Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 1 time.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical System
7
0
1
0
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
3
0
2
1
Vehicle Speed Control
1
0
0
0
Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
1
0
0
0
1 safety recall
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.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Apr 6, 201179,500 milesIA
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL SL600. SHORTLY AFTER GETTING THE CAR HOME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT THE ASR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SO I STARTED TO RESEARCH WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I FOUND AN ONLINE WEBSITE WHICH HAD SEVERAL ARTICLES ABOUT THE POSSIBLE CAUSES. THE WEBSITE RECOMMENDED THAT THE WIRING SHOULD BE INSPECTED FOR CRACKING AND DETERIORATION OF THE INSULATION. UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THAT THE INSULATION ON MUCH OF THE WIRING GOING TO THE MASS AIR FLOW COMPONENTS AND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE ACTUATORS WAS CRACKED AND FALLING OFF THE WIRES LEAVING ONLY BARE WIRES WHICH ARE IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. I ALSO FOUND THAT THIS IS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN TO MERCEDES BENZ AND HAS BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BUT THEY HAVE NOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. THE PROBLEM IS COMPLETELY PREVENTING ME FROM USING THE VEHICLE AT THIS POINT DUE TO THE HIGH POSSIBILITY OF AN ENGINE FIRE CAUSED BY THE WIRES SHORT CIRCUITING AND ALSO THE PROBABILITY OF DOING DAMAGE TO THE CONTROL MODULES AND COMPUTERS WHICH ARE VERY EXPENSIVE RO REPLACE. *TR
Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jan 30, 201169,300 milesMD
1995 SL600 WITH COMPLETELY ERODED ENGINE WIRE HARNESS. ALMOST ALL THE INSULATION ON THE WIRES ARE GONE LEAVING BARE WIRES. THIS IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS FOR A 100K CAR. *TR
Electrical System
Filed Sep 22, 2010111,000 milesFL
MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ SL600 (VIN [XXX])WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING WHICH HAS INSULATION WHICH DEGRADES OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS, THE MOST SERIOUS IN MY CASE BEING A DECELERATION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TOO FAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. IT IS A WIDELY KNOWN DEFECT IN MANY MERCEDES BUILT BETWEEN 1991 AND 1997. MERCEDES REFUSES TO FIX THE EXPENSIVE REPAIR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). I HAVE HAD THE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $2000.00, I AM AWAITING INFORMATION ON OTHER REPAIRS CAUSED BY THE FAULTY WIRING. *TR
Electrical System
Filed Aug 9, 2010140,000 milesAL
I BOUGHT A NEW MB 1995 SL320, ABOUT 18 MONTHS LATER I HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT AND WAS TOLD ITS THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS WHICH WAS REPLACED AT NO COST TO ME, HOWEVER I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE CAR ( IDLE AND HESITATION AND BAD SMELL FROM THE EXHAUST ) FOR A WHILE AND FINALLY I SAW IT , THE WIRES HAVE DISINTEGRATED INSIDE THE SLEEVES ALL WIRE ARE TOUCHING, SOME WIRE HAVE NO INSULATION AT ALL JUST A COPPER WIRE, THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THEN YOU SEE THEIR COMMERCIALS BUILT LIKE NO OTHER CAR. ITS GONNA COST MORE MONEY TO FIX THE CAR THAT THE CAR IS WORTH, I THINK MB SHOULD HAVE A RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM FREE, OR THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM. *TR
Electrical System
Filed May 10, 2010101,000 milesCA
MY CARS RPM IN IDLE AND IN DRIVE SUDDENLY WILL GO UP TREMENDOUSLY AND THEN DOWN BACK TO NORMAL. RECENTLY IT STAYS IN A HIGH RPM MODE. *TR
Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Mar 22, 201072,000 milesVA
MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ SL600 (VIN [XXX])WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING WHICH HAS INSULATION WHICH DEGRADES OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS, THE MOST SERIOUS IN MY CASE BEING A DECELERATION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TOO FAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. IT IS A WIDELY KNOWN DEFECT IN MANY MERCEDES BUILT BETWEEN 1991 AND 1997. MERCEDES REFUSES TO FIX THE EXPENSIVE REPAIR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Electrical System
Filed Jan 12, 200966,000 milesCA
CAR KEEPS STALLING PUTTING ME IN DANGER, ESPECIALLY ON HIGHWAY TRAVEL. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN PERSISTENT SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. *TR
Electrical System
Filed May 20, 200846,000 milesFL
WIRE HARNESS INSULATION DETERIORATING. *TR
Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Mar 20, 2008132,223 milesVA
THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING HARNESS ON MY 1995 SL320 WAS REPLACED IN 1997 AND HAS DETERIORATED AND BROKE DOWN AGAIN CAUSING A FIRE. *TR
Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner
Filed Oct 16, 200743,935 milesAZ
DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, CRACKED, CRUMBLED INSULATION, EXPOSING BARE WIRES AND SHORTING ASR, TRACTION CONTROL, FUEL INJECTION THROTTLE VALVE, AC NOT WORKING. THE I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND MANY HOURS ONLY TO FIND OEM WIRE IS DEFECTIVE! THE MB DEALER WANTS $ 6,000 FOR ONLY 1) SIDE OF THROTTLE VALVE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT AND THE CAR HAS 2). AND THE THROTTLE VALVE IS NOT THE PROBLEM THE DEFECTIVE WIRING IS THE PROBLEM! ITS PLAIN TO SEE THAT NOTHING CAN FUNCTION PROPERLY IF BARE WIRES ARE SHORTING OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM! THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM, ALL WIRES IN THE ENGINE HARNESS ARE BAD!!! *TR
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Sep 24, 200742,581 milesTX
I OWN A 1995 SL600 WITH JUST 42K MILES AND IN PRISTINE CONDITION. THE ASR SYSTEM PERIODICALLY AND RANDOMLY ENGAGED, EVEN WHEN SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT PRESENT. THIS OCCURRED AGAIN 9/22/07 AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN. THE MB DEALER INSPECTED THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED MULTIPLE ERROR CODES. THE CAUSE OF THIS WAS DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESS(S) BASICALLY MELTING DUE TO ENGINE COMPARTMENT HEAT. LUCKILY THE CAR DID NOT DETONATE. HOWEVER, THIS IS A DOCUMETED TYPICAL FAILURE. THE ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR IS $6,000 AND THAT IS JUST FOR THE HARNESS(S) TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE LIKELY MANY MORE PROBLEMS WITH EXORBITANT REPAIR COST, DIRECTLY CAUSED BY THE FAULTY HARNESS IN THIS MODEL. GRANTED THE CAR IS 12 YEARS OLD BUT METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AND JUST 42,581 MILES. FOR A VEHICLE WITH AN ORIGINAL LIST PRICE EXCEEDING $100,000, I FIND THIS DEPLORABLE. THE MARKET VALUE OF THIS CAR WITHOUT THESE REPAIRS IS NULL. I CANNOT AFFORD THE RISK TO MY FAMILY AND THE POTENTIAL FINANCIAL BOTTOMLESS PIT TO REPAIR ALL OF THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THIS KNOWN BY MBUSA BUT NOT THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ALL OF THESE MODEL YEAR CARS SHOULD BE DISALLOWED FOR USE ON OUR ROADS. MBUSA WAS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND FAILED TO RECALL OR EVEN INFORM THEIR CONSUMERS. *TR
Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire1 injured
Filed Jan 15, 2007110,000 milesCA
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS IS CRUMBLING LIKE CORN BREAD. IT IS CHEAPLY MADE, I READ THAT IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH BEING RECYCLABLE. I HAVE A 50 YEAR OLD CHEVY WITH THE ORIGINAL WIRING HARNESS AND IT IS FINE. I WOULD NEVER, NEVER BUY ANOTHER MERCEDES BENZ AGAIN IN MY LIFE AND WILL WARN EVERYONE I KNOW. *NM
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 27, 200349,475 milesCA
THE ENGINE INJECTOR HARNESS FAILED, THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED AND STATED THEY WOULD ONLY COVER 80% OF THE BILL. *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.