1999 Mercedes Benz SLK: complaints, problems and recalls
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.
Examples from the source records
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 10204612 · 2007-10-01 (October 1, 2007)
1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK, BOTH REAR BREAK LIGHTS BURNED OUT, PLASTIC (BLUE) LIGHT BLUB HOLDERS ARE FUSED TO THE ASSEMBLY DUE TO EXTREME OVERHEATING CONDITION. CANNOT BE REMOVED BY HAND. JB
Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204612 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10211800 · 2007-12-13 (December 13, 2007)
THE FRAME OF MY 1999 MERCEDES SLK 230 HAS BROKEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON IT AND AN ALIGNED AND TWO WEEKS LATER THE FRAME BROKE NEAR THE AXLE. THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED PREVIOUSLY AND THE FRAME SHOULD BE STRONGER THAN IT WAS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 122,408 miles reported. Look up ODI 10211800 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10450008 · 2012-03-01 (March 1, 2012)
THE MIRROR IS SELF-DIMMING USING A LIGHT-SENSITIVE LIQUID BEHIND THE MIRROR. THE LIQUID LEAKED OUT OF THE MIRROR AND CREATED ACID STAINS ON THE CENTER CONSOLE. THE MIRROR IS NOW BLURRY AND SHOWS GHOST IMAGES OF ANYTHING BEHIND. IT ALSO NO LONGER AUTO-DIMS WHEN BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS APPROACH FROM BEHIND AND THERE IS NO LEVER FOR THE DRIVER TO USE TO MANUALLY DIM IT. THE EASIEST THING IS TO JUST TURN IT AWAY BUT THAT CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD. I ASKED MERCEDES-BENZ CORPORATE TO HELP IN THIS MATTER BUT THEY REFUSED SAYING THE PART IS OUT OF WARRANT…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450008 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10496945 · 2013-02-09 (February 9, 2013)
THE INSIDE REAR MIRROR OF MY 1999 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 230 IS AN ELECTRO-CHROMIC SELF-DIMMING MIRROR THAT HAS NO MANUAL BACKUP. THE MIRROR CONTAINED FLUID HAS LEAKED OUT CAUSING THE SELF-DIMMING TO FAIL TO PROVIDE DIMMING AGAINST REAR APPROACHING HEADLIGHTS BUT INSTEAD TO BE DARK AND FULL OF BUBBLES ALL THE TIME. THIS CAUSES A HAZARD AS IT ELIMINATES REAR VIEW CAPABILITY ENTIRELY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER CASES OF THIS FAILURE DOCUMENTED ON LINE AND I HAVE HEARD THAT MAGNA DONNELLY (THE MANUFACTURER) WAS REPLACING THEM UP UNTIL A YEAR AGO FOR …
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496945 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 ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
05V505000 · Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights
Reported: 2005-11-01 (November 1, 2005)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, FAILURE OF ONE OF THE SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS CAN OCCUR. THE BASE OF THE SOCKET CAN BE SUBJECT TO THERMAL DEFORMATION OVER TIME.
Consequence: THIS DEFORMATION CAN CAUSE MOVEMENT IN THE SOCKET-TO-BULB CONNECTION, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE SOCKET, AND FAILURE OF THE BULB TO ILLUMINATE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR LAMP MODULES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2006, TO APPROXIMATELY 8,200 OWNERS. PHASE II MAILING IS SCHEDULE ON OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 3, 2006, AND PHASE III MAILING IS SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY 2007 FOR THE REMAINING OWNERS. OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THE UPDATED TRIM (POST-FACE LIFT) WILL GET AN INTERIM NOTICE DURING NOVEMBER 2006, ASKING THEM TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR REAR TAIL LAMP REPLACEMENT LATER IN 2007. HOWEVER, IF THEY EXPERIENCE AN ACTUAL REAR LAMP FAILURE BEFORE THEY RECEIVE THAT NOTICE, THEY SHOULD COME TO THEIR DEALER IMMEDIATELY FOR A FREE REPAIR. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA campaign record ↗