Fix for broken light assembly tabs on 129

[SLer]

My 10-year old SL500 is getting brittle in some places. Plastic tabs on the both front market/turn light assemblies have broken off and so the assemblies are loose, not fully attached. Looks like the only fix is to replace the light housings, if they're even sold. Does anyone know another way to fix the problem?

[Darrell Woods]

As a temporary fix on the 260e my son drives, I drilled a small hole in the plastic rear part of the light assembly. I inserted a plastic zip tie through the hole and cinched it up tight to the nearest solid metal part I could find. The light pulled up tight, and I still occasionally think about ordering a new assembly to correct this temporary repair about two years after making it.

[donbryce]

I've had great luck fixing plastic parts, like your broken tabs, with thick aluminum sheet cut to fit, then JB Welded and pop riveted onto the good plastic. Kind of hard to describe, as each fix is unique, but I've saved light housings and die cast metal pieces, such as the inner part of an outside mirror, this way. Only caveat is that the repair piece/job has to be hidden, obviously.