Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system › wiring › front underhood. It has been recalled 3 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine and Engine Cooling
1
0
0
0
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
1
0
0
0
3 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting09E012000
Filed Apr 7, 200916,270 vehiclesSabersport
Defect. SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Risk. DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
Visibility96V175000
Filed Sep 19, 199628,874 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Inc.
Defect. IF ONE OF THE HEADLAMP WIPER ARMS BECOMES MISALIGNED, THE WIPER BALDE CAN LODGE IN THE GROOVE UNDER THE HEADLAMP. IF THE WASHERS ARE ACTIVATED WITH THE WIPER BLADE IN THE MISALIGNED AND LODGED POSITION, THE WASHER PUMP WILL RUN CONTINUOUSLY EXPELLING ALL AVAILABLE FLUID.
Risk. PUMP OPERATION IN THE ABSENCE OF FLUID CAN CAUSE THE PUMP TO OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP WASHER PUMP ON THESE VEHICLES.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine96V058000
Filed Apr 4, 1996149 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Inc.
Defect. THE DRIVE BELT PULLEY ON THE ENGINE CAN DEVELOP FATIGUE CRACKS IN THE METAL AND BREAK. IF THE DRIVE PULLEY BREAKS, THE CAR WOULD NOT HAVE ENGINE COOLING, BATTERY CHARGING, AND/OR POWER STEERING.
Risk. LOSS OF THESE SYSTEMS CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO OVER HEAT, LOSE POWER FROM THE BATTERY, AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT DAMPER-PULLEY ON THESE VEHICLES.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jul 11, 200855,000 milesIL
MY 1996 MERCEDES SL600 FAILED EMISSIONS TESTING BECAUSE THE OBDII SYSTEM CHECK REPORTED 5 MONITORS WERE "NOT READY". AFTER GREAT EXPENSE ATTEMPTING TO FIX THE PROBLEMS INDICATED BY THIS OUTPUT, I DISCOVERED THROUGH INTERNET SEARCHES AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH ILLINOIS EPA THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH EARLY 1996 V12 EQUIPPED AUTOMOBILES (I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN NOVEMBER 1995). ON THESE EARLY 1996 CARS, THE GENERIC OBDII PORT DOES NOT ACCURATELY REPORT THE STATUS OF THE ENGINE SYSTEM MONITORS. THE PROPRIETARY MERCEDES PORT REPORTS THAT ALL MONITORS ARE READY, BUT THE EMISSIONS TESTING FACILITY CAN NOT ACCESS THIS WITHOUT THE PROPRIETARY MERCEDES SCANNER. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ALL MANUFACTURES SELLING CARS IN THE U.S. WERE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A WORKING GENERIC OBDII OUTPUT. IN MY OPINION, MERCEDES FAILED TO MEET THIS STANDARD WITH THESE EARLY 1996 V12 EQUIPPED CARS AND SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO BRING THEM UP TO THIS STANDARD AT NO EXPENSE TO THE OWNERS. *TR
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Aug 1, 2007FL
1996 MERCEDES BENZ SL 600 WIRING HARNESS FAILURE AUTHORIZED DEALER REPORTS THAT THIS IS A TYPICAL FAILURE OF AN OLDER MERCEDES WITH ONLY 60,000 MILES. THIS FAILURE IS KNOW THROUGH OUT THE INDUSTRY BUT IT HAS NEVER BEEN RECOGNIZED BY MB CONSEQUENTLY NO RECALL. THE CAR RUNS SLUGGISHLY AND I HAVE BEEN WARNED THAT IT IS A FIRE HAZARD. COST OF REPAIR IS ESTIMATED AT $3100????? *JB
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: Apr 7, 2009. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.