1999 Mercedes Benz 202

Defect. DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Risk. DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOVES TO CENTER OF WINDSHIELD THEN HESITATES FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN SLOWLY DRAGS ACROSS THE REST OF THE WINDSHIELD, THEN DOES THE SAME THING WHEN IT RETURNS TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR WARANTY SERVICE AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT COVERED. IF I WANTED IT FIXED IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $700.00 FOR A PART THEY CALLED THE WIPER TRANSMISSION PLUS LABOR. I CHECKED WITH OTHER DEALERS/REPAIR FACILITIES AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. WHEN I CHECKED WITH AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THE MECHANIC FIXED THE PROBLEM IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES BY CLEANING THE BASE OF THE WIPER AND LUBRICATING IT WITH WD-40. THE WIPER WORKED FINE AFTER THAT. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND TALKED TO THE OWNERSHIP TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEIR MODE OF REPAIR WHICH WAS EXCESSIVELY PRICED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPAIR DONE WAS ONLY A TEMPORRARY FIX AND WOULD LAST LESS THAN A MONTH OR TWO. THAT WAS OVER TWO YEARS AGO!! JUST RECENTLY THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN AND I REPAIRED IT MYSELF IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. WHEN I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ NA CORPORATE OFFICE TO TELL THEM OF MY PROBLEM I GOT THE RUN AROUND FOR TWO WEEKS OF REPEATED PHONE CALLS,BUT WHEN I FINALLY CONTACTED SOMEONE I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD TO REPLACE RATHER THAN REPAIR THE WIPER MECHANISM IN ALL CASES RELATING TO THIS PROBLEM, AT COST TO THE CONSUMER. I HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH OTHER MERCEDES OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THEY WERE TOLD THE SAME $700. PRICE FOR A REPLACEMENT PART