1999 Mercedes Benz SLK230

RE: NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 05V-505. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED IN A LETTER TO NHTSA THAT IT WOULD START OWNER NOTIFICATION NO SOONER THAN SECOND QUARTER OF 2006. IT IS NOW THIRD QUARTER 2006 AND WHEN ASKED, THE MANUFACTURER STILL SAYS THERE ARE NO ACTIVE RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATED SCHEDULE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THAT ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE THE BULB. THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE SOCKET BURNED OUT AND WHILE PLACING THE BULB IN THE SOCKET, THE DRIVER SIDE SOCKET BURNED OUT AS WELL. BOTH BRAKE LIGHT SOCKETS ARE BEING REPLACED. UPDATED 04/11/06. *JB

BRAKE LIGHTS BURN OUT FREQUENTLY ON MY 1999 MERCEDES SLK 230. LIGHT SOCKETS BURN WITH DISCOLORATION AND PLASTIC MELTS AT THE SOCKET AND CIRCUIT BOARD ON THE REAR OF THE TAILLIGHT. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THE BURNED SOCKET FROM THE FIXTURE. THE INTENT OF THE DESIGN IS TO USE FINGER PRESSURE TO TWIST THE SOCKET OUT. DUE TO THE MELTING IT REQUIRES THE USE OF A WRENCH THAT THEN DAMAGES THE SOCKET SOMETIMES TO AN UNUSABLE CONDITION REQUIRING REPLACEMENT AT OWNER COST. DASH "BULB OUT" WARNING LIGHT IS TOO DIM TO NOTICE AND HIDDEN FROM VIEW BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. BULB OUT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES SOMETIMES WHEN THERE ARE NO LIGHTS BURNED OUT SO THIS MAKES IT USELESS TO DETERMINE WHAT BULB IS ACTUALLY OUT IF ANY. MY CAR WAS IN THE MERCEDES SHOP FOR 30 DAYS AND RETURNED TO ME WITH THE COMMENT ''CONDITION COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED'' IN REGARDS TO THE TAILLIGHT. ALL THEY HAD TO DO IS REMOVE IT TO SEE THE BURNT CONDITION BUT THEY CHOSE TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE A HANDFUL OF SOCKETS TO KEEP ON HAND AS THEY NEED REPLACING EVERY MONTH OR SO. I EVEN PURCHASED A NEW SET OF TAILLIGHTS, THE ENTIRE HOUSING AND NEW SOCKETS THINKING THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT THEY BURNED OUT A MONTH LATER. I HAVE TURNED THE TAILLIGHT OVER TO NHTSA. *JB

I HAVE A MERCEDES-BENZ 1999 SLK 230. THE BULB SOCKET FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT LAMPS IN THE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY KEEPS FAILING AS THE CONTACTS DO NOT MAKE PROPER CONTACT DURING VIBRATIONS LEADING TO ELECTRIC ARCING AT THE CONTACTS. THE ARCING BUILDS UP DEPOSITS THAT BREAK THE CONNECTIVITY LEADING TO INOPERATIVE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS (A SAFETY ISSUE) AND HEATS UP THE AREA MELTING THE PLASTIC AND FUSING THE SOCKET TO THE ASSEMBLY. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD HERE BECAUSE OF THE OPEN ELECTRIC ARCING. RELATED TO OPEN CASE PE05051. THE BULB ITSELF DOES NOT FAIL AS CURRENTLY DESCRIBED IN THAT OPEN INVESTIGATION BUT THE CONTACT DOES. MB'S SOLUTION IS TO JUST REPLACE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY WITH THE SAME DEFECT WHICH FAILS AGAIN AFTER A WHILE. *JB

I OWN A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230. ON DECEMBER 18, 2004 I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP (FRIENDLY MERCEDES BENZ IN WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY) DUE TO A BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM. DEALER INFORMED ME OF A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHT OVERHEATING CAUSING THE ASSEMBLY TO MELT AND SHORT OUT THE LIGHT. MERCEDES WOULD NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT COST OF $269.50. REGARDLESS OF COST, THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE EVIDENTLY EXISTS. I READ YESTERDAY THAT AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN OPENED IN THIS VERY MATTER SO I THOUGHT I'D PROVIDE YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE. *NM

WHEN IN TRAFFIC AND IDLING, ESPECIALLY SUMMER WEATHER, THE CAR STALLS OCASSIONALLY AND WON'T RESTART. MOST TIMES, WHEN DRIVING TO A DESTINATION, TURNING THE ENGINE OFF, RUNNING AN ERRAND, AND RETURNING TO START THE ENGINE, THE ENGINE WON'T START. THE PANEL LIGHTS ALL LIGHT UP, A CLICK, BUT NO CRANK OR TURNING OVER. AFTER LETTING THE ENGINE COOL DOWN OR SIT FOR A WHILE AND/OR PLAYING W/ THE KEY / IGNITION, THE ENGINE EVENTUALLY TURNS OVER. I'VE SPENT NEARLY $3,000 IN REPAIRS AND THE DEALER CANNOT ISOLATE THE PROBLEM. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN REPLACED EXCEPT FOR THE STARTER AND ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE (IF ONE EXISTS). I'M EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED. THE CAR HAS STALLED IN TRAFFIC NUMEROUS TIMES CAUSING TRAFFIC JAMS IN MANHATTAN, THE LINCOLN TUNNEL, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES I RECEIVE NEGATIVE COMMENTS RE MERCEDES BENZ SUPPOSING TO BE A RELIABLE EXPENSIVE CAR. THIS IS MY 5TH MERCEDES, AND I'M ABOUT TO GIVE UP PERMANENTLY. IN THE LAST 3 YEARS I HAVE SPENT ALMOST $9,000 SERVICE AND REPAIRS AND AM FED UP AND FEEL AS IF I'M BEING SUCKED DRY.