Mercedes Benz will be contacting the owners of certain 2016 SLK300 roadster vehicles equipped with nine-speed automatic transmissions, about an electrical problem that could affect the transmission and parking brake. According to the defect report, the backup power supply for the ignition switch may have not been properly connected. If the vehicle experiences a loss of power from the main battery, the transmission will not shift into “Park” and the electric parking brake cannot be applied. Without the backup power supply, the only way to keep the vehicle from moving is to press the brake pedal. Drivers attempting to exit the vehicle in this situation should take precaution as the vehicle could roll.

Dealers will correct the problem by re-wiring the ignition switch and performing a software update. Owners wanting more information about the problem are asked to contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 16V-211.