Howdy all -

First, thanks to all that make this forum go. This is a great resource.

I purchased a '99 SLK Kompressor last year and up til now it has been flawless. In fact, current problem hopefully is just minor.

Current issue:

The turn signals (both directions) and emergency flasher do not flash. The lights on the dash come on for both directions and both rear and front bulbs illuminate when selected. However, they won't 'flash'. Same thing with the emergency flasher; I had assumed it used a different flasher, but apparently not. I can manually make them flash by repeated actuation of the turn signal handle, but when I put the handle down in the 'lock' position, the lights only illuminate and don't blink. I have checked fuses; all looked good, but I replaced the one for the turn signals anyway. No joy. I do have some mechanical background, and suspect the flasher has gone south. I know it is up under the dash, but don't know if Mercedes does anything differently. I'd be happy to go buy a flasher and see if I can find it and replace, but don't want to do that if it isn't the problem.

Any thoughts/input would be appreciated. Tks much
Mark

 

I have a 98 and have had the same problem before. The first couple of times that it happened, it resolved itself quickly after either turning the car off and back on or activating the emergency flashers. I have read on this board and others that the flashers are actually operated by a computer module of some sort and that the cost to repair is $500+ (leave it to merc to over do it). Since this only happened every few months and I was always able to get them working again via the above methods, I have not had any repairs done. In the last couple of weeks, they started doing it again and would not resolve for several days. I was getting ready to suck it up and take it in for repair when I looked through the boards again for info. Someone mentioned that engaging the emergency flashers repeatedly corrected the problem for them, so I thought that I would give it a try. After turning them on and off about 6 to 8 times, they started flashing again and have been working now again for several days... hope this works for you... Scott

 

Somewhere on the benzworld forum for the R170 there is a post where someone discusses one possible fix for this. One of the relays can stick, and he used some sandpaper to remove the pitting from the contact faces. Search indicator relay, I recently printed his post and will be trying it this weekend as mine does this occaSIONALLY.

Avery

 

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r170-slk-class/

Bazzle

 

Thanks for the replies:-)...Scott, your solution worked; at least for now. Actually, it didn't take multiple activations of the emergency flashers...only 1! After reading, I went out and tried the turn signals..same as before. I pushed the emergency flasher button and they worked 1st time. I then tried the turn signals and they also worked. I had done these steps before with no sucesss. This time it did something.

I would suspect that it is a hint that something is still amiss, and appreciate the info on the relays; least now I have something to try in case in happens 'gain.

This, along with another experience I had recently is giving me an idea of what it will be like to own this car...I have a usually minor vibration from the left side of the dash where it meets the front of the driver door. I think it is the vent that is there. When it occurs, I can usually just push it and it goes away. It always comes back, sometimes not as bad as other times, but one night when I was tired, it came on and wouldn't go away. I gave the dash a pretty good shove. The vibration went away, but so did the light on the right side of the tach. I couldn't see the other side of it (was at night). I dinked in its area and ended up playing with the **** for setting the clock, and the light came back on; I messed up the current time, but was able to go back and change it while keeping the tach light one.

I luv this car and now drive it more than my Lexus SC-300, but these types of things can drive one buggy...for me, its ok since the car is so great and I can always share here.
Ciao
Mark