Car Problem DataNHTSA records

2001 Mercedes Benz SL500

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System2
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Wheels06E014000
Filed Feb 6, 200631,422 vehiclesZf Trading North America, Llc

Defect. CERTAIN ZF TRADING NORTH AMERICA AFTERMARKET WHEEL BEARING KITS, LEMFOERDER P/N 1402301, SOLD FOR INSTALLATION ON 1992-2001 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 (R129) VEHICLES AFTER APRIL 1, 2005. THE CALIPER MOUNTING BOLTS USED IN THE WHEEL BEARING KIT MAY BE DEFECTIVE, SHEAR OFF AND BREAK. IF BOTH CALIPER MOUNTING BOLTS BREAK, THE BRAKE CALIPER MAY BECOME UNFIXED AND, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BRAKED, THE BRAKE ROTOR COULD DRAG THE CALIPER, CAUSING THE BRAKE HOSE TO RUPTURE AND THE VEHICLE'S SUSPENSION TO BE DAMAGED.

Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF A PORTION OF THE VEHICLE'S BRAKING ABILITY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. ZF TRADING WILL NOTIFY ITS OWNERS AND REPAIR THE WHEEL BEARING KITS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 27, 2006.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Aug 5, 2018190,000 milesIL

VEHICLE WAS BEING STORED IN MY GARAGE .. I STARTED THE VEHICLE, IT WAS SITTING AT AN IDLE.. I NOTICED THE BATTERY LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATE. THEN I COULD SMELL BURNING. I NOTICED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SMOKE. I SHUT THE CAR OFF. I OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED MORE SMOKE, BURNT SMELL, THE WIRING HARNESS WAS SHORTING AND BURNING. THE WRAPPING OF THE HARNESS HAD A CRISP FEEL TO IT.. AS IF DETERIORATING. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER DAMAGE OR FIRE. I COULD HEAR THE WIRING SHORTING. MY CONCERN WAS THE ENGINE BAY WOULD ERUPT IN FLAMES IN THE GARAGE, WHICH THEN COULD SPREADING TO MY HOUSE.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 15, 201086,400 milesIL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES SL500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED, THE GEAR AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,400. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,700. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 9, 200637,678 milesTX

I HAVE AN 01 S500 MERCEDES BENZ WITH ONLY 44000 MILES ON IT. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT OUT @ 36000 MILES. THE LIGHTS ARE DIMMED ON THE SPEEDOMETER. A LOCAL SHOP TRIED TO REPAIR IT FOR $625 BUT I WAS TOLD, SINCE IT'S A CIRCUIT, IT WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW. THE ENTIRE CIRCUIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR ABOUT $1900. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AS I FIND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE MODEL. *NM

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20092000Routine
200613000Routine
200519020Routine
200445031Fatalities reported
200380030Routine
2001 — this page3100Routine
20002100Routine
19992110Routine
19986100Routine
19979210Routine
19966110Routine
199522130Routine
19948120Routine
19936110Routine
19922100Routine

Compare every SL500 year →

Other Mercedes Benz models

All Mercedes Benz models →
C300 3,958E350 2,210E320 1,164ML350 951GLK350 904ML320 742C250 725C230 657GLC 300 650E500 460

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: Feb 6, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.