2001 Mercedes-Benz SLK230 Driver assistance Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK230. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE ESC WARNING INDICATOR SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND THE ESC ACTIVATED. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE SUDDENLY ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE TURNED TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ID

11241028

Incident

Jul 31, 2019

Mileage

105,000 mi

HE ENGINE DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. I MANAGED TO COAST TO A CORNER AND GET OFF THE MAIN STREET, THERE WAS NO WARNING.I HAD TO LEAVE THIS CAR FOR ONE DAY TO FIND IT TOWED BY POLICE , AND HAD TO CALL AND GET IT THE NEXT DAY PAYED 300$ AND GET IT TOWED AGAIN TO A MECANIC PAYED 85$ AND 100$ FOR CHECKING. THE MECANIC TOLD ME IT LOOK LIKE IT HAVE BIG PROBLEM, I DICEDED TO SEE A PROFITIONEL AND SO I HAD TO PAY AN OTHER TOWING FEE OF 80$ AND AN OTHER 110$ FOR CHECKING TO FIND OUT THAT THE HALL ENGINE JUST DAMAGED AND TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW ONE THAT WILL COST ME 3500$.

NHTSA ID

11140508

Incident

Oct 2, 2018

Mileage

9 mi

MY VEHICLE WOULD WOULD SUDDENLY COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES. IT WOULD DO THIS AT ANY SPEED. IT WAS HAPPENING EVERYDAY. WE HAD TO STOP DRIVING IT. WE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD US THE YAW SENSOR WAS BAD. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET. IT IS DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE A DEADLY ACCIDENT. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS $1000.

NHTSA ID

10914998

Incident

Aug 3, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE RIGHT WHEEL STARTED AUTOMATICALLY BRAKING, WITHOUT ME DOING ANYTHING, WHEN I WAS TRAVELLING AT 55 MPH. IT ALMOST CAUSED TO RUN OFF THE ROAD. I FELT FORTUNATE THAT THERE WERE NOT OTHER CARS AROUND ME, THEN THE BAS/ESP LIGHT WILL CAME ON. IT FELT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!

NHTSA ID

10899405

Incident

Aug 29, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

YAH SENSOR/ ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL: 2001 MERCEDES SLK 230; INCIDENT; WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A CLEAR AND DRY DAY, IT BRAKES HARD TO THE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO SCREECH AND SENDING ME INTO THE RIGHT HAND LANE OF TRAFFIC. WENT INTO DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD IT WAS ( YAH SENSOR ) WHICH TELLS THE CAR THAT ITS GOING INTO A SKID AND ALLOW THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL TO STABILIZE THE VEHICLE. THE SENSOR WAS PLACED ON ORDER. DEALER DID NOT ADVICE ME THAT THIS IS WHAT I CALL (A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE') NOR THAT IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN BEFORE IT CAN BE REPAIRED AND ALLOWED ME TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE HOME. IT HAPPEN TWICE ON THE WAY. CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL OR ATLEAST A NOTABLE CONCERN BEFORE SOMEONE IS SEVERELY HURT OR KILLED THANK YOU...... *TR

NHTSA ID

10345838

Incident

Jul 2, 2010

Mileage

127,000 mi

FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, ESP/BAS LIGHT WILL COM ON WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED INVOLUNTARILY INTERMITTENTLY, CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. ON OCCASION IS ALSO HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED IN CITY TRAFFIC. CONTACTED THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER, THEY IMMEDIATELY BLAMED YAW RATE SENSOR, OR ACCELERATOR SENSOR MODULE REPLACEMENT RANGING BETWEEN $300-700.00 IN REPAIR COST IN ADDITION TO ANOTHER RELATED PROBLEM WITH STOP LIGHT SWITCH, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF THE FAULTY PARTS, NO RECALLS ARE MADE, AND NHTSA ALSO IS AWARE, BUT HAVE CLOSED THE INVESTIGATION. THE CAR SUDDENLY BRAKES LAST TIME TO AN SCREECHING HALT IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. AFTER SEARCHING MB FORUMS IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH A BATCH OF SENSORS, AND SWITCHES FITTED ON 2001 MODELS, OF M, E, CLK, AND SLK'S. I AM PROVIDING A LINK TO THE SITE OF OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME FAULT FOR YOUR REVIEW AT: HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/R170-SLK-CLASS/1407460-SUDDEN-BRAKE.HTML I ALSO CONTACTED THE DEALER TO MEET WITH MB USA REPRESENTATIVE ON WARRANTY REPAIR, BUT NEVER HEARD FROM THEM, OR MBUSA, REGARDING THIS KNOWN FAULT BOTH TO THEM AND NHTSA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10250062

Incident

Nov 8, 2008

Mileage

92,296 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN WET CONDITIONS (RAINING ON AND OFF), MY CAR SUDDENLY JERKED TO THE RIGHT; IT FELT AS IF MY RIGHT REAR WHEEL BRAKES HAD APPLIED FOR A SECOND OR SO. I NOTICED THAT THE YELLOW TRIANGLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASH BOARD THAT ALERTS ME TO THE APPLICATION OF THE ESC WAS BLINKING (AND CONTINUED TO BLINK UNTIL I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE). AS I RECALL, MY CAR WENT INTO THE LANE TO MY RIGHT BEFORE I REGAINED CONTROL. I HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL AT THE TIME. BECAUSE OF THE WET CONDITIONS, I ASSUMED I MAY HAVE SKIDDED WITHOUT MY REALIZING IT, CAUSING THE ESC TO KICK IN. WHEN I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY, I TURNED OFF THE MOTOR AND GOT OUT. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR, THE ESC LIGHT HAD GONE OUT, AND I ASSUMED EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN BEFORE I GOT TO MY DESTINATION (PITTSBURGH). I CALLED A LOCAL DEALER, WHO ADVISED ME IT MIGHT BE A DEFECTIVE SENSOR AND THAT IT SHOULD BE OKAY TO MAKE THE RETURN DRIVE TO NO. VIRGINIA BEFORE GETTING THE VEHICLE FIXED. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM A FEW TIMES ON THE RETURN TRIP AND THEN BROUGHT THE CAR INTO MY DEALER. THE DEALER SERVICE FORM IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS "NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE YAW RATE SENSOR." THE REPAIR CHARGE WAS $807.85. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223735

Incident

Oct 19, 2007

Mileage

52,150 mi

I HAVE LESS THAN 50K MILES AND HAD TO REPLACE THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR TWICE AND NOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN FOR THE SAME SERVICE NEEDED. I HAVE PAID OUT OF POCKET NOT TO MENTION THE INCONVENIENCE OF HAVING IT IN THE SHOP SO MANY TIMES ALSO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION SENSORS AND TAIL LIGHT, WHICH MERCEDES DID NOT REIMBURSE FOR ORIGINAL CHARGE, JUST RE- REPLACED. NOW PROBLEMS HAPPENING WITH REAR MIRROR. THIS IS RIDICULOUS MERCEDES SHOULD STAND BY THERE PRODUCT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO LAST FOREVER AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207936

Incident

Jun 27, 2007

Mileage

34,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE DETERMINED OIL WAS LEAKING FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE ON TO THE WIRE FOR THE PEDAL, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10146539

Incident

Dec 23, 2005

Mileage

63,000 mi

THERE IS A FEW SECONDS OF LAG TIME AFTER STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL BEFORE THE CAR ACCELERATES. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041803

Incident

Jun 26, 2003

Mileage

20,000 mi