2003 Mercedes Benz SL500 complaints

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR COMPLAINT FILED 8/3/2013. RECALL INFORMATION DETERMINED FROM: HTTP://WWW.INTELLICHOICE.COM/1-12-2003-9821-20/2003-MERCEDES-BENZ-SL500-ROADSTER-2DR-CONVERTIBLE-RECALLS.HTML. RECALL 03 - ID # 08V405000 - SUSPENSION MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2008080004 NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET AS WELL AS NTHSA WEB SITE WITH SEARCH KEYWORDS "ABC", "ACTIVE BODY CONTROL", "SUSPENSION" TO INCLUDE: DATE INVESTIGATION OPENED: AUG 14, 2007 DATE INVESTIGATION CLOSED: NOV 20, 2007 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE07042 COMPONENT(S): SUSPENSION DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 11/15/2005 COMPONENT(S): SUSPENSION DATE OF INCIDENT: 10/23/2005 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10142714 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 07/29/2013 COMPONENT(S): SUSPENSION DATE OF INCIDENT: 06/10/2013 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10532452 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 05/21/2012 COMPONENT(S): SUSPENSION DATE OF INCIDENT: 05/17/2012 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10459146 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 03/26/2011 COMPONENT(S): SUSPENSION DATE OF INCIDENT: 01/10/2011 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10392937 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 03/08/2013 COMPONENT(S): SUSPENSION DATE OF INCIDENT: 09/01/2012 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10502119 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 12/06/2009 COMPONENT(S): SUSPENSION DATE OF INCIDENT: 11/16/2009 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 1029464512S DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 03/01/2010 COMPONENT(S): SUSPENSION DATE OF INCIDENT: 05/03/2009 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10315322 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 09/29/2010 COMPONENT(S): SUSPENSION DATE OF INCIDENT: 09/27/2010 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10358237 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 08/28/2008 COMPONE

IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE, NOTICED A CONSIDERABLE FRONT NOSE DROP WHILE DRIVING ISSUE REPEATED FREQUENTLY WHILE DRIVING. OVERNIGHT, THE VEHICLE WOULD DROP 3-4 INCHES. TOOK VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP AND WATCHED AS VEHICLE "BUCKED UP AND DOWN" AS IF IN A LOW-RIDER SHOW. MECHANIC STATED IT WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND RECOMMENDED CHANGING SENSORS. VEHICLE TAKEN TO MERCEDES DEALER WITH COPY OF RECALL NOTICE 08V405000. DEALER REPLACED LEFT FRONT STRUT ($1500) INSTEAD, STATING MY VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF THIS RECALL. STRUT REPLACEMENT ELIMINATED THE 3-4 INCH OVERNIGHT DROP, BUT THE NOSE DROP DURING DRIVING WAS NOT FIXED. DEALER NOW WANTS TO REPLACE THE ABC SENSORS ($1200-$1500). TO DATE, 3 OF 4 STRUTS/SHOCKS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. CAR IS IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION. NUMEROUS POSTS ON INTERNET REGARDING THIS ISSUE! PLEASE HELP. *TR

WE WERE DRIVING 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY OUR 2003 MB 500SL BECAME ERRATIC WITH THE SUSPENSION DROPPING DOWN ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I WAS FORCED TO QUICKLY PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AND WE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY TO PULL OVER RIGHT AWAY WITHOUT HITTING OTHER CARS. THE CAR WAS VERY LOW TO THE GROUND ON ONE SIDE. AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR, THE SUSPENSION IMPROVED ENOUGH TO GET US HOME. ON MY DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP THE CAR WAS VERY LOW EVERYWHERE FORCING ME TO DRIVE 35MPH AND IT BOTTOMED OUT ON A BUMP ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED US THAT THE ABC SYSTEM PUMP HAD FAILED AND THE CAR ADDITIONALLY HAD LEAKING REAR SHOCKS. OUR CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE AND VERY LITTLE WEAR. THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED $7600 TO INSTALL A NEW PUMP, FLUSH OUT AND REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC FLUID AND INSTALL NEW REAR SHOCKS! THEY STATED THAT THIS MAY NOT COMPLETELY FIX THE ABC PROBLEM AS ADDITIONAL DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURRED FROM THE FAILED PUMP AND DEBRIS IN THE SYSTEM. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! THERE IS CLEARLY AN ONGOING AND VERY PREVALENT AND DANGEROUS DEFECT WITH THE MERCEDES BENZ ABC SYSTEM, AS IT IS HAPPENING TO SO MANY VEHICLES. THERE MUST BE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WHICH COULD EASILY RESULT IN MULTIPLE HIGHWAY FATALITIES. MERCEDES BENZ HAS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE SYSTEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR

BANGING NOISE INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE WAITING AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE LOWERED ITSELF ABOUT 6 INCHES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SUSPENSION WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

ABC SYSTEM VALVE FAILURE THEN HIGH PRESSURE HOSES FAILED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE IDLER PULLEY SIMPLY FELL OFF THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. OBVIOUSLY, THE BELT CAME OFF TOO. THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO CONTROL SINCE THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. ADDITIONALLY, BREAKING EFFORT INCREASED, STABILITY CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED, AND A FEW OTHER NON-ESSENTIAL SYSTEMS BECAME INOPERABLE. *TR

MY MERCEDES 2003 SL500 DEVELOPED BANGING NOISE IN THE GAS TANK, IN JANUARY 2010 , HAVING ABOUT 18,000 MILES, PROMPTING ME TO CALL THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BAFFLE BROKE OFF AND COULDN'T BE FIXED, ADVISING ME TO REPLACE THE TANK FOR $2,500. I ARGUED THAT IT WAS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT CONSIDERING THE LOW MILES AND REQUESTED A FREE TANK REPLACEMENT, BUT I WAS REFUSED ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I HEARD, DID SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT EARLY MODELS IN 2003 AND 2004, HAD SIMILAR TANK PROBLEMS AND WERE REPLACED WITH A BETTER DESIGN LATER. BUT, I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT IT. FURTHERMORE, I FOUND OUT THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS FROM THAT TIME HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS I DID. I WAITED FOR A WHILE TO SEE IF MERCEDES CORPORATION WOULD RECALL THE EARLY MODELS, KEPT THE GAS TANK FULL TO AVOID THE ANNOYING NOISE (THE BROKEN BAFFLE CANNOT FLOAT AND BANG WHEN THE TANK IS FULL) AND WHEN I GOT CONVINCED THAT MERCEDES WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR THE VICTIMS I DECIDED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. IT IS A SHAME THAT A MANUFACTURER WOULDN'T WANT TO CORRECT THEIR OWN MISTAKES, CONSIDERING A $100,000 PRICE TAG THAT I PAID. WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT GERMAN QUALITY AND ETHICS? THEY CERTAINLY LOST THIS CUSTOMER FOR GOOD.

2003 SL500 MERCEDED SRS CONTROL UNIT MALFUNCTION AND FAILURE PREVENTING USE OF SAFTEY EQUIPMENT. *TR

GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM STUCK IN PARK. CAN NOT SHIFT GEARS OR CAN NOT MOVE CAR CREATING A DANGEROUS POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I HAVE HAD ONGOING / CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH THE 2003 SL 500 MODEL 230 ABC (ACTIVE BODY CONTROL) SYSTEM. THE RESULTING ISSUES OCCUR AT RANDOM AND WITH LITTLE CONSISTENCY. THE RESULTING EFFECT CAUSES THE CAR TO DRIVE SOFT ON SOME OCCASIONS AND RIGID ON OTHERS. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AND REPORTED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. THUS FAR THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ONE WHO CAN PROPERLY AFFECT AND IMPROVE THE SITUATION. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL MB DEALERSHIP ON JUNE 27, 2011 INQUIRING REGARDING A RECALL REPORTED IN THE NHTSA RECALL SYSTEM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THIS WAS NOT A RECALL HOWEVER THE RECALL 08V405000 SUGGESTS OTHERWISE. THE CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ABC SYSTEMS MAKES ME WEARY OF MB ABILITY TO CORRECT SAFETY AND DRIVING ISSUES. WHILE THIS HAS NOT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE MY FEAR IS IF MB NOR THE DEALERSHIP RECOGNIZES THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH ABC SYSTEMS, HOW MANY UNREPAIRED AND UNSAFE VEHICLES DO WE HAVE ON OUR STREETS? *TR

FUEL TANK BAFFLE FAILURE 2003 SL 500 MBZ. *TR

OUR 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 BECAME STUCK IN PARK AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF PARK DESPITE A VARIETY OF RECOMMENDED ATTEMPTS (TURNING KEY TO ON BUT NOT STARTING AND PUMPING BRAKES, ETC.). IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED FOR ABOUT $1300. FROM RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I SEE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR AND MAY BE DUE TO A SINGLE PLASTIC PART IN THE SHIFTER WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM (INTERLOCK?). APPARENTLY THE REPLACEMENT PART IS HEAVIER DUTY - MAY BE ALUMINUM NOT PLASTIC (?). NOT SURE WHY THE WHOLE SHIFTER NEEDS REPLACING VS. THE SINGLE PLASTIC PART. *TR

VEHICLE BEGAN HAVING MINOR LEAK OF PINK COLOR FLUID THAT AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP IDENTIFIED AS HYDRAULIC FLUID FOR ABC SUSPENSION SYSTEM. FROM A VISUAL INSPECTION, THE FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM ABC TANDEM PUMP. THE LEAK GOT WORSE BY THE WEEK AND THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY PARKED AFTER A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FLUID WAS BUILDING UP ON THE DRIVEWAY. AFTER A WEEK, THERE WAS A LARGE PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDER THE ENGINE AND THE WHOLE LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE BOTTOMED OUT AND LITERALLY SUNK OVER THE FRONT LEFT AND REAR LEFT TIRES. MERCEDES DEALERSHIP (WALNUT CREEK) SAID IT WAS LIKELY THE ABC PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NOT FIX BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. MY MECHANIC FRIEND CONFIRMED THAT THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE ABC PUMP. AFTER THE PUMP WAS REPLACED, THE ABC VALVE BLOCKS FOR THE FRONT AND REAR BEGAN TO LEAK. WE FOUND THAT THERE WERE CLOGS IN THE FRONT AND REAR VALVES. GOING BACK TO MERCEDES, THE PARTS SPECIALISTS INFORMS US ABOUT THE UPDATED PARTS IN THE ABC SYSTEM THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THEY NORMALLY HAVE ALL THE UPDATED PARTS STOCKED AND ON-HAND. I ENDED UP REPLACING EVERY PART IN THE ABC SYSTEM SINCE IT WAS EVIDENT THAT CONTAMINATION EXISTED WITH THE CLOGGED VALVES. THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING PART NUMBERS: 220-320-12-58 $2499.00; 220-320-0858 $750; POWER STEERING TANDEM ABC PUMP $1015; HYDRAULIC FLUID $450, FILTERS $40, OIL LINES $300, LABOR $800. TOTAL IS ROUGHLY $5000. THE PARTS SPECIALIST WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF THE ABC SYSTEM FOR MY VEHI

2003 SL500 MERCEDES BENZ. CONSUMER STATES NOISE INSIDE GAS TANK WHEN VEHICLE IS MOVING *TGW

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2003 MERCEDES SL500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN, THE CONTACT WAS STRUCK IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

