2000 Mercedes Benz SLK230

WE OWN A 2000 MERCEDES SLK 230. THE LIGHT, THAT WARNS OF A LAMP FAILURE SOMEWHERE ON THE VEHICLE, KEPT COMING ON. IT WOULD NOT STAY ON ALL THE TIME HOWEVER, AND WE COULD NOT FIND WHICH LAMP WAS MALFUNCTIONING. WE CALLED THE DEALER, MERCEDES-BENZ OF WILSONVILLE, (WILSONVILLE OREGON - 503-454-5000) AND WERE TOLD TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN WHEN THE WARNING LAMP CAME ON AND STAYED ON. WHEN IT FINALLY DID, A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED ON AUGUST 16TH 2004. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD US THAT THE TAIL LAMP BULBS IN BOTH TAIL LAMPS WERE ARCHING AND HAD MELTED THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY. BOTH TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLIES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $360.00. THE SERVICE INVOICE STATES "28636 BULB FAILURE MIL 852 INSPECTED BULB FOUND EVIDENCE OF ARCHING BETWEEN SOCKET AND ASSEMBLY 852 R/R BOTH TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLYS/82-2310. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE ADVISOR, ALEX GARCIA. HE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER MERCEDES VEHICLES. I ASKED HIM IF A RECALL HAD BEEN INITIATED BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THIS WAS A CONDITION THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, NEAR THE GAS TANK. HE TOLD ME THAT NO RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED. I REQUESTED THE OLD PARTS AND WAS ASSURED BY MR. GARCIA THAT I COULD HAVE THEM. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD LEAVE THEM WITH THE SALES DEPARTMENT SO THAT I COULD PICK THEM UP THAT WEEKEND. HOWEVER WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ON SATURDAY THE 21ST THE PARTS WERE NOT THERE. I WILL CALL THE DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY AND HOPE TO HAVE THE PARTS RETURNED TO ME. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CONDITION IS A FIRE HAZARD AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED. I SUSPECT THAT FAILURES IN OTHER VEHICLES WERE COVERED BY WARRANTY AND THUS NOT REPORTED. NONETHELESS I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE NOTED. *JB