Total Complaints
65 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ C220 · model year
65 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1995MERCEDES-BENZC220 carries 65 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 4 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1995 C220 is electrical system with 17 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring (7) and electrical system:wiring:front underhood (6). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1995 C220. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
65 filings
Crashes Reported
9 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 17 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 7 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 6 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 5 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 3 |
| ENGINE | 3 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 2 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
MY VEHICLE SHUTS OFF AT START UP AND ALSO DURING DRIVING IN MOTION. THIS HAPPENS AT VARIOUS TIMES DURING THE DAY WHILE STATIONARY, ON A CITY STREET, OR TURNING WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. MY MECHANIC SAYS THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. I'VE OWNED THIS MERCEDES FOR YEARS AND HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW SERIOUS THIS PROBLEM WAS UNTIL I SPOKE WITH MY MECHANIC RECENTLY.
HIGH VOLTAGE WIRING HARNESS SHEATHING GONE. CAR WILL NOT START. IN GARAGE FOUND THE DEFECTIVE HARNESS.
HIGH VOLTAGE WIRING HARNESS SHEATHING GONE. CAR WILL NOT START. IN GARAGE FOUND THE DEFECTIVE HARNESS.
HIGH VOLTAGE WIRING HARNESS SHEATHING GONE. CAR WILL NOT START. IN GARAGE FOUND THE DEFECTIVE HARNESS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C220. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STRUCK HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE HER. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF MINOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE FUEL LINE DUE TO A LEAK. THERE WERE ALSO REPAIRS MADE TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA TO WARRANT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
Mileage: 160,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C220. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STRUCK HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE HER. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF MINOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE FUEL LINE DUE TO A LEAK. THERE WERE ALSO REPAIRS MADE TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA TO WARRANT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
Mileage: 160,000
I STARTED MY CAR AND BEGAN DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. I WAS GOING ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO SHUT DOWN; LIKE THE POWER WAS SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. THEN, LIKE A CHILD FLIPPING THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF, THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK FORWARD AND BACK AS THE POWER AND ENGINE WENT ON AND OFF AGAIN. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP THE CAR DIED. I WAS ABLE TO START IT AND GET HOME BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO SHUT DOWN WHILE I DROVE HOME AND DIE WHEN I STOPPED. THE NEXT DAY I GOT IT OVER TO THE SHOP. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS THE WIRING HARNESS. HE SAID THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES. I LOOKED IT UP AND SURE ENOUGH, MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. I ASKED THE MECHANIC TO SEE THE WIRING HARNESS HE REMOVED. IT LOOKED JUST LIKE THE ON IN THIS WEBSITE HTTP://WWW.MERCEDESDEFECTS.COM/2008/04/WIRE-HARNESS-DEFECT.HTML?M=1 THERE WAS CRACKED INSULATION AND EXPOSED WIRES THROUGHOUT THE HARNESS.
Mileage: 150,000
I WAS CHANGING MY OIL AND CHECKING MY LEVEL AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS A SPARK AND THEN FIRE BUT I TOOK IT OUT FAST WITH SAND.IT WAS THE WIRING HARNESS THEY WERE ALL CRACKED AND SOME OF IT ARE DISINTEGRATING.
