Table 1 shows two common visibility related problems of the 1999 Mercedes Benz SLK.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Visibility problems | |
| Wiper problems |
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 warranty and there is no recall in effect.
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 free but has stopped and now suggests that we buy a new ($240) or remanufactured one. This is a failure of a safety feature of the car.