HIGH AMBIENT ENGINE COMPARTMENT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPERIENCED AFTER THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED AND THEN PARKED. IF THE VEHICLE IS RESTARTED A SHORT TIME LATER AND THE CHARCOAL CANISTER IS SATURATED WITH FUEL, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT FUEL VAPOR MAY BE EXPELLED THROUGH THE INLET VENT LINE OF THE CANISTER ONTO THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY RADIATOR FAN PRERESISTOR.
Safety risk
UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY RADIATOR FAN PRERESISTOR BECOMES HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE FUEL EXPELLED FROM THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER AND RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL REPOSITION THE FUEL VAPOR CANISTER VENT LINE AWAY FROM THE ELECTRIC FAN PRERESISTOR. IN ADDITION, THE PRERESISTOR WILL HAVE A LARGER HEAT SHIELD AND A FUSED WIRING HARNESS WILL BE INSTALLED.
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Manufacturer
MERCEDES-BENZ USA, INC.
Vehicles affected
845
Reported to NHTSA
1992-06-11
Owners notified
1992-06-05
Defect description
THE PLASTIC BRAKE HYDRAULIC HOSE FROM THE AUTOMATIC SLIP CONTROL UNIT WAS MISROUTED TOO CLOSE TO THE PRE-RESISTOR FOR THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY ENGINE COOLING FAN WHICH BECOMES HOT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THIS COULD CAUSE THE HOSE TO MELT AND LEAK BRAKE FLUID ONTO THE HOT PRE-RESISTOR.
Safety risk
BRAKE FLUID CAN CATCH ON FIRE WHEN IT CONTACTS THE HOTPRE-RESISTOR, POSING THE RISK OF INJURY TO ANYONE IN OR NEAR THE VEHICLE.
Manufacturer remedy
REPLACE AND REROUTE ANY HOSE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MISROUTED.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Electrical system: wiring: front underhood
7
125,000 mi
Electrical system
6
135,905 mi
Electrical system: wiring
4
95,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling
1
—
Power train
1
135,905 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
—
Vehicle speed control
1
—
The 1993 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.