1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK230 Problems

TL*-THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN REFERENCE TO THE 1998 MERCEDES BENZ SLK WITH CURRENT MILEAGE: 85,000 A RECALL ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE DEALING WITH EXTERIOR REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND GAVE THEM THE INFORMATION, THEY SCHEDULED HER AN APPOINTMENT, AND TOLD HER TO COME BACK WHEN THEY RECEIVED THE PARTS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SAID THAT NOW THE FRONT LIGHTS WERE NOW BEING AFFECTED, AND THAT SHE HAD BEEN RECEIVING NUMEROUS TICKETS BECAUSE OF THIS MATTER.*AK

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE SLK. REPLACED ENTIRE REAR BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY ONCE UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SOCKETS EVERY FEW MONTHS FOR THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE OWNED THE CAR. WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF THE CAR NO LONGER BEING UNDER WARRANTY, THE SOCKET FAILED AFTER ONLY 1 WEEK OF BEING REPLACED. WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY (AGAIN), BUT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID THEY COULD KEEP REPLACING THE SOCKETS, BUT THAT WOULD ONLY BE A TEMPORARY FIX. DEALER PUT IN A NEW SOCKET, THIS TIME TWISTING OUT THE LEADS TO GET A BETTER CONTACT AND IT SEEMS TO BE HOLDING. (AT LEAST FOR NOW) THE FAULTY REAR BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM AS IT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AND/OR DEATH. *NM

THE GRAY INTERIOR OF THE MERCEDES BENZ 1998 SLK230 WAS PEELING OFF THE CONSOLE AND MOST OF THE REST OF THE INTERIOR. IT SEEMED TO BE A GRAY PLASTIC FILM WHICH WAS PUT OVER WHAT LOOKED LIKE BLACK LEATHER. THE CAR'S INTERIOR WAS AWLFUL LOOKING WITH THESE BLACK PLACES SHOWING THROUGH THE GRAY THROUGHT MOST OF THE INTERIOR. I DIDN'TT THINK THE INTERIOR OF A MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD SHRED AND PEEL NO MATTER HOW OLD THE CAR WAS. *AK

THE CAR HAD A BAD LEFT DOOR PANEL THAT WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY LAST YEAR. THIS SUMMER I NOTICED THAT IT WAS LOOSE AT THE TOP SO I HAD MY WIFE TAKE IT IN TO BE FIXED. THEY FIXED THE PANEL AND MY DROVE HOME. WHEN MY WIFE GOT HOME SHE WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR AND THE LEFT DOOR WOULD ONLY OPEN IF SHE PUT THE WINDOW DOWN AND USED THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE. SE WENT INSIDE AND CALLED THE DEALER, SHAFFER IMPORTS. THEY HAD HER BRING IT BACK SO THEY COULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SHE LEFT THE CAR AND WHEN SHE RETURNED IT HAD NOT BEEN FIXED. THEY SAID THAT THE DOOR LATCH MUST HAVE FAILED ON THE WAY HOME AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO FIX IT. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM ON OTHER MERCEDES MODELS THAT USE THE SAME DOOR LATCH. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE FIXED AND A RECALL ISSUED. BEING THAT THIS IS A TWO DOOR CAR WITH A CONSOLE AND A SHIFTER, IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT FOR ONE TO EXIT THE LEFT SEAT TO THE RIGHT DOOR. THIS COULD CAUSE LOST TIME IN AN EMERGENCY AND ULTIMATELY LOSS OF LIFE. PLEAS GIVE THIS PROBLEM YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE BASE OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LAMP MELTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V505000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 8/21/15*CN

TL*-THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN REFERENCE TO THE 1998 MERCEDES BENZ SLK WITH CURRENT MILEAGE: 85,000 A RECALL ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE DEALING WITH EXTERIOR REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND GAVE THEM THE INFORMATION, THEY SCHEDULED HER AN APPOINTMENT, AND TOLD HER TO COME BACK WHEN THEY RECEIVED THE PARTS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SAID THAT NOW THE FRONT LIGHTS WERE NOW BEING AFFECTED, AND THAT SHE HAD BEEN RECEIVING NUMEROUS TICKETS BECAUSE OF THIS MATTER.*AK

ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE BLOCK AT 84,000 MILES FOR NO REASON.*AK

THIS MODEL HAS BEEN EVOLVED SEVERAL TIMES BY THE MANUFACTURER MORE TO MARKET AND IN A HASTILY TIME,PERHAPS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CONSUMER AND REQUIRES THOROUGH INVESTIGATION. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE BLOCK AT 84,000 MILES FOR NO REASON.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A FULL INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER ASKED THAT THE DEALER PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE FLUIDS, AFTER INSPECTION THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER, WITHIN 15 MIN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL AND BLACK SMOKE FUMED SMELLING OF ANTIFREEZE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED EXTREME HEAT AT WHICH TIME THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, THE CONSUMER OBSERVED AN ANTIFREEZE PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR. NLM

THIS MODEL HAS BEEN EVOLVED SEVERAL TIMES BY THE MANUFACTURER MORE TO MARKET AND IN A HASTILY TIME,PERHAPS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CONSUMER AND REQUIRES THOROUGH INVESTIGATION. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

POWER WINDOW FAILED. YH

BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CIRCUIT BOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDE BY MRS. MARGO'S HUSBAND LENOR KARSTADT.*AK

FUEL INJECTOR, IGNITION TRANSPONDER.

