On the wiring on the rear of the alternator, there is a plug-in style connector.

Question: Are there supposed to be one or two little wires connected to this plug?

Reason I ask is that my last alternator caught on fire and it did not appear to damage this plug, but I want to be sure, because there is only ONE wire connected to this plug (a blue wire), but it has TWO spaces for wire connections. Not talking about the big positive cable, just the little wire plug in clip.

Any help or diagrams, etc is greatly appreciated.

Not sure actual cause of the alternator fire, everything appeared to be securely connected, etc.

Thank you!

 

not sure of your year or model but almost always one. is there one pin on the alternator side? most all the ones ive seen are one wire.

 

It is a 2001 E320. It looks like two pins on the plastic plug, but just one small wire connected into it.

Any other iput on possible causes for the fire?

Thanks again.

 

ive never seen that happen but i would suspect something like oil or chemical dripping on the atlernator or a problem in the wires going to the alternator. i would inspect all the wires very good. remove the alternator and check the harness behind the alternator a harness runs up the side of the engine block and beside the alternator. maybe the starter has something to do with it? i really cant say. but something is getting hot....maybe something flew up in there while you were driving like paper or cloth and got hot on the manifold and caught fire. ive read your other post about the engine compartment fire and i see you said the car was sitting for 3 hours and then you noticed the fire. the alrm going off could be a clue cause the alarm shouldnt be going off just because of the fire. how did the fire trigger the alarm. its ahrd to say how the alternator was on fire.. was the alternator actually burnt up? how is the plastic on the back of the alternator. did you get a new one? i would look very carefullly around the fire area and see if you see any other clues.. i guess its possible the alternator just took a ****.

 

I did a google search and there are hundreds of cases where a faulty alternator or internal generator caused resistance, creating heat and then a fire, which is what I believe happened in this case. Did not see any articles on MB, tho, but some well know recalls from Ford and GM and random ones from other makers.

Funny thing is, I smelled the burning odor about a month ago, figured something was going to bust, but then it went away until yesterday, and then the subsequest fire. Perhaps running the AC on a hot day, radio, etc finally killed it..?