2001 Mercedes Benz SLK230

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK230. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE ESC WARNING INDICATOR SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND THE ESC ACTIVATED. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE SUDDENLY ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE TURNED TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

THE CAR ENGAGES THE BRAKES ON IT'S OWN WHEN I'M DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 30MPH.

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WHEN I START UP MY VEHICLE AN INDICATOR FOR A LIGHT OUT APPEARS ON MY DASH. I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES FOR A RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT BEING OUT. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULB NUMEROUS TIMES. I WAS RECOMMENDED TO LOOK ON YOUR WEB SIGHT AND I SAW THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED CAMPAIGN ID 05V505000 ON MY MAKE/MODEL FOR THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER WHEN I PUT IN MY VIN NUMBER IT PRODUCED ZERO RECALLS. HOW DO I KNOW IF THIS VEHICLE HAS EVER HAD THE RECALL ISSUE CORRECTED? ALSO, WHAT I CAN DO TO GET THE ISSUE RECTIFIED?

HE ENGINE DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. I MANAGED TO COAST TO A CORNER AND GET OFF THE MAIN STREET, THERE WAS NO WARNING.I HAD TO LEAVE THIS CAR FOR ONE DAY TO FIND IT TOWED BY POLICE , AND HAD TO CALL AND GET IT THE NEXT DAY PAYED 300$ AND GET IT TOWED AGAIN TO A MECANIC PAYED 85$ AND 100$ FOR CHECKING. THE MECANIC TOLD ME IT LOOK LIKE IT HAVE BIG PROBLEM, I DICEDED TO SEE A PROFITIONEL AND SO I HAD TO PAY AN OTHER TOWING FEE OF 80$ AND AN OTHER 110$ FOR CHECKING TO FIND OUT THAT THE HALL ENGINE JUST DAMAGED AND TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW ONE THAT WILL COST ME 3500$.

THE MERCEDES BENZ SLK 230 2001 MODEL BRAKES RANDOMLY WITH THE FRONT TIRES LEFT OR RIGHT OR BOTH, ENGINE PERFORMANCE GOES DOWN TO SUPER SLOW FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND. THE CAR TURNS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT AND SLOWS DOWN ABRUPTLY AND ONLY DUE TO MY FAST REACTION I AM ABLE TO AVOID TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ! THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND ANY SPEED AND ANY PLACE. THE LAST TIME AT ABOUT 1MPH ON A PARKING LOT, BEFORE AT ABOUT 75MPH ON THE INTERSTATE !

MY VEHICLE WOULD WOULD SUDDENLY COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES. IT WOULD DO THIS AT ANY SPEED. IT WAS HAPPENING EVERYDAY. WE HAD TO STOP DRIVING IT. WE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD US THE YAW SENSOR WAS BAD. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET. IT IS DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE A DEADLY ACCIDENT. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS $1000.

THE RIGHT WHEEL STARTED AUTOMATICALLY BRAKING, WITHOUT ME DOING ANYTHING, WHEN I WAS TRAVELLING AT 55 MPH. IT ALMOST CAUSED TO RUN OFF THE ROAD. I FELT FORTUNATE THAT THERE WERE NOT OTHER CARS AROUND ME, THEN THE BAS/ESP LIGHT WILL CAME ON. IT FELT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!

VEHICLE TYPE IS 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230 (R170 MODEL). THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS AN ELECTROCHROMIC SELF DIMMING MIRROR THAT HAS NO MANUAL BACKUP. THE MIRRORS FAIL LOSING THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE DIMMING AGAINST REAR APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS CAUSING THE DRIVER TO EITHER BE BLINDED OR TO HAVE TO TURN THE MIRROR UP AND HAVE NO REAR VIEW CAPABILITY. I KNOW OF MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THESE MIRRORS FAILING INCLUDING MY OWN. SOME FAIL BY JUST QUITTING WORKING WHILE OTHERS LEAK THE INTERNAL FLUID. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THAT THE REAR WHEELS WERE LOCKED AND THE ESP WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BRAKE SWITCH LIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,600. UPDATED 10/16/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT WAS IN THE YAW SENSOR. UPDATED 10/23/2012 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 230. WHENEVER THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED A WARNING LIGHT SIGNALING THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT OPERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE BOTH REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V505000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: BRAKE LIGHTS). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. UPDATED 03/15/12 *BF

THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR IN MY 2001 MERCEDES SLK230 (R170 MODEL) IS AN SELF-DIMMING MIRROR THAT HAS NO MANUAL BACKUP. THE MIRROR CONTAINED A FLUID WHICH LEAKED OUT, CAUSING THE SELF-DIMMING FEATURE TO FAIL. SO BASICALLY, I'M BLINDED BY APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS WHENEVER I DRIVE AT NIGHT. THE ONLY FIX IS TO TURN THE MIRROR AWAY AND LOSE MY REAR VIEW (WHICH AFTER ALL IS THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR!) I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF DOCUMENTED CASES OF THESE MIRRORS FAILING IN VARIOUS MAKES AND MODELS. I CONTACTED THE OEM MIRROR MAKER AND THEIR ONLY SUGGESTION WAS TO HAVE MY DEALER INSTALL A NEW MIRROR AT A COST OF $300-400. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

YAH SENSOR/ ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL: 2001 MERCEDES SLK 230; INCIDENT; WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A CLEAR AND DRY DAY, IT BRAKES HARD TO THE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO SCREECH AND SENDING ME INTO THE RIGHT HAND LANE OF TRAFFIC. WENT INTO DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD IT WAS ( YAH SENSOR ) WHICH TELLS THE CAR THAT ITS GOING INTO A SKID AND ALLOW THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL TO STABILIZE THE VEHICLE. THE SENSOR WAS PLACED ON ORDER. DEALER DID NOT ADVICE ME THAT THIS IS WHAT I CALL (A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE') NOR THAT IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN BEFORE IT CAN BE REPAIRED AND ALLOWED ME TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE HOME. IT HAPPEN TWICE ON THE WAY. CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL OR ATLEAST A NOTABLE CONCERN BEFORE SOMEONE IS SEVERELY HURT OR KILLED THANK YOU...... *TR

REFER TO YOUR COMPLAINT # ODI 10305858 I JUST RECEIVED. I HAD EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM. MY DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM, AND I QUOTE FROM THE SERVICE RECORD: THERE IS APPX 3-SECOND DELAY WITH ACCELERATION THEN VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. 30 THROTTLE CONTROL, SPEED CONTROL SYSTEMS 2010 C 1 170-300-01-04 PEDAL 1 2010 D. HUBER 1 SOP TODAY TOTAL COST TO REPAIR BEFORE TAXES = $437.80 75806 1.4 PERFORM SHORT TEST, HAD CODE P2002 FOR GAS PEDAL SENSOR. TEST PEDAL SENSOR VALUES. FOUND VOLTAGE OUT OF PEDAL POTENTIOMETER TOO LOW. REPLACE GAS PEDAL. ERASE CODE. THERE IS YOU PROBLEM. IT IS NOT THE DRIVER. IT IS THE GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF ONE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY TO AVOID TROUBLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230. WHILE IT WAS RAINING, WATER ENTERED INTO THE ELECTRICAL COMPARTMENT, WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING AND THE CONTACT HEARD A BUZZING SOUND COMING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN STARTED UP AGAIN. THE CONTACT DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF AT THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE THREE OTHER MERCEDES THERE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE CONTACT PAID $1,600 TO HAVE THE DEALER REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 36,000.

THE SELF DIMMING MIRROR IS DEFECTIVE AND PERMANENTLY INOPERABLE. UPON RESEARCH, IT IS A CONSTANT, COMMON, AND ACTUALLY SOMEWHAT PREDICTABLE AS FAR AS THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING. MANY HAVE PAID OUT OF POCKET TO REPLACE THEM RIGHT AWAY AS THERE IS NO MANUAL OPERATION OF THE REARVIEW MIRROR. AS A RESULT, YOU MUST RELY ON SIDEVIEW MIRRORS ONLY AND A FULL OVER 90 DEGREE HEAD TURN WHICH IS IN ITSELF A SAFETY HAZARD BOTH PHYSICALLY FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS AND A DRIVING HAZARD AS YOUR ATTENTION IS COMPLETELY DIVERTED FROM THE ROAD. *TR

THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK 230 (R170 MODEL) IS A SELF-DIMMING MIRROR. THE MIRROR CONTAINS A FLUID WHICH IS LEAKING OUT CAUSING THE SELF-DIMMING MIRROR TO FAIL TO DIM AGAINST REAR APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS, RESULTING IN THE DRIVER TO EITHER BE BLINDED OR TO HAVE TO TURN THE MIRROR AWAY. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THESE MIRRORS FAILING IN VARIOUS MAKES AND MODELS AS A RESULT OF THE INTERNAL FLUID LEAKING. THE OEM MIRROR MAKER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND STEVE CHENLO, FROM MAGNA DONNELLY (HIS DIRECT LINE IS 616-786-7495), REFUSED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM. HIS ADVICE WAS TO PURCHASE ANOTHER MIRROR AT APPROXIMATELY $200, AND PAY FOR INSTALLATION, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY $100 FROM THE DEALERSHIP. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, MAGNA DONNELLY WAS REPLACING THESE MIRRORS FOR FREE BUT STOPPED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. *TR

