND GAUGES INTERMITTENTLY GO HAYWIRE. *AK . . ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS FOR THE ENGINE DEFECTIVE ON ALL MODELS RELATED TO 94-95 MERCEDES. *BF THE CONSUMER HAS A 1994 MERCEDES BENZ, HE EXPERIENCED WIRING HARNESS PROBLEMS AND WANTED TO KNOW THE OUTCOME OF OTHER"

 

[kth286]

>>am I correct in saying that the loom problems only affect the E280 and E320

No, it also affects E300Ds

Is'nt that a diesel engine.

They do not have electrical ignition !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, not affected by the engine loom ignition problems.

Just because a bit of wire is exposed on a wire to a coolant sensor does not affect the running of the car in any way.

 

[Bill_33]

A US site, now inaccessible, had many dozens of reports of wiring-harness problems on a whole range of models from 1991 onwards, not just the late W124, although the W124 did predominate, and not just the M104. I was under the impression that it was a general problem with the late W124 and it's the first time I've seen any M104s excluded. The M103 does seem to be free of the problem.

These may be of interest:

Mercedes Defects - Exposing irresponsible engineering failures: Mercedes Wire Harness Defect

http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2044

Now I am getting a little confused - I thought that the problems was only with E280s and E320s........all variants

BUT the above, ("a whole range of models from 1991 onwards"), would indicate that, for example, a 1993 300TE or 300CE may also have loom problems

 

[Roger Jones]

1993 cars will have the M103 engine, I think, so should be OK.

 

[kth286]

Now I am getting a little confused - I thought that the problems was only with E280s and E320s........all variants

BUT the above, ("a whole range of models from 1991 onwards"), would indicate that, for example, a 1993 300TE or 300CE may also have loom problems

The one BIG issue to be concerned about is with the 6 cylinder HFM engined 124 vehicles only.

Everything else you might see about wiring is mere trivia.

In the states there is a lot of ignorance on the subject and the trade over there are capitalising on this fear/ignorance.

 

[Bill_33]

Hopefully I have just bought a 1993 300CE so I should be OK

(sold my E280 Estate last week - I loved it but I want to drive and improve as many old Mercs as possible in the next few years)

All I can say after looking around for a Coupe is that there is an awful lot of sh1t out there - do you think that it is our duty to "point them out" if they are advertised and in the public domain?

 

[Ade B]

Hopefully I have just bought a 1993 300CE so I should be OK

(sold my E280 Estate last week - I loved it but I want to drive and improve as many old Mercs as possible in the next few years)

All I can say after looking around for a Coupe is that there is an awful lot of sh1t out there

Excellent

Pics & specs please.

Are

 

[Bill_33]

Thanks

Will do when I get the "baby" home

It's not a 24v though

 

[Roger Jones]

"In the states there is a lot of ignorance on the subject and the trade over there are capitalising on this fear/ignorance."

You may be right. The page I referred to was simply reports from owners. Would that it were still accessible.