1999 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.

THIS IS IN REGARDS TO RECALL NUMBER 05V505 FOR THE DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHT. THIS RECALL OCCURRED IN 2006 AND THE LIGHT WAS FIXED. HOWEVER, IT HAS FAILED AGAIN AND HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, THE SOCKED HAS GOTTEN HOT AND MELTED/DEFORMED THE PLASTIC SOCKET. I DON'T KNOW IF THE BULB WAS REPLACED ONLY BUT TO ME IT APPEARS NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE ON THIS CAR. *TR

THE INSIDE REAR MIRROR OF MY 1999 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 230 IS AN ELECTRO-CHROMIC SELF-DIMMING MIRROR THAT HAS NO MANUAL BACKUP. THE MIRROR CONTAINED FLUID HAS LEAKED OUT CAUSING THE SELF-DIMMING TO FAIL TO PROVIDE DIMMING AGAINST REAR APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS BUT INSTEAD TO BE DARK AND FULL OF BUBBLES ALL THE TIME. THIS CAUSES A HAZARD AS IT ELIMINATES REAR VIEW CAPABILITY ENTIRELY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER CASES OF THIS FAILURE DOCUMENTED ON LINE AND I HAVE HEARD THAT MAGNA DONNELLY (THE MANUFACTURER) WAS REPLACING THEM UP UNTIL A YEAR AGO FOR FREE BUT HAS STOPPED AND NOW SUGGESTS THAT WE BUY A NEW ($240) OR REMANUFACTURED ONE. THIS IS A FAILURE OF A SAFETY FEATURE OF THE CAR. *TR

THE MIRROR IS SELF-DIMMING USING A LIGHT-SENSITIVE LIQUID BEHIND THE MIRROR. THE LIQUID LEAKED OUT OF THE MIRROR AND CREATED ACID STAINS ON THE CENTER CONSOLE. THE MIRROR IS NOW BLURRY AND SHOWS GHOST IMAGES OF ANYTHING BEHIND. IT ALSO NO LONGER AUTO-DIMS WHEN BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS APPROACH FROM BEHIND AND THERE IS NO LEVER FOR THE DRIVER TO USE TO MANUALLY DIM IT. THE EASIEST THING IS TO JUST TURN IT AWAY BUT THAT CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD. I ASKED MERCEDES-BENZ CORPORATE TO HELP IN THIS MATTER BUT THEY REFUSED SAYING THE PART IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE IS NO RECALL IN EFFECT. *TR

THE FRAME OF MY 1999 MERCEDES SLK 230 HAS BROKEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON IT AND AN ALIGNED AND TWO WEEKS LATER THE FRAME BROKE NEAR THE AXLE. THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED PREVIOUSLY AND THE FRAME SHOULD BE STRONGER THAN IT WAS. *TR

1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK, BOTH REAR BREAK LIGHTS BURNED OUT, PLASTIC (BLUE) LIGHT BLUB HOLDERS ARE FUSED TO THE ASSEMBLY DUE TO EXTREME OVERHEATING CONDITION. CANNOT BE REMOVED BY HAND. JB

TL* - THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER CAMPAIGN # 05V505000 ON 01/09/07 FOR THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON HIS 1999 MERCEDES SLK. THE DEALERSHIP, R & H MERCEDES OWENS MILL, MARYLAND TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT PERFORM THE RECAL REPAIR BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS PRESENTLY WORKING.