2014 Mercedes-Benz SL 550

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 4 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Wheels › Rim1
000
Wheels1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Air Bags1
000

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Communication19V787000
Filed Nov 1, 201924,226 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf

Risk. An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019120008.

Electrical System › Software17V177000
Filed Mar 14, 201751 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550 vehicles, 2012 CLS550 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2016 E350 vehicles, 2016-2017 GL450 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2014 ML350 4Matic BlueTec vehicles, 2015 S550, S550 4Matic and C300 4Matic Sedan vehicles, 2015-2016 C300 Sedan vehicles, and 2017 SL63 AMG vehicles. Various control units on these vehicles may have been updated with incorrect software, potentially affecting the correct deployment of the air bags in the event of a crash.

Risk. If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy. MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update software in the affected control units, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Steering › Electric Power Assist System16V899000
Filed Dec 14, 201670 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 SL550, 2013-2014 SL63 AMG, 2014-2016 E350, 2014 E350 Cabriolet, E350 Coupe, 2014-2015 S550, 2015 E350 Bluetec, 2015-2016 E400, 2016 E550 Coupe, and Maybach S600 vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to August 14, 2015. The affected vehicles use an electric power steering system that may have improperly soldered contacts inside the control unit, potentially resulting in the power steering system deactivating while driving.

Risk. If the control unit pins lose connection, there would be a loss of electric power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash. The increase in pin contact resistance can also increase the risk of a fire, even while the vehicle is parked and ignition is off.

Remedy. MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric power steering control unit, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Air Bags14V386000
Filed Jul 1, 2014311 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (Mercedes-Benz) is recalling certain model year 2014 SLK 250, SLK 350, SLK 55 AMG, SL 550, SL 63 AMG, and SL 65 AMG vehicles manufactured March 19, 2014, through May 5, 2014. Due to an air bag assembly error, the front passenger air bag may not deploy properly.

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating front passenger air bag deployment, the front passenger seat airbag may not properly deploy, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger seat occupant.

Remedy. Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag, free of charge. Mercedes-Benz distributed an interim letter to owners on July 17, 2014. A second owner letter was mailed after parts became available in mid August 2014. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372. Note: Until the vehicle has been remedied, owners are advised that passengers or other items should not be placed in the passenger seat.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Structure › Body
Filed Oct 25, 2022AL

The whole dashboard leather has come apart. The seam around the vent is peeling up, the top part is looking really bad. The top part of the instrumental console, the leather cloth has fell and you cannot see the face of the panel. This car should not be falling apart like that. The color is great, just coming aprt from the seams.

Wheels
Filed Nov 12, 202021,000 milesPA

REAR WHEELS CRACKED AND NEEDED REPLACING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. ONLY DROVE THE VEHICLE 4,500 MILES WHEN I WAS TOLD AT INSPECTION THAT BOTH REAR WHEELS NEED REPLACING DUE TO CRACKS. THE INSPECTION BEFORE THIS LATEST INSPECTION, ONE OF THE REAR WHEELS CRACKED AND WAS REPLACED. THESE WHEELS ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS.

Wheels › Rim
Filed Jul 14, 201627,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SL550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER AND IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE RIM WAS PREMATURELY FRACTURED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIM AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE RIM, SHOWING THE PRESENCE OF A CRACK. THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR KEPT RANDOMLY FLASHING AS THE TIRE PRESSURE LOWERED. THE DEALER ASKED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER WAS TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A REPAIR SOLUTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 8, 20141,500 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ SL550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY SINCE THE DEALER CONTACTED HIM TO ADVISE NOT TO HAVE THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT OCCUPIED UNTIL THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V386000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2013
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20201300Routine
20190400Routine
20180200Routine
20174100Routine
20160100Routine
20152300Routine
2014 — this page4400Routine
201317300Routine
20112000Routine
200915010Routine
20084000Routine
200716130Routine
20031000Routine

Compare every SL 550 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Nov 1, 2019. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.