Mercedes-Benz SL 550
Owners filed 66 complaints across 13 model years of the Mercedes-Benz SL 550. The 2013 drew the most (17); the 2020 the fewest (1).
Model years13
Complaints66
Recalls22
Fires4
Deaths0
Every Mercedes-Benz SL 550 model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2019 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2018 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2017 | 4 | 1 | — | — | Steering | Routine | |
| 2016 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2015 | 2 | 3 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2014 | 4 | 4 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2013 | 17 | 3 | — | 1 | Steering | Routine | |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2009 | 15 | 0 | 1 | — | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2008 | 4 | 0 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Routine | |
| 2007 | 16 | 1 | 3 | — | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Service Brakes | Routine |
Which Mercedes-Benz SL 550 years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2013 is the weakest year on record, with 17 complaints concentrated in the steering. It carries 3 recalls.
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.