1999 Mercedes Benz SLK problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 6 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 33.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
| Structure | 1 |
| Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields | 1 |
| Visibility | 1 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 1 |
Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights: 2; Electrical System: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1; Service Brakes: 1; Structure: 1; Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields: 1; Visibility: 1; Visibility/Wiper: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
2007: 3; 2012: 1; 2013: 2
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10178398 · 2007-01-11 (January 11, 2007)
TL* - THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER CAMPAIGN # 05V505000 ON 01/09/07 FOR THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON HIS 1999 MERCEDES SLK. THE DEALERSHIP, R & H MERCEDES OWENS MILL, MARYLAND TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT PERFORM THE RECAL REPAIR BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS PRESENTLY WORKING.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10178398 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10508606 · 2013-04-17 (April 17, 2013)
THIS IS IN REGARDS TO RECALL NUMBER 05V505 FOR THE DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHT. THIS RECALL OCCURRED IN 2006 AND THE LIGHT WAS FIXED. HOWEVER, IT HAS FAILED AGAIN AND HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, THE SOCKED HAS GOTTEN HOT AND MELTED/DEFORMED THE PLASTIC SOCKET. I DON'T KNOW IF THE BULB WAS REPLACED ONLY BUT TO ME IT APPEARS NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE ON THIS CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10508606 at NHTSA ↗