Mileage: 160,456
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C220. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Mileage: 100,000
MY VEHICLE HAS THE FAULTY WIRING HARNESS PREVALENT IN ALL THESE CARS DURING THE MID TO LATE NINETIES. IT HAS EXHIBITED MANY OF THE SIGNS MENTIONED BY NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS OVER THE YEARS SUCH AS: ENGINE LIGHT ON CONSTANTLY, SURGING OF THE THROTTLE, DASH INSTRUMENTS THAT WON'T WORK, STUMBLING AND STALLING IN TRAFFIC, ETC. THE ONLY THING I HAVEN'T HAD YET IS A FIRE. I WAS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR BACK IN FEB. THIS IS MY FIRST MERCEDES AND WILL BE MY LAST.....NEXT CAR WILL BE A HONDA. WHY MERCEDES IS ALLOWED TO IGNORE THIS IS BEYOND ME. I THOUGHT THE REASON WE HAVE GOVERNMENT REGULATION IS TO FORCE CAR MAKERS TO CLEAN UP MESSES LIKE THIS. THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD AND THIS PROBLEM WILL EVENTUALLY GET SOMEONE KILLED IF IT HASN'T ALREADY. MERCEDES SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL AND REPLACE THIS WIRING WITH GOOD REMANUFACTURED PARTS FOR FREE IF YOU STILL OWN ONE OF THESE CARS. *TR
Mileage: 161,280
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES C-220. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Mileage: 70,000
MERCEDES BENZ KNOWS ABOUT THESE FAULTY WIRING HARNESSES AND REFUSES TO OWN UP TO THEIR FAULTS. THESE FAULTS PLACE THE OWNER AND OTHERS AT RISK AS THEY CAN CAUSE SHORTS, A POOR RUNNING CAR WITH SHORTING ISSUES, OR EVEN CAUSE A FIRE. I WOULD BE HAPPY IF MERCEDES WOULD JUST GIVE US A NEW WIRING HARNESS, I WOULD INSTALL IT MYSELF AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE LOST ANYTHING. *TR
Mileage: 191,000
MERCEDES BENZ KNOWS ABOUT THESE FAULTY WIRING HARNESSES AND REFUSES TO OWN UP TO THEIR FAULTS. THESE FAULTS PLACE THE OWNER AND OTHERS AT RISK AS THEY CAN CAUSE SHORTS, A POOR RUNNING CAR WITH SHORTING ISSUES, OR EVEN CAUSE A FIRE. I WOULD BE HAPPY IF MERCEDES WOULD JUST GIVE US A NEW WIRING HARNESS, I WOULD INSTALL IT MYSELF AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE LOST ANYTHING. *TR
Mileage: 191,000
MERCEDES BENZ KNOWS ABOUT THESE FAULTY WIRING HARNESSES AND REFUSES TO OWN UP TO THEIR FAULTS. THESE FAULTS PLACE THE OWNER AND OTHERS AT RISK AS THEY CAN CAUSE SHORTS, A POOR RUNNING CAR WITH SHORTING ISSUES, OR EVEN CAUSE A FIRE. I WOULD BE HAPPY IF MERCEDES WOULD JUST GIVE US A NEW WIRING HARNESS, I WOULD INSTALL IT MYSELF AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE LOST ANYTHING. *TR
Mileage: 191,000
VEHICLE STALLED IN INTERSECTION. CONTINUES TO DO SO, THOUGH IT WILL RESTART. CEL ON. MECHANIC CHANGED MAF AND WIRING FOR MAF, ADVISED REST OF UNDERHOOD WIRING INSULATION BAD, EXPOSING BARE WIRES. *TR
Mileage: 80,000
I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC WITH AN UNRELATED ENGINE PROBLEM WHICH WAS RESOLVED. AFTERWARDS THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT THE ENGINE MAIN WIRING HARNESS TO ME AND INFORMED ME IF I DON'T REPLACE IT, IT COULD HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES LIKE THE CAR CATCHING OF FIRE, STOPPING AT ANY MOMENT AND MAIN COMPUTER DAMAGE. THEY SHOED ME THE WIRE INSULATIONS IN THE WIRING HARNESS AND I WAS APPALLED BY WHAT I SAW. THEY WERE ALL CRACKED, AT PLACES MISSING, AND VERY CLOSE TO ACTUALLY TOUCHING AND SHORTING OUT. ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT IN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY OR ELECTRICAL REPAIR TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS. THE WIRING HARNESS COST IS ABOUT $1000 AND THE LABOR IS SEVERAL HOURS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH SHOULD BE RECTIFIED BY MERCEDES-BENZ BY ISSUING A RECALL AND REPLACING THE HARNESS AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A SYSTEMIC DEFECT, AND MANY MERCEDES-BEND CARS OF THE SAME ERA AROUND 1995-1998 HAD TO BE REFIT WITH NEW WIRING HARNES
Mileage: 180,000
