2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Lighting Problems

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the connector for the rear taillights was melted into the bulk assembly mount and needed to be replaced. The contact was then informed by the dealer of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V177000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the dealer confirmed that the recall was previously completed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was promised a call back however, the contact had not yet received a response. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

I noticed my right tail light has completely went out and related damage to the brown wire connected to the entire casing. Per recall campaign: 2014050001; NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 14V177, "Oxidation on the ground pin connector for the rear tail lamps of subject vehicles can result in a dimming of the tail lights or loss of tail lamp functions. The loss of a rear tail lamp reduces the rearward visibility of subject vehicles, especially with respect to turn signal illumination and may increase the likelihood of a rear end crash". I recently called a new certified Mercedes Benz dealership near me who states this recall has been closed, however, there is no specific indication on whether that was the right or left tail light. Regardless, a recall covers both whether it happens simultaneously or at different increments. My requested resolution: to simply acknowledge the recall to replace this time the right tail lamp. Especially since any wiring issues poses risk of shortage or fire.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRE CONNECTING THE TAIL LIGHT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE MELTED AND CAUSED THE TAIL LIGHT NOT TO WORK. THE TAIL LIGHT, BLINKER, AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (MERCEDES-BENZ IN PLANO, TX, 214-473-5643) WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

HEADLIGHT WIRES ARE CORRODED AND MELTED. THIS SEEMS SIMILAR TO THE TAIL LIGHT RECALL A FEW YEARS AGO THAT CAUSED A FIRE.

"TAKATA RECALL" THERE ARE TWO RECALLS ON THE FRONT AIRBAGS ONE ISSUES IN FEBRUARY 11, 2016 AND THE OTHER MAY 25, 2016. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR SERVICE AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE RECALL. AS OF TODAY THE REMEDY IS NOT AVAILABLE. THERE IS A FAULT SWITCH WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IN OFF POSITION THE LEFT RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FLASH WHEN THE KEYS ARE NOT IN THE VEHICLE. IT DRAINS THE BATTERY WHICH HAVE REPLACED TWICE. WE DETERMINED THAT IF WE KEEP THE LIGHT SWITCH IN AUTOMATIC POSITION IT DOES NOT HAPPEN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE TAIL LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE DIMLY AND/OR SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT FAILED TO WORK AND VARIOUS INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V177000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) IN 2013, BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT FAILED AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

TAKATA RECALL RIGHT TAIL LIGHT HAS A BROWN BURNT WIRE, AND THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT IS DIM. SO I BELIEVE IT MAY HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. I WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO PAY FOR OR WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING THAT I COULD GET A RECALL ON? THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET WHILE BRAKING.

TAKATA RECALL RIGHT TAIL LIGHT HAS A BROWN BURNT WIRE, AND THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT IS DIM. SO I BELIEVE IT MAY HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. I WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO PAY FOR OR WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING THAT I COULD GET A RECALL ON? THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET WHILE BRAKING.

BACKGROUND: IN 2014, THERE WAS A RECALL OF C-CLASS MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES DUE TO CORROSION ON THE CONNECTORS OF THE REAR TAIL LIGHT CAUSING THE LIGHT TO FAIL. MERCEDES BENZ FIX FRONT LIGHT CONNECTORS - NEW ISSUE: LEFT FRONT PARKING LIGHT IS INOPERABLE AND THE DASHBOARD WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON. WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE PARKING LIGHT BULB REPLACED. THE MECHANIC VERIFIED THE CONCERN, REPLACING THE BULB DID NOT WORK. THE MECHANIC CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THE PARKING LAMP HARNESS HOLDER IS PEELING AND CORRODED CAUSING THE WIRE TO SHORT. MERCEDES BENZ WANTED ME TO PAY $1440.35 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND RECOMMENDED CHANGING THE RIGHT SIDE TOO EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OPERABLE. THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY ENCASES THE FRONT PARKING LIGHT BULBS (EYEBROW LIGHTS - 2 EACH) AND THE HEADLIGHT BULB. THE SERVICE ADVISOR, JEFF DECORTE INDICATED THAT HE SEES THIS ALL THE TIME WHICH IS WHY HE RECOMMENDED REPLACING BOTH SIDES OF THE ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES. BULB HOLDERS AND CONNECTORS SHOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST TO THE OWNER DUE TO THE PEELING AND CORROSION. PLEASE INVESTIGATE, THIS MAY BE POTENTIALLY ANOTHER RECALL EXCEPT NOW IT'S THE FRONT PARKING LIGHTS. PLEASE NOTE THAT MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT THE REQUIRED INTERVALS BY THE DEALER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT WIRING WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

REAR LIGHTING CONSULS FAILING WHILE IN MOTION CAUSING RIGHT TURN BLINKER, REVERSE LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND SAFETY LIGHTS TO NOT FUNCTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CHECK SIGNAL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V177000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000. THE VIN WAS UNVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V177000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED INDICATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC DATE OF WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO SCHEDULE THE APPOINTMENT AND REMEDY THE PROBLEM SPECIFIED ON THE RECALL. UPDATED 08/19/14*LJ

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND A MESSAGE LIGHT CAME ON SAYING CHECK REAR RIGHT BRAKE LAMP, TURN LAMP ,AND TAIL LAMP SO I STOPPED BY THE AUTO PART STORE TO HAVE THEM REPLACE THE BULBS AND THEY FOUND THE LIGHT HOLDER AND THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE LIGHTS HAD MELTED. *TR

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V177000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), 15V711000 (AIR BAGS), AND 16V081000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

REAR LIGHTING DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK, I HAVE GOTTEN ERROR CODES ONE DAY AND THE LIGHTS WORK THE NEXT. I HAVE READ PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ON THE LIGHTING ISSUE. ONE TIME ITS A BULB ON THE RIGHT AND NEXT ITS A BULB ON THE LEFT. TODAY THEY ALL WORK.. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING HAS BURNT OUT AND KNOCKED OUT ALL LIGHTS IN THE CLUSTER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT THERE HAS YET TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS. *TR

WARNING MESSAGE THAT THE BACK TAIL LIGHTS & SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE OUT. AFTER CHECK IT APPEARED THAT THE WIRE HAD MELTED. *TR

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STAYING ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AND THE PARKING LAMPS BOTH WENT OUT. THE BRAKE LIGHTS OFF WHEN CAR IS OFF BUT WHILE I'M DRIVING THEY STAY ON THE WHOLE TIME. I TOOK IT TO RAY CATENA MERCEDES AUTO SERVICE AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS NO CHARGE AS PART OF A RECALL ON ALL MERCEDES VEHICLES BUT GAVE ME A QUOTE OF 1175 FOR THE MODULE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE MODULE SHORTAGE AND LIGHTS GOING OUT IS MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESS FRYING OUT. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE A MODULE THAT WAS DUE TO A WIRING HARNESS FRYING OUT. THAT SHOULD BE A MANUFACTURER ISSUE. *TR