No brake lights
#41
11-27-2006, 01:05 PM
RE: No brake lights
Hi all,
I just received my recall notice (Mid-November) here in Florida- U.S. and was I excited to hear they will reimburse old fixes of this issue. I have had my tail lamp assemblies replaced 6, YES 6!!! times in the past. Twice under warranty, 4 times I paid. The last one MB graciously comped the $490.97 US it cost to repair. I have had every single repair to my 98 SLK230 done at MB (except tires) and have kept meticulous records and receipts.
It had gotten to the point that once a year the happy little bulb warning would come on... I would lose the passenger light and not 2 days later the driver side would go out. I'm told I am on a 3rd generation of this particular assembly.
Now if I could only be reimbursed for the work I missed, the traffic ticket for burnt lamp, and the stress of getting my money back (funny MB dealer not returning my call re: reimbursement).
Waiting on the recall to cover the other 23 (I said I keep meticulous records) visits I've made to MB since I've owned my benzie.
Maybe they'll give me a credit. That's Ok too. Currently need to replace hydraulic pump that puts lid up and down (1300 dollars I'm told), PSE pump has water damage...again (those are at least 500), and of couse the console paint is chipping and the door handle is coming off. Every problem I've seen in this forum regarding SLK230, I think I've had.
Sigh.... I love my car, but she's been the worst love/hate relationship I've ever been in.
[IMG]local://upfiles/18047/DA72439830284231B087986795257393.jpg[/IMG]
I just received my recall notice (Mid-November) here in Florida- U.S. and was I excited to hear they will reimburse old fixes of this issue. I have had my tail lamp assemblies replaced 6, YES 6!!! times in the past. Twice under warranty, 4 times I paid. The last one MB graciously comped the $490.97 US it cost to repair. I have had every single repair to my 98 SLK230 done at MB (except tires) and have kept meticulous records and receipts.
It had gotten to the point that once a year the happy little bulb warning would come on... I would lose the passenger light and not 2 days later the driver side would go out. I'm told I am on a 3rd generation of this particular assembly.
Now if I could only be reimbursed for the work I missed, the traffic ticket for burnt lamp, and the stress of getting my money back (funny MB dealer not returning my call re: reimbursement).
Waiting on the recall to cover the other 23 (I said I keep meticulous records) visits I've made to MB since I've owned my benzie.
Maybe they'll give me a credit. That's Ok too. Currently need to replace hydraulic pump that puts lid up and down (1300 dollars I'm told), PSE pump has water damage...again (those are at least 500), and of couse the console paint is chipping and the door handle is coming off. Every problem I've seen in this forum regarding SLK230, I think I've had.
Sigh.... I love my car, but she's been the worst love/hate relationship I've ever been in.
[IMG]local://upfiles/18047/DA72439830284231B087986795257393.jpg[/IMG]
#43
11-27-2006, 03:31 PM
RE: No brake lights
Thanks for the welcome Stuart. I'm here to start looking for alternatives to taking my benz to the shop each time. The police car is actually a neighbor, nice guy...keeps hoodlams out of the pool 
Did have an officer roll down his window at a red light once to ask if we could trade cars.... it was very tempting! I'd be a first-rate fool in a cop car.
I'll pop in to let all know if I got the reimbursement.
Did have an officer roll down his window at a red light once to ask if we could trade cars.... it was very tempting! I'd be a first-rate fool in a cop car.
I'll pop in to let all know if I got the reimbursement.
#44
11-28-2006, 01:19 AM
RE: No brake lights
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your contribution on this subject. We will see how well MB takes care of their customers. I've seem some people driving around with their parking lights on, one side or the other. It looks like an odd brake light is on.
#45
11-28-2006, 10:38 AM
RE: No brake lights
ORIGINAL: BikerDrew
Yesterday, to my surprise, I received my recall notice for the brake light issue. It states that MB will be getting the new design units in ...MAY 2007.
Until then, if I have any problems with the lights, the dealership will replace the units with the current model.
So, I assume all those who have posted here, and had their dealership replace parts, received the old/current units. I hope their dealership informed them of this.
Yesterday, to my surprise, I received my recall notice for the brake light issue. It states that MB will be getting the new design units in ...MAY 2007.
Until then, if I have any problems with the lights, the dealership will replace the units with the current model.
So, I assume all those who have posted here, and had their dealership replace parts, received the old/current units. I hope their dealership informed them of this.
#46
11-28-2006, 04:56 PM
RE: No brake lights
If the letter I received is telling me the truth... then you have new old stock parts. I would call your dealership and ask them when they are expecting the new parts. The parts guy should know which ones you have. I would not ask the service writers.
#47
11-28-2006, 05:14 PM
RE: No brake lights
ORIGINAL: BikerDrew
If the letter I received is telling me the truth... then you have new old stock parts. I would call your dealership and ask them when they are expecting the new parts. The parts guy should know which ones you have. I would not ask the service writers.
