2000 Mercedes Benz SLK230

The contact owns a 2000 Mercedes-Benz SLK230 The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V505000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the vehicle was started; however, the brake lights were inoperable. The contact stated that the brake warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CENTER CONSOLE HARD PLASTIC TRIM DETACHED. IN ADDITION, THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD EXHIBITED CRACKS AND SEPARATED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE PANEL NEAR THE FLOORBOARD DETACHED COMPLETELY AND THE WIRES WERE VISIBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER PRODUCED THE REQUIRED PART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

SUDDEN SPONTANEOUS ACCELERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE I AM THE SON OF THE OWNERS OF THE MERCEDES IN QUESTION. IN FEBRUARY 2010, MY MOTHER EXPERIENCED AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. SHE WAS PULLING UP TO A PARKING SPACE. BY HER REPORT, THE CAR SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED, JUMPING THE CONCRETE BARRIER AND ENDING UP WITH FRONT TIRES IN AN ADJACENT PLANTER. SHE STATED THAT SHE APPLIED HER BRAKES WHILE THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING, BUT THIS DID NOT APPEAR TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION WAS LAUNCHED, BOTH BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND EVENTUALLY BY A MERCEDES BENZ USA REPRESENTATIVE AS WELL. THOUGH I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT CONCLUSIONS, I BELIEVE THAT THEY ATTRIBUTED THE ACCIDENT TO DRIVER ERROR BY STEPPING ON THE INCORRECT PEDAL. YESTERDAY, SEPT. 29, 2011, I DROVE THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE ACCIDENT. THIS WAS A ROUND-TRIP JOURNEY ON I-8 FROM PACIFIC BEACH TO KENSINGTON, ABOUT 20 MILES ROUND TRIP. SHORTLY INTO THE TRIP, I NOTICED THE CAR FAILED TO DECELERATE AFTER I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, AND THE CAR SLOWED APPROPRIATELY. THIS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES DURING MY OUTBOUND JOURNEY; IN TWO OF THE SIX INSTANCES, NOT ONLY DID THE CAR NOT DECELERATE, BUT ACTUALLY ACCELERATED ABOVE ITS CURRENT SPEED UNTIL I APPLIED THE BRAKES. TWO ADDITIONAL EPISODES HAPPENED UPON MY RETURN TRIP. DURING THE FIRST, IN AN EFFORT TO OBTAIN A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE AFTER THE PROBLEM SPONTANEOUSLY RETURNED.

THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN MY 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK 230 (R170 MODEL) IS AN ELECTRO CHROMIC SELF-DIMMING MIRROR THAT HAS NO MANUAL BACKUP. THE MIRROR CONTAINED A FLUID WHICH LEAKED OUT CAUSING THE SELF-DIMMING MIRROR TO FAIL TO PROVIDE DIMMING AGAINST REAR APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS RESULTING IN THE DRIVER TO EITHER BE BLINDED OR TO HAVE TO TURN THE MIRROR AWAY WHICH GREATLY ELIMINATES REAR VIEW CAPABILITY IN THE INTERIOR. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THESE MIRRORS FAILING IN VARIOUS MAKES AND MODELS AS A RESULT OF USUALLY FROM THE INTERNAL FLUID LEAKING. *TR

THE 2000 SLK230 I PURCHASED NEW IN 2000 HAS 5,000 MILES ON IT. MINT-GARAGE STORED CONDITION. I HAVE REQUESTED NUMEROUS TIMES,ASSISTANCE WITH BOTH SIDE DOOR PROBLEMS WHICH MAY LEAD TO UNWARRANTED AIR BAG RELEASE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE DEFECT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTED IN 2001 BY MERCEDES BENZ AS THE NEWER MODELS HAVE A "ONE PIECE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL, VS THE "TWO PIECE" INTERIOR DOOR PANELS IN THE 2000 MODELS. I HAVE FRIENDS WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR PANELS HAVE BROKEN LOOSE FROM THE DOOR DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF TWO PIECE WITH ALL PRESSURE TO CLOSE THE DOORS, PULLING THE TWO PIECE PANEL DESIGN AWAY FROM THE ACTUAL DOORS. MERCEDES BENZ-CORPORATE AND THEIR LOCAL DEALERS REFUSE TO ASSIST WITH THE ISSUE. I AM CONFIDENT THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IS INEVITABLE FROM BOTH SIDES DUE TO THE DEFECT IN DESIGN. HOPEFULLY WITH NO INJURY! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN EXPLOSION NEAR THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, FOLLOWED BY A BURNING SMELL. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AIR BAG DEPLOYED, WHICH BRUISED HER LEFT ARM FROM THE ELBOW TO THE SHOULDER. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01I005000 (AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW) WAS REFERENCED. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 45,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH OVER A RAILROAD TRACK, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR, CAM SHAFT SENSOR, MASS AIR FLOW METER, OR AN ELECTRIC IGNITION SWITCH RING. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65,000.