rear lights malfunction and UNKNOWN
2001 Mercedes Benz SLK320
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all SLK320 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 19 of 26 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Exterior Lighting complaints
8 reportsI OWN A 2001 SLK320 MERCEDES BOUGHT IT A SECOND OWNER, IT HAD NO BRAKES LIGHT IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE, ELECTRIC SEATS NOT WORKING EITHER. REPLACED THE RELAY FOR SEATS BUT CAN'T GET TAIL LIGHTS TO WORK CHECK ON RECALL WAS NOT HONORED WHAT THE HECK. MERCEDES SHOULD FIX THESE CONTINUAL PROBLEMS THAT CONTINUE TO COST US BIG BUCKS…
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I OWN A 2001 SLK320 MERCEDES BOUGHT IT A SECOND OWNER, IT HAD NO BRAKES LIGHT IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE, ELECTRIC SEATS NOT WORKING EITHER. REPLACED THE RELAY FOR SEATS BUT CAN'T GET TAIL LIGHTS TO WORK CHECK ON RECALL WAS NOT HONORED WHAT THE HECK. MERCEDES SHOULD FIX THESE CONTINUAL PROBLEMS THAT CONTINUE TO COST US BIG BUCKS TO FIX $600.00 EACH TIME BECOMES TO MUCH, LAST MERCEDES FOR ME OR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. MERCEDES STAND BEHIND YOUR PRODUCT IT'S A SHAME WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT WITH A BIG COMPANY LIKE MERCEDES, I HOPE SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING TO CORRECT THESE ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH THESE EXPENSIVE CARS.
MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE; THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES BUT AFTER A FEW MONTHS, THEY STOP WORKING. I HAVE THIS CAR SINCE 2006 AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS WAS A RECALL ISSUE. BUT WHEN I WENT TO AUTOBAHN MOTORS IN BELMONT, CA, THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THEM. I WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER MB DEALER THAT THE RECALL WAS FINISHED AND BY…
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MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE; THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES BUT AFTER A FEW MONTHS, THEY STOP WORKING. I HAVE THIS CAR SINCE 2006 AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS WAS A RECALL ISSUE. BUT WHEN I WENT TO AUTOBAHN MOTORS IN BELMONT, CA, THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THEM. I WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER MB DEALER THAT THE RECALL WAS FINISHED AND BY ANOTHER THAT THEY HAD BEEN REPAIRED AT SOME POINT (?); I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT THE BRAKE LIGHTS THEMSELVES BUT SOME MECHANISM THAT WAS FAULTY AND THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THEM REPAIRED EVERY 3 OR 4 MONTHS AND FEEL MB SHOULD DO IT SINCE IT WAS A RECALL AND THE LIGHTING MECHANISM SHOULD STAY FIXED.
REAR BREAK LIGHTS WERE REPALCED IN 2006 RECALL (05V05000). SAME PROBLEM IN JAN OF 2015. NO CHANCE OF DEALER STANDING BEHIND THE RECALL AGAIN. NOW I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET THE COST TO FIX THE LIGHTS THAT WERE RECALLED PRIOR. OVER $600. WHEN THEY JUST REPLACED THE RECALL WITH THE SAME FAULTY LIGHTS. TURNS OUT THEIR C-CLAS…
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REAR BREAK LIGHTS WERE REPALCED IN 2006 RECALL (05V05000). SAME PROBLEM IN JAN OF 2015. NO CHANCE OF DEALER STANDING BEHIND THE RECALL AGAIN. NOW I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET THE COST TO FIX THE LIGHTS THAT WERE RECALLED PRIOR. OVER $600. WHEN THEY JUST REPLACED THE RECALL WITH THE SAME FAULTY LIGHTS. TURNS OUT THEIR C-CLASS IS NOW HAVING THE SAME RECALL PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED 7 YEARS AGO UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V505000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHT ASS…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED 7 YEARS AGO UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V505000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 12/23/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THEY WOULD NOT BE ASSISTING WITH REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY ASSISTED ONCE BEFORE, ON JULY 31, 2004. THE OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. UPDATED 9/28/2015 *JS
2001 SLK 320 HAD BEEN RECALLED IN 2006 FOR BRAKE LIGHTS MELTING INTERNALLY. CAMPAIGN# 2006080005. MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. I JUST STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED AND REPLACED. APPARE…
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2001 SLK 320 HAD BEEN RECALLED IN 2006 FOR BRAKE LIGHTS MELTING INTERNALLY. CAMPAIGN# 2006080005. MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. I JUST STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED AND REPLACED. APPARENTLY THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT A REAL SOLUTION. MERCEDES MUST HAVE JUST REPLACED THE BAD PART KNOWING IT WOULD BE A FEW YEARS BEFORE IT FAILED AGAIN. WELL, HERE WE ARE AGAIN AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO FIX IT AND WANT ME TO PAY ALMOST $600 TO FIX. *TR
REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE DUE TO HEAT DEFORMED BULB SOCKET. RECALL PERFORMED APPROX 2008. REPLACED PARTS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN DESIGN OR MATERIALS. CONTACTED MBUSA, WOULD NOT HELP. *TR
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST MERCEDES BENZ ( HOUSE OF IMPORT IN BUENA PARK , CA). THE VEHICLE THAT I HAVE IS 2001 SLK 320 MODEL. THE VEHICLE IS UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN , CAMPAIGN # 2006080005. THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN INITIATED DUE TO THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE BRAKE LAMPS OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. THE…
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FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST MERCEDES BENZ ( HOUSE OF IMPORT IN BUENA PARK , CA). THE VEHICLE THAT I HAVE IS 2001 SLK 320 MODEL. THE VEHICLE IS UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN , CAMPAIGN # 2006080005. THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN INITIATED DUE TO THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE BRAKE LAMPS OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. THE BASE OF THE SOCKET CAN BE SUBJECT TO THERMAL DEFORMATION OVER TIME. THIS CAN CAUSE A FAILURE OF EITHER BRAKE LIGHT. A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LAMP BULBS TO ILLUMINATE COULD LEAD TO A REAR END CRASH. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR THAT SERVICE IN 2007 AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE AFTER THE SERVICE. I TRIED TO STOP THERE FEW TIMES BUT THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $150 DOLLARS JUST TO FIND OUT WHAT WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE ( EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW ITS THE BRAKE LIGHT ISSUE). I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT AND I JUST LEFT UPSET AND MAD. FINALLY I JUST WANTED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE,CONTACTED MERCEDES TODAY JULY 30,2013 AND ALSO WENT TO THE DEALER TO ADDRESS MY CONCERN AND THEY SAID " WE CAN ONLY COVER ONE YEAR AND IT EXPIRED". AGAIN, $150 WILL BE CHARGED JUST TO DIAGNOSTIC TO FIND OUT WHAT S WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I TOLD THEM THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE( THE BRAKE LIGHT IS OUT-RECALL ISSUE), AND THEY DID NOT DO IT PROPERLY AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. NOW, THEY SAID IF I WANT TO FIX IT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE WHICH I FIND IRONIC BECAUSE OF THE SAME ISSUE. THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN ABOUT MY CONCERN AND SAFETY ISSUE THAT I HAVE REGARDING ABOUT THIS MATTER. ONCE AGAIN, SAFETY IS MY PRIORITY AND I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. I WISH THEY COULD HAVE DONE BETTER JOB TO ASSIST CONSUMERS. I WANT TO FIND A SOLUTION NOT JUST FOR ME BUT TO ALL THE OWNERS OUT THERE WHO FACES THE SAME ISSUE SO I NEED TO FILE A COMPLAINT TO CA ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE. I HOPE I COULD BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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