Mercedes Benz SL
Owners filed 41 complaints across 11 model years of the Mercedes Benz SL. The 1994 drew the most (15); the 2011 the fewest (1).
Model years11
Complaints41
Recalls5
Fires6
Deaths0
Every Mercedes Benz SL model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Equipment | Routine | |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2004 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2003 | 3 | 0 | — | — | Suspension | Routine | |
| 1995 | 13 | 1 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 1994 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 1993 | 2 | 1 | — | — | Electrical System › Wiring | Routine | |
| 1992 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Tires | Routine | |
| 1991 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Electrical System › Wiring | Routine |
Which Mercedes Benz SL years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 1994 is the weakest year on record, with 15 complaints concentrated in the electrical system. It carries 1 recall.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.