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U.S. public vehicle records

2005 Mercedes Benz SL500 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

19 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

40,282 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 17 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 19 complaints (31.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior842.1%
Electrical and battery issues421.1%
Transmission and shifting315.8%
Fuel system concerns15.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Service Brakes
6
Electrical System
3
Power Train
3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2
Suspension
2
Air Bags
1
Electrical System:Wiring: Rear Compartment/Trunk
1
Engine
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Service Brakes6
Electrical System3
Power Train3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Suspension2
Air Bags1
Electrical System:Wiring: Rear Compartment/Trunk1
Engine1

Service Brakes: 6; Electrical System: 3; Power Train: 3; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2; Suspension: 2; Air Bags: 1; Electrical System:Wiring: Rear Compartment/Trunk: 1; Engine: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
6
25,000 to 49,999
5
50,000 to 74,999
2
75,000 to 99,999
3
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0006
25,000 to 49,9995
50,000 to 74,9992
75,000 to 99,9993
100,000 to 149,9991
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2006
1
2009
1
2010
1
2012
2
2013
1
2014
2
2015
2
2016
1
2017
1
2018
2
2019
2
2020
1
2022
1
2023
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20061
20091
20101
20122
20131
20142
20152
20161
20171
20182
20192
20201
20221
20231

2006: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 2; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 2; 2019: 2; 2020: 1; 2022: 1; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10171851 · 2006-10-25 (October 25, 2006)

MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 (2005), 4000 MILES. BRAKES FAILED. IT WOULD SEEM TO BE AN ELECTRICAL OR COMPUTER FAILURE OF SOME KIND. AUTO WAS SERVICED A WEEK AGO. HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH ELECTRICAL AND/ORL FEATURES FROM FIRST DAY OF PURCHASE. THE MOST DANGEROUS WAS TODAY'S BRAKE FAILURE. HAD TO PLACE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEN IN PARK TO MAKE IT STOP. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10171851 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10478619 · 2012-10-04 (October 4, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHOCKS FELT AS IF THEY HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MIL…

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10478619 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10452934 · 2012-03-25 (March 25, 2012)

MY MERCEDES BENZ HAS A FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRING IN THE COMMAND NAVIGATION UNIT IN MY SL500. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 16,385 MILES ON IT, THOUGH IT IS A 2005 MODEL, AND HAS BEEN HOUSED IN A HIGH-END GARAGE WITH NO TRAUMA, NO DAMAGE, AND VERY LITTLE WEAR AND TEAR. I PURCHASED THE CAR USED ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO. WITHIN THE LAST 3 WEEKS THE UNIT HAS GONE FROM WORKING INTERMITTENTLY TO NOT WORKING AT ALL, SIMPLY PROVIDING A SCREEN MESSAGE: SYSTEM UNAVAILABLE. ON MARCH 5, 2012 I TOOK MY SL 500 THE AUTHORIZED DEALER HERE, AND CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER…

Owner-reported narrative. 16,385 miles reported. Look up ODI 10452934 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10565365 · 2014-02-21 (February 21, 2014)

I DROVE OUT OF MY DRIVE AND TRIED TO BRAKE THE CAR AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SAYING THAT MY BRAKES WERE MALFUNCTIONING. THE CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE. THE BRAKES ON THE CAR WERE DEAD.FORTUNATELY THERE IS A HILL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ROAD WHERE I LIVE AND BY GOING UP THE HILL THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS OR PEDESTRIANS ON THE ROAD OTHERWISE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP. WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. A FEW MONTHS BEFORE, I HAD TAKEN…

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10565365 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10981247 · 2017-04-28 (April 28, 2017)

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED (SLIPPED) SO MUCH SO THAT THE RPM'S SHOT UP AND THE CAR NO LONGER HAD POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS. I NEEDED TO MOVE OVER 2 LANES THROUGH TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER TO THE CURB AND GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. ONCE I STOPPED THE CAR AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AND THE CAR REGAINED POWER THE THE REAR WHEELS AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR OFF THE ROAD TO SAFETY WITH SOME MINIMAL SLIPPING OF THE TRANSMISSION. ONCE I GOT THE CAR HOME I CHECKED FOR ERROR CODES EVEN THOU…

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10981247 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10809067 · 2015-12-08 (December 8, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ SL 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, FUEL ODORS EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, HE NOTICED FUEL HAD LEAKED INTO THE REAR SEATS OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK CAP WAS LEAKING AND THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FUEL TANK CAPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,685.

Owner-reported narrative. 22,685 miles reported. Look up ODI 10809067 at NHTSA ↗