I have been told by the dealer that they cannot diagnose my check engine light until they replace the wiring harness in my '95 C220. I understand that is good advice. But they want $1200 to replace the wiring harness. From what I have been able to find, the harness itself is about $60, and it takes about 2 hours to do the job. That means the job should be about $300. What am I missing?
in other models of that year the harness was recalled and replaced at their cost, search for any tsbs
LWG: This is true. lift your hood and inspect your engine wiring harness. feel how brittle it is. or even go as far as getting a razor blade and opening the wiring harness tape and inspect the actual wires. most likely the wires are exposed and possibly shorting out on each other. and for the engine wiring harness acutally costing $60.00 no way!!!!!!! i dont believe it. this price is about normal......
Nothing, if what you've been told is true.
This isn't a physically hard job, it's tedious and requires attention to detail.
One overlays the new harness onto the old one and begins to unplug the old and plug in the new until all has been transferred.
Remember, the dealer is selling you something any independent shop can do this job, or you can do it as well.
I agree with WRENCHER that $60 for the harness, a unique M-B part, is incorrect; guessing, I'd say more like $250 or $300.
From what I have read, you will be lucky to find the harness by itself for $500-600. There are a number of online places that will sell it for less than the dealer. You will just have to research the major online/mail order MB parts distributors.
Take a look at this thread:
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