If the letter I received is telling me the truth... then you have new old stock parts. I would call your dealership and ask them when they are expecting the new parts. The parts guy should know which ones you have. I would not ask the service writers.
So, I'm going to check the ***'ys and put some di-electric grease on them. That should do me. Thanks for the info Drew! 
#48
11-29-2006, 04:10 PM
RE: No brake lights
As I mentioned I was told that I am on the third generation of these tail lamp assemblies. Most recent part # were 1 170-820-05-64 and 1 170-820-06-64. My letter says schedule an appointment now....So I guess I get Brake Lights 4.0 as soon as I want??? Not sure.
Just so glad it's not me vs. MB on this issue anymore...Ha! I win.
Just so glad it's not me vs. MB on this issue anymore...Ha! I win.
#49
05-07-2008, 07:28 AM
RE: ***BRAKE LIGHT RECALL***
Hi,
I am new to this forum, but have had my slk230 for 6 months and still love it. I do however get disappointed every now and then when I see that someone has taken a shortcut, or as I suspect in this case deliberately ignored an obviousmistake. Asboth a mechanical engineering tradesman and degree qualified professional engineer who has worked in the automotive industry, I know a stuff up when I see it.
I agree that heat generated by the globe over time willcause the globe holder and metal contact to experience what is known in the engineering field as "thermal creep", where metals and plastic "relax" and exhibit plastic (ductile) behaviour; which in this case causes adecrease in the contact force between the globe holder contact point and the tail-light chassis. This is basis of the simplified and ever so graceful excuse the MB public relations machine has sold to its customers in its US recall. And yes, a higher wattage globe places additional demand on the contact point of concern causing pitting, but this is not the root cause of the problem.The root cause of the problem is that the tail-light moulding is incorrect, and from my experience the tail-light moulding appears to be anabandoned prototype version that made it into full production by mistake, without a matching brake light bulb holder.
By chance, the final production released bulb holder design was however actually robust enough to work with incorrectly formed (deformed) tail-light housing. I seriously doubt the poor fitment of the globe holder could have gone un-noticed for too long by MB, if un-noticed at all, but it appears a call was made to continue anyway.
The bottom line is that the additional metal strip shown in the web page for the fix is actually showing a relativelyeffectiveway to bridge the excessive gap produced by MB’s deformed tail-light moulding and standard bulb holder.It should even be be done before a complete light failure, as the pitting is caused by repeated intermittent failure of the globe during normal use when arcing occurs.
The botom line is these tail-lights are failing (flashing) long before they fail completely.
I am new to this forum, but have had my slk230 for 6 months and still love it. I do however get disappointed every now and then when I see that someone has taken a shortcut, or as I suspect in this case deliberately ignored an obviousmistake. Asboth a mechanical engineering tradesman and degree qualified professional engineer who has worked in the automotive industry, I know a stuff up when I see it.
I agree that heat generated by the globe over time willcause the globe holder and metal contact to experience what is known in the engineering field as "thermal creep", where metals and plastic "relax" and exhibit plastic (ductile) behaviour; which in this case causes adecrease in the contact force between the globe holder contact point and the tail-light chassis. This is basis of the simplified and ever so graceful excuse the MB public relations machine has sold to its customers in its US recall. And yes, a higher wattage globe places additional demand on the contact point of concern causing pitting, but this is not the root cause of the problem.The root cause of the problem is that the tail-light moulding is incorrect, and from my experience the tail-light moulding appears to be anabandoned prototype version that made it into full production by mistake, without a matching brake light bulb holder.
By chance, the final production released bulb holder design was however actually robust enough to work with incorrectly formed (deformed) tail-light housing. I seriously doubt the poor fitment of the globe holder could have gone un-noticed for too long by MB, if un-noticed at all, but it appears a call was made to continue anyway.
The bottom line is that the additional metal strip shown in the web page for the fix is actually showing a relativelyeffectiveway to bridge the excessive gap produced by MB’s deformed tail-light moulding and standard bulb holder.It should even be be done before a complete light failure, as the pitting is caused by repeated intermittent failure of the globe during normal use when arcing occurs.
The botom line is these tail-lights are failing (flashing) long before they fail completely.
#50
05-08-2008, 07:13 AM
RE: ***BRAKE LIGHT RECALL***
230slk Melb
I Assume you are in Melbourne Oz??
In Oz MB do not want to know us. Easy fix is to use push in Narva globe holders and run 2 wires to the cct tracks, no more probs EVER.
Also complete led lamps on the market. I have a set on the way for appraisal.
Bazzle
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r170-slk-class/
I Assume you are in Melbourne Oz??
In Oz MB do not want to know us. Easy fix is to use push in Narva globe holders and run 2 wires to the cct tracks, no more probs EVER.
Also complete led lamps on the market. I have a set on the way for appraisal.
Bazzle
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r170-slk-class/