Replacing some wires may sound like a trivial job, but a new wiring harness isn’t cheap. If you live in a place like Spain, buying a W202 is not a bad idea at all.īefore buying a Mercedes-Benz W202 from 1993-1996, check if the biodegradable wiring harness has already been replaced. That is if you live in a wet or cold climate. If you do decide to buy it, be prepared to spend some time and money on dealing with the rust in the long run. Unless you can find a rust free example, I would stay away from this model though. Just like the older Mercedes-Benz cars, it is well engineered and relatively easy to work on. Summary of problems & additional informationĮxcept for the rust, which can be a serious problem, the W202 is pretty reliable. Just make sure that you get one with the updated insulation that doesn’t disintegrate when you touch it. However, you may be able to find used ones in good condition on eBay. The wiring harness is complex, and that makes it expensive if you buy a new one from the dealership. Otherwise, you will have to replace it yourself. The typical symptoms of a failing harness are electrical errors, problems with starting the engine, poor running and rough idle.īefore buying a 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W202, check if the harness has already been replaced. A faulty wiring harness can disable the car, and it is a potential fire risk. The components that could potentially malfunction because of a damaged wiring harness are fuel injection, starter, alternator, throttle actuator and the ECU. ![]() Both petrol and diesel-powered W202 cars are affected too. The wiring harness problem affects Mercedes-Benz cars from 1992 until 1996. Therefore, the cables close to the engine are ones mostly affected. It’s the heat of the engine that accelerates the process of degradation. The cracking insulation also makes the wires susceptible to corrosion. The wires become exposed, short-circuit and cause the electrical systems to malfunction. It becomes brittle and falls apart over time. Unfortunately, it turned out that the biodegradable wiring insulation made from soybeans degrades far too quickly. In the early-nineties, Mercedes-Benz decided to use a biodegradable wiring harness in their vehicles. Replacement spring perches are available and can be riveted/welded back to the car if the original ones fail. Even then, it’s not obvious if the welds are still good. You won’t be able to check them before buying the car as you would need to peel off the coating to see the welds. If you are planning to buy the W202 C-Class, and you live in a wet or cold climate, I recommend getting the spring perches checked and even reinforced after your purchase. I believe it’s more common to see failed spring perches in the Mercedes-Benz W210 E-Class, probably because of the higher weight, but both models have equally bad corrosion protection, in my opinion. You may never see this problem in dry climates with salt-free roads, but otherwise, this is something to consider. As you can imagine, this can be dangerous if it happens at the wrong time. If it happens, the suspension collapses and the tyre suddenly has the option to meet with the fender. ![]() The weld is coated at the factory to provide some protection, but over time moisture penetrates the coating and starts corroding the metal.Ĭorrosion in that area may eventually lead to one of the spring perches breaking off. This area, being so close to the wheels, gets splashed with water (and salt in winter). The front suspension spring perches are welded to the inner wing. The spring perch failures are directly related to poor corrosion protection on these cars.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |