1998 Mercedes Benz SLK

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, FAILURE OF ONE OF THE SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS CAN OCCUR. THE BASE OF THE SOCKET CAN BE SUBJECT TO THERMAL DEFORMATION OVER TIME.

Risk. THIS DEFORMATION CAN CAUSE MOVEMENT IN THE SOCKET-TO-BULB CONNECTION, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE SOCKET, AND FAILURE OF THE BULB TO ILLUMINATE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR LAMP MODULES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2006, TO APPROXIMATELY 8,200 OWNERS. PHASE II MAILING IS SCHEDULE ON OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 3, 2006, AND PHASE III MAILING IS SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY 2007 FOR THE REMAINING OWNERS. OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THE UPDATED TRIM (POST-FACE LIFT) WILL GET AN INTERIM NOTICE DURING NOVEMBER 2006, ASKING THEM TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR REAR TAIL LAMP REPLACEMENT LATER IN 2007. HOWEVER, IF THEY EXPERIENCE AN ACTUAL REAR LAMP FAILURE BEFORE THEY RECEIVE THAT NOTICE, THEY SHOULD COME TO THEIR DEALER IMMEDIATELY FOR A FREE REPAIR. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

ON 02/02/2009 I HAD MY VEHICLE, A 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ 230SLK SERVICED FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. DURING THAT SERVICE THE SERVICEMAN INSPECTED MY TIRES AND BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THEY WERE BALD. THE TIRES IN QUESTION WERE THE THIRD SET OF DUNLOPS THAT THIS AUTO HAS HAD, THE FIRST BEING ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WHICH I HAD SUCCESS WITH SO I WAS A LOYAL DUNLOP CUSTOMER. WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT I NATURALLY PURCHASED THE SAME DUNLOP TIRES. TO MY SHOCK, THEY EXHIBITED PREMATURE TIRE WEAR WITHIN SIX-TO TWELVE MONTHS OF PURCHASE. ALTHOUGH I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD BE REPLACED FOR FREE BECAUSE THEY WERE DEFECTIVE, DUNLOP DID NOT MAKE GOOD ON SUCH OFFER OR WARRANTY. ON 10/22/2007 I PURCHASED TWO DUNLOP TIRES, 225/50R1692V, DOT DN 41 29W AND TWO DUNLOP TIRES 205/55R1691V, DOT DM CP 38W, ALL SPSPORT 2020E. WHILE DUNLOP FAILED TO STAND BY THE TIRE WARRANTY, I WAS ASSURED THAT IF I PURCHASED FOUR NEW DUNLOP TIRES THEY WOULD MAIL ME A CHECK FOR A PARTIAL REFUND. RESTING ON THEIR ASSURANCE THAT THEY WOULD STAND BY NEW TIRES, I HAD THEM INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE. THE MILEAGE AT THE DATE OF INSTALLATION, 10/22/2007, WAS RECORDED BY THE TIRE DEALER AS 66,666 MILES. THE MILEAGE AT MY MOST RECENT DATE OF SERVICE WAS RECORDED AS +- 84,250 MILES MEANING THAT THESE DUNLOP TIRES LASTED ONLY 17,584 MILES! AT THE TIME OF SERVICE THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED TO BE IN ALIGNMENT AND NOT HAVE A SUSPENSION PROBLEM. ALL FOUR DUNLOP TIRES EXHIBITED THE SAME DEGREE OF WEAR. THE FOUR DUNLOP TIRES WERE REMOV

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ALL THE SUDDEN AND WITHOUT WARNING, CAR STOPPED IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY, ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF CAR WAS SHOT OUT AND COULD NOT OPERATE THE BRAKE STEERING AND CAR WAS TOWED TO A FACTORY TRAIED MERCEDES BENZ FACILITY, DIAGNOSIS (NO POWER TO ME2 CONTROL UNIT) THE K40 RELAY MODULE WAS REPLACED WHILE IN GARAGE ANOTHER SLK MODEL WAS IN FOR SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM SINCE THIS COULD BE A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE IS REPORTED TO YOU. *TR