2001 Mercedes Benz CLK320

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT LED INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS THAT INDICATE WHAT GEAR YOU ARE IN AND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE BOTH FAILED AND ARE UNABLE TO READ. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE ONLY BECAUSE I CANNOT TELL WHICH GEAR I AM IN AND OFTEN TIMES I MUST GUESS AT WHAT GEAR IT IS IN. THIS GUESSING TAKES MY EYES AND CONCENTRATION OFF THE ROAD AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT I KNOW THAT EVERY CLK320 HAS THIS SAME ISSUE AND MERCEDES BENZ HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS FIX. IT SEEMS THEY SHOULD AS IT COULD LEAD TO MANY ACCIDENTS. *TR

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

I OWN A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ CLK 320. MY CONCERN IS OVER ITS FAULTY DISPLAY READOUTS THAT I HEAR MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THE LEFT HALF OF THE DISPLAY IS VERY WEAK/DIM AND GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO READ. IT'S HAZARDOUS AS I HAVE TO SQUINT TO READ THE DISPLAY WHICH TAKES MY EYES OFF THE ROAD LONGER THAN THEY SHOULD BE. AS PART OF THIS CLUSTER, THE TEMPERATURE PIXELS ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL WHICH HAS BEEN UNREADABLE FOR SOME TIME NOW. THE MAIN DISPLAY ISSUE STARTED A FEW MONTHS AGO BUT I FEAR WILL WORSEN. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS OR IS ONE BEING CONSIDERED? THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION." *TR