NHTSA Complaint #10464759 — 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK

REAR BRAKE LAMPS FAILED OVER AND OVER SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASED IN 2001. DEALER REPLACED BULBS NUMEROUS TIMES AND LAST REPLACED L & R BULBS ON 12/29/2006 AT 29005 MILES. IN APRIL 2007 A SAFETY RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR REAR BRAKE LAMPS FAILURE. REAR LAMPS FAILED ONCE AGAIN AT 39697 MILES AND VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN TO BEVERLY HILLS MB TO HAVE RECALL PERFORMED ON MAY 30, 2008. REAR BRAKE LAMPS HAVE FAILED ONCE AGAIN AS OF 6/1/ 2012 WITH 78000 MILES ON VEHICLE IN SPITE OF THE RECALL. INSPECTIONS BY AN INDEPENDENT MERCEDES REPAIR FACILITY AS WELL AS SIMONSON MERCEDES, SANTA MONICA REVEAL THAT THE LAMP SOCKETS ARE FAILING DUE TO ELECTRICAL ARCING AND BEGINNING TO MELT RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE REAR BRAKE LAMPS TO FUNCTION. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A REAR COLLISION. I AM HOPING THAT YET ANOTHER SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN CAN BE INITIATED AS IT SEEMS THAT THE FIRST RECALL WAS NOT ENTIRELY EFFECTIVE. THANK YOU. *TR