Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.: Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. reported this defect to federal regulators on Nov 1, 2005 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 69,278. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The 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.
The 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.
The 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.
7 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Mercedes Benz SLK | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 Mercedes Benz SLK | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 Mercedes Benz SLK | 25 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 Mercedes Benz SLK | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Mercedes Benz SLK | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Mercedes Benz SLK | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 Mercedes Benz SLK | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 05V505000.
Full record for the 2004 Mercedes Benz SLK → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →