fredfromny

After perusing both forums, here is a partial listing of those affected. A coincidence? I think not. Especially those with BOTH broken. It would be appreciated if anyone else afflicted add to the list. Remember to save your receipts for this nearly $200 item.

CP1: both fog lights broken
Blkslk55: both fog lights broken
FredfromNY: one fog light broken
SLK55er: one fog light broken
05slkmadmax: one fog light broken

Shinigami

Both of my fog lights are still intact (5000miles, 6 months of ownership).

Has any of you guys parked so that the bumper has rested on top of a a sidewalk? i.e. any scratches under your bumper? Maybe there's been pressure on the lamps...

But I doubt that, must be some fault in the manufacturing...

I'll report back if it happens to me.

bloflin

Shinigami, do you turn your fog lights on all the time. Here in the US setup, you have to take the headlamps off of AUTO mode and put on manual then pull the switch out a stop to get fthe front oglights on.

So, for the prevailing theory that it is heat build up, need to hours of on time. I would imagine a very low percentage in US ever turn their foglights on.

So, as people report this failure (or report they don't have a failure) we need to know approximate percentage of drive time (or hours) that you have lit your foglights.

SLK55NEWB

I have a broken fog lamp lens. I bet they are too fragile for road debris which I am sure is the cause. Not sure if I want to spend the money to replace them yet.


Vincent

blkslk55

i checked my lamps, they do not have any rock chips and/or are not damaged in any way by any debris. i drive with my lamps on, however this should not cause them to overheat thus cracking the lamps.

CP1

Both my fog lamps are broken. I purchased new ($157 each) and am in the process of finding some sort of plastic that I can glue to the front. Currenltly I modified two plastic cup measures for covers, but they really need to be 3.75 inches in diameter instead of the 3.5 inches. Still looking for something that I can modify as a shield. I am not going to put the new ones on the car until they are sufficiently protected.

What rocket scientist made the lenses out of glass, anyway, especially being about 8" off the road surface?

BTW, I never use my fog lights. They only come on when locking and unlocking the car, so I doubt that the breakage is caused by heat.

blkslk55

interesting that you say that you never turn them on, therefore no heat damage........when you checked them were they damaged by anything?

CP1

Looked to me like they got hit by road debris. There are a lot of dirt trucks and landscapers with trailers spewing crap on all the freeways all the time. One lens is completely gone but on the other you can see where it was hit.

Anyone with any ideas about fabricating a plastic cover or know of something common that can be adapted? The lens is about 3 3/4 inches in diameter.

Shinigami

In Switzerland, the fog lights turn on when you 'pull' the light switch. I can only pull it if I turn the headlights on. Not sure if I can do it when I move it to the auto position...

I never use the auto position anyway, I prefer to be the one in control of when and why my lights go on.

I hardly ever use my fog lights, but I do have the courtecy light function enabled so that when I leave my car or approach it, the fog lights lit up to show me my way.

Maybe cut a circle out of 3M clear plastic, the type used to protect the front bumper from stone chipping? It could maybe be enough to protect the fog lights... I doubt they get too hot, because if you turn them on and place your finger on the glass, it's not hot at all. And when you're driving, the air blown into it, will cool it down.

waldis

yup, i think you can always find these from ebay. just type in 3m plastic film or protective...good luck!

fredfromny

I'm using the removed foglamp as a template for this material.
Costs less than a new foglight.
Cheers!
sheet

Shark

Just finished washing my '55, and guess what I found...the left fog light is broken. It's very coincidental that I used the fog lights (other than just turning them on for a minute to see if they worked) for the first time Wednesday night driving home in the rain.

CP1

That isn't going to do the job. There needs to be space behind anything protecting the lens. A rock hitting the lens covered with plastic sticking to the glass will still break the glass, especially at 80mph.

PocketRocket

4 days old (haven't used the fog lights once) and the left fog lamp is broken. My headlights stay on all the time too no matter what position the dial is set to.

AMGgirl

my left fog lamp is broken...

Shinigami

My fog lights are still intact...

I wonder for how long =\

SLK55NEWB

Just reading this thread should say something to MB. I am sure if we voiced together we may get all of our lens repaired free. They may need time for R&D to improvise a solution.

Anyone know the next step?

Vincent

lisamcgu

Have you posted here? Don't know if it will help ...

https://mbworld.org/forums/slk55-r171/108712-slk-problems.html

fredfromny

CP1: both fog lights broken
Blkslk55: both fog lights broken
FredfromNY: one fog light broken
SLK55er: one fog light broken
05slkmadmax: one fog light broken
SLKK55NEWB :0ne fog lamp broken
Shark: One fog lamp broken
PocketRrocket: One fog lamp broken
AMGgirl: One fog lamp broken

bloflin

Fred, mine are intact (so far), but only have 1000 miles. But it seems almost inevitable, so I'm very interested in the reason.

It might help to narrow the potential causes if people could comment on 3 things.

1. How much they are using the fogs (if at all) and for how long at a time.

2. Crawl under the front bumper to see if ANY indication of "curb rash", even if they think they haven't (perhaps a significant other that occasionally drives).

3. Look closely at and around fog light lens and chrome surround, to see if any indication of rock impact.

lisamcgu

If it helps, here are my stats -

- Both Rt & Lft lights still intact
- @ 5,000 miles
- I've used the foglights @ 5x at night and in wet, foggy AM conditions, but not for more than about 20-30 min
- I've curbed the front bumper more times than I'd like to admit :sheepish:

- xtra - If suspension might matter, the car had a Brabus suspension kit installed before it was even driven.

I'll let y'all know if one breaks and the circumstances.

C43AMG

......any chance the factory is installing the wrong wattage lamps? The
reason I say that is if the lamps are of a higher wattage that what is supposed to be in there the heat could cause premature lens failure.Just a thought.

bloflin

Yes, there was some thoughts on heat generated failures, but there were some commenting that they've NEVER used their Fogs and still are broken.

That's why I was curious to get corresponding usage (or non-usage!) data.

Shark

Bloflin, I had only tried the fog lights a couple of times for a minute or two just to verify that they worked. After the car had about 3K miles on it, one night when it was raining I used them for about 35-40 minutes. A couple of days later when I went to wash the car was when I noticed the broken lense. There is no curb rash at all...I even looked underneath the front spoiler. And there is no sign of a rock impact (even a small one) anywhere else on the front of the car, including the chrome surround and what's left of the lense. While I can't say for sure that it was not a rock impact, given all of the above, especially that I noticed the broken lense right after the first time I used the lights for an extended period and that other people have experienced the same issue, the timing of the breakage does seem suspicious. The number of breakages and the circumstances seem to be more than coincidence. If someone wants to send a "joint" letter to MB, I would be happy to provide via a private message my VIN number, name, and contact info to be included in the letter. BTW, what's involved in replacing the light? Is it an easy job?

fredfromny

Relatively easy job. I'd give it a 3.
Some cell phone pics
Here!