2003 Mercedes-Benz Slk

2003 Mercedes-Benz SLK w/SAB

Overall

Not Rated

Front Crash

Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

I OWN A 2003 MERCEDES SLK 230 , WHICH BRAKES ON IT'S OWN AT ALL DIFFERENT SPEEDS . AFTER THE CAR BRAKES TO THE RIGHT FOR A COUPLE OF SECOND THE BAS/ESP LIGHT COMES ON . I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH (VERY SCARY). I HAVE SINCE HAD THE BRAKE SWITCH CHANGED , AND WHEEL SENSORS AND NEW BATTERY. I HAVE SINCE PICKED MY CAR UP AND NO PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 100 MILES UNTIL TODAY WHEN THE SAME THING OCCURRED AT A LOWER SPEED . CAR IS BACK IN THE SHOP READING NO CODES !!!!!! I HAVE GONE TO THE MERCEDES FORUM AND I FIND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNCOMMON . IT SEEMS THAT THE YAW SENSOR AND OR LATERAL CONTROL SENSOR GOES AND CAUSE THE CAR TO THINK IT IS SLIDING AND RANDOMLY BRAKES (ALWAYS TO THE RIGHT) . ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS HAVE HAD THEIR OWNERS IN A PANIC . THIS SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS . *TR

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

2003 SLK 230 TAIL LIGHT STILL DEFECTIVE AFTER RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. *TR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES SLK320 ( N/A). WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS , THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND AFTER THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER ALL THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE.THIS HAS OCCURRED 10 ADDITIONAL TIMES. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS THE K40 CIRCUIT FUSE THAT FAILED. THE FUSE WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76000.

VISIBILITY,EQUIPMENT

THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN MY 2003 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 NUMEROUS DOCUMENTED CASES OF THESE MIRRORS FAILING IN VARIOUS MAKES AND MODELS AS A RESULT OF USUALLY FROM THE INTERNAL FLUID LEAKING. I CONTACTED THE OEM MIRROR MAKER, AND THEY REFUSED TO RETURN OUR PHONE CALL/MESSAGES. I RECENTLY READ ON THE MAINTENANCE BLOGS THAT MAGNA DONNELLY WERE REPLACING BUT, STOPPED ALL OF SUDDEN. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT HAS EVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. *TR

VISIBILITY

THE INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR IN A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230 (R170) HAD A FLUID LEAK. THE MIRROR IS SUPPOSED TO BE A CHROMATIC AUTO-DIMMING DEVICE. DUE TO THE FLUID LEAK ALL OF THE DARKENING AGENT HAS MIGRATED TO THE CENTER OF THE MIRROR. THE MIRROR NO LONGER AUTO DIMS, IT CREATES MULTIPLE OBJECTS DUE TO GLARE AND INTERNAL REFLECTION. IT IS COMPLETELY UNUSABLE IN IT'S CURRENT CONDITION. THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS MIRROR MAGNA DONNELLEY USED TO OFFER FREE REPLACEMENT OF THESE DEVICES, WHICH HAVE A LONG TRACK RECORD OF FAILING, BUT NOW NO LONGER DO. THE REPLACEMENT COST OF THE DEVICE IS APPROX. $200 WITH A $100 INSTALL CHARGE BY THE DEALER. *TR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MERCEDES WITH 23,000 IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT TURN. I REPORTED THE ISSUE OF INTERMITTENT PROBLEM TO DEALER AND ATTEMPTED TO HAVE IT RESOLVED WHILE UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY PERIOD. THE DEALER SAID IT HAD NOT FAILED. WELL, THE WARRANTY IS GONE AND THE FAILING PART FAILED. IT IS EXPENSIVE AND APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE BASED ON MY DISCUSSION WITH OTHER OWNERS AND COMPLAINTS HERE. *TR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I INSERTED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY OR REMOVE THE KEY AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WAS LEFT STRANDED IN A BAD SECTION OF TOWN AND HAD TO WAIT FOR FLAT BED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR THREE DAYS WHILE THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENTIRE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

SEATS

BURNT HOLE FROM SEAT WARMER ON DRIVER'S SEAT LEFT SIDE. BURNT RIGHT THROUGH COAT AND JEANS. *TR

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS 05V505000. MERCEDES BENZ USA HAS NOT PROVIDED INFORMATION TO CORRECT THE FAILURE AFTER INFORMING ME OF A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WITH THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY IN SLK MOTOR VEHICLES. SUBSEQUENTLY BOTH MY TAIL LIGHTS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING AND CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. DEALERSHIPS CONTACTED HAVE NO INFORMATION FROM MBUSA ON HOW TO CORRECT THE DEFECTIVE PARTS AFFECTED IN THE RECALL. *JB

STEERING

AT APPROX. 52,000 MILES ON MY CAR, I TOOK IT TO GET SERVICED BY A NON MERCEDES DEALER SHIP, SINCE THE WARRANTY WAS OUT. THEY FOUND THE POWER STEERING LEAKING AND THE RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. I HAD JUST TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR A SERVICE THREE WEEKS EARLIER FOR WARRANTY WORK, AND THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT FOUND. FLUID WAS LEAKING AROUND THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *JB