VEHICLE TYPE IS 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK320 (R170 MODEL). THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS AN ELECTROCHROMIC SELF DIMMING MIRROR THAT HAS NO MANUAL BACKUP. THE MIRROR FAILED, LOSING ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE DIMMING AGAINST REAR APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS CAUSING ME TO EITHER BE BLINDED OR TO HAVE TO TURN THE MIRROR UP AND HAVE NO REAR VIEW CAPABILITY. *TR

FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, ESP/BAS LIGHT WILL COM ON WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED INVOLUNTARILY INTERMITTENTLY, CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. ON OCCASION IS ALSO HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED IN CITY TRAFFIC. CONTACTED THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER, THEY IMMEDIATELY BLAMED YAW RATE SENSOR, OR ACCELERATOR SENSOR MODULE REPLACEMENT RANGING BETWEEN $300-700.00 IN REPAIR COST IN ADDITION TO ANOTHER RELATED PROBLEM WITH STOP LIGHT SWITCH, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF THE FAULTY PARTS, NO RECALLS ARE MADE, AND NHTSA ALSO IS AWARE, BUT HAVE CLOSED THE INVESTIGATION. THE CAR SUDDENLY BRAKES LAST TIME TO AN SCREECHING HALT IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. AFTER SEARCHING MB FORUMS IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH A BATCH OF SENSORS, AND SWITCHES FITTED ON 2001 MODELS, OF M, E, CLK, AND SLK'S. I AM PROVIDING A LINK TO THE SITE OF OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME FAULT FOR YOUR REVIEW AT: HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/R170-SLK-CLASS/1407460-SUDDEN-BRAKE.HTML I ALSO CONTACTED THE DEALER TO MEET WITH MB USA REPRESENTATIVE ON WARRANTY REPAIR, BUT NEVER HEARD FROM THEM, OR MBUSA, REGARDING THIS KNOWN FAULT BOTH TO THEM AND NHTSA. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN WET CONDITIONS (RAINING ON AND OFF), MY CAR SUDDENLY JERKED TO THE RIGHT; IT FELT AS IF MY RIGHT REAR WHEEL BRAKES HAD APPLIED FOR A SECOND OR SO. I NOTICED THAT THE YELLOW TRIANGLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASH BOARD THAT ALERTS ME TO THE APPLICATION OF THE ESC WAS BLINKING (AND CONTINUED TO BLINK UNTIL I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE). AS I RECALL, MY CAR WENT INTO THE LANE TO MY RIGHT BEFORE I REGAINED CONTROL. I HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL AT THE TIME. BECAUSE OF THE WET CONDITIONS, I ASSUMED I MAY HAVE SKIDDED WITHOUT MY REALIZING IT, CAUSING THE ESC TO KICK IN. WHEN I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY, I TURNED OFF THE MOTOR AND GOT OUT. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR, THE ESC LIGHT HAD GONE OUT, AND I ASSUMED EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN BEFORE I GOT TO MY DESTINATION (PITTSBURGH). I CALLED A LOCAL DEALER, WHO ADVISED ME IT MIGHT BE A DEFECTIVE SENSOR AND THAT IT SHOULD BE OKAY TO MAKE THE RETURN DRIVE TO NO. VIRGINIA BEFORE GETTING THE VEHICLE FIXED. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM A FEW TIMES ON THE RETURN TRIP AND THEN BROUGHT THE CAR INTO MY DEALER. THE DEALER SERVICE FORM IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS "NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE YAW RATE SENSOR." THE REPAIR CHARGE WAS $807.85. *TR

I HAVE LESS THAN 50K MILES AND HAD TO REPLACE THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR TWICE AND NOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN FOR THE SAME SERVICE NEEDED. I HAVE PAID OUT OF POCKET NOT TO MENTION THE INCONVENIENCE OF HAVING IT IN THE SHOP SO MANY TIMES ALSO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION SENSORS AND TAIL LIGHT, WHICH MERCEDES DID NOT REIMBURSE FOR ORIGINAL CHARGE, JUST RE- REPLACED. NOW PROBLEMS HAPPENING WITH REAR MIRROR. THIS IS RIDICULOUS MERCEDES SHOULD STAND BY THERE PRODUCT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO LAST FOREVER AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. *TR