MY SEAT SENSOR IN MY CAR FAILED AT 7000 MILES OF USE. I HAVE A LOW MILEAGE MERCEDES AND IT WILL COST ALMOST 875 DOLLARS TO REPLACE. THIS SENSOR DISABLES THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IN CASE OF A BABY SEAT. I HAVE NEVER USED A BABY SEAT IN MY CAR AND IT IS NOW IN THE LOCKED (OFF) POSITION MAKING THE CAR EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR THE PASSENGER. FORTUNATELY I RARELY HAVE A PASSENGER BUT I WANT SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE HOW OFTEN THIS SENSOR FAILS. WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW IT WAS TOUTED AS A SUPER SAFE CAR IN CASE YOU HAVE A BABY. NOW THAT IT IS IN LOCKED OFF POSITION IT IS A SUPER UNSAFE CARE FOR AN ADULT. [XXX] [XXX] BY THE WAY THERE ARE ALSO OTHER DEFECTS IN THIS PARTICULAR CAR. THE AIR COMPRESSOR EXPLODED AT ABOUT 4K MILES. THAT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT HIS COST. THE BATTERY DIED AT LESS THAN 3 YEARS BUT I HAD IT REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT 4 YEARS ALSO. AND... NOW THEY SAY THERE IS A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH MY FUEL TANK VERSUS A MALFUNCTIONING VALVE. THIS IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR A 7347 MILEAGE CAR. [XXX] *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

FUEL INJECTOR, IGNITION TRANSPONDER.

PASSENGER DOOR OPENED UP WHEN THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A BUMP. THE DOOR BUTTONS OPENED ON THEIR OWN WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER HAD CONSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *MR *CB *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT DOOR LATCH IS INOPERATIVE. CONSUMER HAS TO REACH OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE TO OPEN DRIVER'S DOOR.*JB

MY SEAT SENSOR IN MY CAR FAILED AT 7000 MILES OF USE. I HAVE A LOW MILEAGE MERCEDES AND IT WILL COST ALMOST 875 DOLLARS TO REPLACE. THIS SENSOR DISABLES THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IN CASE OF A BABY SEAT. I HAVE NEVER USED A BABY SEAT IN MY CAR AND IT IS NOW IN THE LOCKED (OFF) POSITION MAKING THE CAR EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR THE PASSENGER. FORTUNATELY I RARELY HAVE A PASSENGER BUT I WANT SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE HOW OFTEN THIS SENSOR FAILS. WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW IT WAS TOUTED AS A SUPER SAFE CAR IN CASE YOU HAVE A BABY. NOW THAT IT IS IN LOCKED OFF POSITION IT IS A SUPER UNSAFE CARE FOR AN ADULT. [XXX] [XXX] BY THE WAY THERE ARE ALSO OTHER DEFECTS IN THIS PARTICULAR CAR. THE AIR COMPRESSOR EXPLODED AT ABOUT 4K MILES. THAT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT HIS COST. THE BATTERY DIED AT LESS THAN 3 YEARS BUT I HAD IT REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT 4 YEARS ALSO. AND... NOW THEY SAY THERE IS A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH MY FUEL TANK VERSUS A MALFUNCTIONING VALVE. THIS IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR A 7347 MILEAGE CAR. [XXX] *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

AIR BAG CRASH SENSOR. YH

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT SHEARED OFF COMPLETELY LEAVING THE CAR WITH NO STEERING CONTROL. THANKS TO GOD THIS OCCURRED RIGHT AFTER A HIGHWAY EXIT AND WHILE TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY. IF THIS SHAFT HAD SHEARED 10 MINUTES BEFORE ON A HIGHWAY AT 60MPH SPEED, IT WOULD HAVE LEAD TO A POSSIBLE FATALITIES AND SEVERE MULTI CARS ACCIDENT ON A PUBLIC HIGH WAY TRAVELING WELL OVER 65 MPH SPEED.

ALL 4 DUNLOP TIRES HAD EXTREME WEAR AT 11000 MILES (DUNLOP FRONT-205/55R21691V REAR-225/50R16 2000E). NLM