THE POORLY DESIGNED WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO MANUFACTURES DEFECT OF BIODEGRADABLE SHIELDING ... IT IS THE HARNESS FROM THE E.C.M. TO THE ENGINE... IF THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED DURING THIS FAILURE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY TO EITHER THE DRIVER/PASSENGER OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD ... I HAVE OWNED OLDER M.B. AND NEVER SEEN THIS KIND OF WIRING IN MY 10+ YEARS OF DRIVING AND REPAIRING THESE KIND OF CARS... THIS ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO MBUSA AND THEY TRIED TO SAY IT IS DUE TO NON MAINTENANCE THROUGH M.B..... THIS PART SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN THE LIFE OF THE CAR AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE...WHAT DID I MISS ? HOW DO YOU DO MAINTENANCE ON A WIRE ? HOW?... THIS ISSUE WAS FOUND TO HAPPEN OFF THE LINE AND THEY PRODUCED THIS CRAP...RECALL/REPAIR THANK YOU PLEASE FIX OR RECALL THIS THERE ARE OTHERS WHO TRUSTED THEIR FAMILY'S TO THIS COMPANY AND SOME ARE STILL UNAWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND
Mileage: 200,000
THE POORLY DESIGNED WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO MANUFACTURES DEFECT OF BIODEGRADABLE SHIELDING ... IT IS THE HARNESS FROM THE E.C.M. TO THE ENGINE... IF THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED DURING THIS FAILURE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY TO EITHER THE DRIVER/PASSENGER OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD ... I HAVE OWNED OLDER M.B. AND NEVER SEEN THIS KIND OF WIRING IN MY 10+ YEARS OF DRIVING AND REPAIRING THESE KIND OF CARS... THIS ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO MBUSA AND THEY TRIED TO SAY IT IS DUE TO NON MAINTENANCE THROUGH M.B..... THIS PART SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN THE LIFE OF THE CAR AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE...WHAT DID I MISS ? HOW DO YOU DO MAINTENANCE ON A WIRE ? HOW?... THIS ISSUE WAS FOUND TO HAPPEN OFF THE LINE AND THEY PRODUCED THIS CRAP...RECALL/REPAIR THANK YOU PLEASE FIX OR RECALL THIS THERE ARE OTHERS WHO TRUSTED THEIR FAMILY'S TO THIS COMPANY AND SOME ARE STILL UNAWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND
Mileage: 200,000
THE POORLY DESIGNED WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO MANUFACTURES DEFECT OF BIODEGRADABLE SHIELDING ... IT IS THE HARNESS FROM THE E.C.M. TO THE ENGINE... IF THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED DURING THIS FAILURE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY TO EITHER THE DRIVER/PASSENGER OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD ... I HAVE OWNED OLDER M.B. AND NEVER SEEN THIS KIND OF WIRING IN MY 10+ YEARS OF DRIVING AND REPAIRING THESE KIND OF CARS... THIS ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO MBUSA AND THEY TRIED TO SAY IT IS DUE TO NON MAINTENANCE THROUGH M.B..... THIS PART SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN THE LIFE OF THE CAR AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE...WHAT DID I MISS ? HOW DO YOU DO MAINTENANCE ON A WIRE ? HOW?... THIS ISSUE WAS FOUND TO HAPPEN OFF THE LINE AND THEY PRODUCED THIS CRAP...RECALL/REPAIR THANK YOU PLEASE FIX OR RECALL THIS THERE ARE OTHERS WHO TRUSTED THEIR FAMILY'S TO THIS COMPANY AND SOME ARE STILL UNAWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND
Mileage: 200,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ C220. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAULTY WIRING HARNESS INSTALLATION BECAME BRITTLE, BEGAN TO CRACK AND WAS FALLING OFF OF THE CONDUCTORS WHICH DETACHED THE WIRES FROM THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED BY THE DEALER BACK IN 2000 AND THEY REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE FOR $800. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS FOR $700. THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS OR A WARRANTY FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000.
Mileage: 159,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.