1995 Mercedes-Benz C280 Electrical system Problems
- Complaints
- 13about this part
- Share
- 81%of 16 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 135,250miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 13 complaints about the electrical system of the 1995 Mercedes-Benz C280, 81% of the 16 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 135,250 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 3 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The wiring harness shorted and caught fire. The engine shut off and I hit a pole on the side of the road after loss of steering. I hit my head on the steering wheel. I have a check engine light now, and they want me to spend thousands of dollars on an electrical wiring harness for the engine.”
NHTSA complaint #10497708, filed 2013-02, 150,000 miles“After starting the engine started missing then quit. Could not get it re-started. Failure codes said random misfire. Checked the wiring harness going into the spark coils and found that the insulation had disintegrated. After checking a few other spots on the engine wiring harness, I found the insulation had disintegrated there also.”
NHTSA complaint #10489542, filed 2012-12, 183,484 miles“Car stalled while driving on highway. After having a mechanic check it, he said it needed a new engine wiring harness because the insulation in the original harness was crumbling and flaking causing electrical problems. He said it was not safe to drive the car as it could stall again.”
NHTSA complaint #10533382, filed 2013-08, 125,000 miles“Car started running funny. Had it looked at and the wiring harness was found to be brittle and falling apart. Car cannot be driven until a new harness is installed.”
NHTSA complaint #10618052, filed 2014-07, 120,000 miles“While driving on the hwy at 75mph the car lost power and then came right back while this happened the transmission down shifted jerked very badly and car also slowed down rapidly. This is a known issue with 90's+ mercedes benz's why has nothing been done about this? Multiple casualties on the hwy should not be a reason to inspect a very well known problem with millions of cars!! As long as these cars are still on the road safety should be at the top of the list! With the cost of repairs for a problem that the manufacturer has known about for many years whats the deal? …”
NHTSA complaint #10519506, filed 2013-06, 184,550 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10186141Dec 10, 2020NTG5.5: Incorrect time shown on instrument cluster, COMAND display, and analog clock
- 10167563Jul 8, 2013The COMAND unit does not start or the COMAND display remains dark. The COMAND unit cannot be operated. Note: The problem disappears after a lengthy idle period (>6h) or after…
Electrical system: other model years
Other parts of the 1995 Mercedes-Benz C280
6 complaintsOther or unknown
2 complaintsAir bags
1 complaintsFuel system
1 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
1 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz C280
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology