Rear Light Probe of C-Class Mercedes

An updated probe was conducted by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to test C-Class Mercedes-Benz issued in 2008-2011 in regard to a defect.

The probe includes 252,867 cars investigated for the possibility of failure of rear lights if an electrical connector’s temperature rises too much. NHTSA reports that some probes ended with inflammation, smoke formation or softening of isolation material.

The analysis itself was initiated by the reports of 21 light failures in C-Class cars where the connector simply melted. Mercedes comments that it was ground circuit corrosion that spread to rear lights, which resulted in too high temperatures affecting ground wire.