I HAVE A 2003 SL500 MERCEDES . I HEAR EITHER A FREE DANGLING OBJECT BEHIND THE SEATS OR PERHAPS A NOISE FROM AN OBJECT IN THE GAS TANK (NOT SURE WHERE THE TANK IS). THIS CLANGING NOISE IS HEARD WHEN CAR IS SHOOK. EVEN A LIGHT NUDGE OF THE CAR WILL CAUSE IT TO CLANK. LIKE A DANGLING OBJECT, HARD ACCELERATION WILL CAUSE THE NOISE TO GO AWAY BUT WHEN THE CAR STOPS ACCELERATING A CLANGING NOISE IS HEARD. THE CAR IS RUNNING PERFECTLY. THIS MAY HAVE STARTED HAPPENING WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT SEEING AS THOUGH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HARD TO MISS IT WHEN PARKING THE NIGHT BEFORE. I CAN NOT RULE OUT VANDALISM OF SOME SORT BUT I AM HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING HOW THIS COULD BE THE CASE. MERCEDES DEALER STATES THAT THERE IS AN ANCHOR THAT HOLDS THE GAS TANK IN PLACE AND IT HAS BROKEN, THAT'S WHY THE I GET THE CLANGING NOISE!! STRIKING THE REAR WALL OF THE INTERIOR COMPARTMENT SEEMS TO MAKE A NOISE CONSISTENT WITH THE CLANGING. IS THIS SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN TO CAR OF THIS CALIBER? THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE $3000. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED, IT ABNORMALLY WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT RESISTANCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE. THERE WAS FIVE PERCENT BRAKING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL PUMP. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A COMMON ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED; AND THE CONTACT PLANNED TO SELL THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SAFETY HAZARD. THE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/13/11*LJ UPDATED 01/27/11*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES SL500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE WARNING PANEL. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE ABS SWITCH SEAL AND ADDED SYNTHETIC HYDRAULIC FLUID TO THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. ONE MONTH LATER, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, WHILE DRIVING TO THE DEALER AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE BRAKE PEDAL FELL MUCH FARTHER INTO THE FLOORBOARD THAN USUAL. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND SLIGHTLY CRASHED INTO A CURB. SHE THEN COASTED INTO A PARKING LOT UNTIL SHE WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKES AND COME TO A STOP. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:04V296000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT WITH THE DEALER WHERE SHE WAS AWAITING A REPLACEMENT OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP UNDER THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

I PURCHASED MY SL500 USED, WITH ONLY 29,000 MILES ON IT, DIRECTLY FROM RUSNAK MERCEDES IN ARCADIA, CA. SERVICE HAS BEEN BEYOND POOR SINCE DAY 1. MY CURRENT PROBLEM IS AN OBNOXIOUS BANGING THAT COMES FROM BEHIND THE HEAD. I CALLED RUSNAK ABOUT THIS AND THE LADY WAS VERY FIRM TELLING ME IT'S NOT A RECALL, ALTHOUGH I'D READ LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. SO I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL GARAGE- AFTER A WEEK OF LABOR THEY FIND IT'S A HOLE IN THE GASTANK, $2000 TO REPAIR. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. EVERYTHING I'VE READ HAS SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, ALL IN 2003 SL500S AROUND 60,000 MILES. HOW CAN MERCEDES IGNORE THIS?

1. EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. DRIVER STARTED NOTICING "SLOSHING" SOUND COMING FROM GAS TANK AREA. NEXT DAY, A RATTLING NOISE STARTING COMING FROM GAS TANK AREA EACH TIME THE CAR WOULD COME TO A STOP. THE NOISE WAS CONSISTENT WITH SOMETHING FLOATING AROUND AND HITTING SOMETHING MENTAL INSIDE. THE SOUND COMES FROM THE GAS TANK AREA, CONSISTENT WITH A LOOSE PIECE OF METAL FLOATING IN THE GAS TANK. 2. UPON INSPECTION, THE BAFFLE WITHIN THE GAS TANK HAD BROKEN OFF AND WAS LOOSE, FLOATING IN THE GAS TANK. EACH TIME THE DRIVER COMES TO A STOP, THE BAFFLE WILL FLOAT AROUND AND BANG ON THE INSIDE OF THE GAS TANK. PRELIMINARY INSPECTION REVEALS THAT SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEAR GAS TANKS ARE DIFFERENTLY DESIGNED TO PREVENT SUCH FAILURE. CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING A LOOSE PIECE OF METAL FLOATING AROUND THE GAS TAKE ARE EXTREMELY SERIOUS. IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF PROMPTLY, THERE IS A POTENTIAL THAT THE METAL PIECE MAY DAMAGE THE GAS TANK AND CAUSE A FIRE OR OTHER HARM. 3. THE ENTIRE GAS TANK MUST BE REMOVED -- A $3000 PROCEDURE. BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE DEFECT, MANY REPAIRS WILL FALL OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THE DEALER PRETENDS AS THOUGH THIS IS AN UNCOMMON ISSUE. INDEPENDENT MERCEDES SHOPS CONFIRM THIS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE.

MERCEDES-BENZ BUILT BAFFLES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK TO PREVENT FUEL SLOSHING NOISE DURING STOP AND GO MOTION. THESE BAFFLES WERE POORLY DESIGNED AND WEAKLY WELDED INTO PLACE RESULTING IN THEM COMING LOOSE AND BANGING AROUND INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. BEING A SMALL CONVERTIBLE AND GIVEN THAT FUEL TANK IS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, END RESULT IS A VERY LOUD BANGING NOISE MAKING DRIVING A SLOW TORTURE. ASIDE FROM IRRITATING LOUD BANGING NOISE THERE IS ALSO A POTENTIAL OF EXPLOSION SINCE THIS IS A MOVING METAL PART INSIDE A METAL FUEL TANK CONTAINING GASOLINE AS BOTH LIQUID AND FUMES. THERE ARE ALSO MANY REPORTED INSTANCES OF THIS DESIGN FLAW WITH SOME DEALERS REPORTING 10 FUEL TANKS REPLACED IN 1 WEEK. PLEASE VISIT HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/R230-SL-CLASS/1295215-SL500-NOISE-REAR-INTERIOR-WALL-GAS.HTML AND HTTP://FORUMS.MERCEDESCLUB.ORG.UK/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=57846&PAGE=2 I BELIEVE THERE ARE ENOUGH OF THESE COMPLAINTS TO WARRANT A CLASS ACTION SUIT. BOTH MERCEDES DEALER AND MERCEDES CORPORATE (SUPERVISOR MR. MARIANO) HAVE REFUSED TO FIX THIS ISSUE INSISTING CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THERE IS NO OPEN RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. DEALERSHIP QUOTED $2400 TO REPLACE FUEL TANK. *TR

2003 MERCEDES BENZ 500SL DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR JUST DROPPED DOWN , THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED IT RUINED THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE THE CAR DOES NOT EVEN HAVE 50,000 MILES ON IT. IT'S HARD TO GET IT TOWED. IT IS VERY LOW AND IT CAN CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT , THE FUNNY THING WAS THE NEXT DAY STARTED THE CAR UP THE CAR CAME UP BUT KNOWING MY UNDERCARRIAGE IS DESTROYED . I HAD COUPLE INCIDENTS HAPPEN TO MEN LUCK I WAS NOT ON THE FREEWAY. IT ALSO THROWS YOUR ALIGNMENT OUT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRUNK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE BAFFLES IN THE GAS TANK FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE RATTLING IN THE GAS TANK. THE GAS TANK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME FAILURE. HE BELIEVES A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

IGNITION FAILURE, NO KEYS WORK TO START THE VEHICLE (IT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE KEYS) CAR HAD TO BE PUT ON A FLATBED TRUCK AND SENT TO DEALER FOR REPAID. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTS TO USE THE TRUNK, THE TRUNK LID FALLS IMMEDIATELY BACK DOWN. THIS PREVENTS HIM FROM BEING ABLE TO USE THE TRUNK AT ALL. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TRUNK LID WOULD SLIGHTLY FALL WHEN PLACED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 - BAFFLE BREAKS FREE WITHIN GAS TANK SEEMINGLY CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. MERCEDES DOES NOT REPLACE THE TANK FOR FREE IN ALL CASES. GAS TANK NEEDED REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. WHEN THE BRAKES FINALLY BEGAN TO OPERATE, THE ABS, COOLANT, AND ESP LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 17,889.

VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN LESS THAN 52,000 MILES AND BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS HAVE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS APART. RETRACTABLE HOOD HAS NOW FAILED. CONCERNED THAT FAULTY DESIGN IN CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WILL CAUSEREPEAT FAILURES IN FUTURE. CONCERNED THAT RETRACTABLE HOOD FAILURE IS SIGN OF ADDITIONAL DESIGN FLAWS WITH THIS VEHICLE.*AK