Mercedes Benz SL500 problems and owner complaints

I HAVE A 1995 SL500 MERCEDES BENZ AND THE WIRES GOING TO THE BRAKE SWITCH CAUGHT FIRE, IF I HAD NOT HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER THE HOLE CAR MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT FIRE ALSO I WAS NO GOING FAST WHEN THE FUMES STARTED CHOKING ME AND MY EYES BURNED. I COULD HAVE KILLED MY SELF OR SOMEONE ON THE ROAD. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 131,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242737 at NHTSA ↗

WIRING INSULATION FOR LIGHTS AND POWER STEERING DETERIORATED TO THE POINT OF CAUSING MASSIVE SHORTS IN MULTIPLE SYSTEMS, DRAINING THE BATTERY AND RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I MANEUVERED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ONTO AN OFF RAMP THAT PROVIDED A SAFE EXIT FROM THE 6 LANE BELTWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED. TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, POWER STEERING, HALF OF THE INSTRUMENTS (INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER), BATTERY AND CHARGING SYSTEM ARE INOPERABLE DUE TO BARE WIRES SHORTING OUT THE WIRING HARNESSES. ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS BEGINS WITH …

Owner-reported narrative. 137,452 miles reported. Look up ODI 10522165 at NHTSA ↗

MERCEDES SL 600 WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE THIS AND MERCEDES WILL DO NOTHING. CAR ABRUPTLY LOOSES POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEED ENDANGERING ALL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 17,868 miles reported. Look up ODI 10216744 at NHTSA ↗

ELECTRICAL WIRING INSULATION IS DEGRADING ON WIRING HARNESS(S) IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF LIFE OR SERVE PROPERTY LOSS. I FEEL MERCEDES SHOULD PROVIDE COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THESE WIRING HARNESS'S ON AFFECTED MODEL SL500, YEARS 1991 THRU 1996 REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10317711 at NHTSA ↗

MERCEDES BENZ ENGINEERED THEIR 1995 SL500 WITH FAULTY WIRING. I HAVE EXPERIENCED TIMES WHEN THE CAR WOULD NOT IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I HAVE CROSSED AN INTERSECTION AND THE CAR STALLED, HAD NOT POWER AND JUST WOULD NOT RUN. THIS HAS ALMOST BEEN THE CAUSE OF MORE THAN ONE ACCIDENT. SEVERAL HOURS HAS BEEN SPENT BY MECHANICS WORKING ON THE CAR DOING RESEARCH TO DIAGNOSIS THE ISSUES. WE BECAME AWARE OF THE FAULTY WIRING THAT MERCEDES BENZ USED AND IN TURN HAS CAUSED SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL. THERE HAS BEEN $1,000.0…

Owner-reported narrative. 102,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10458245 at NHTSA ↗

FUEL LINE LEAKAGE AT FUEL PUMP-SECOND OCCURANCE. DT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 770657 at NHTSA ↗

THIS VEHICLE HAS A BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THESE HARNESSES ARE DETERIORATING. MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER, NO POWER STEERING, NO NOTHING ON A FREEWAY AND I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT KILLED. MERCEDES AND THE DEALERSHIPS BOTH KNOW THAT VEHICLES WITH THIS TYPE HARNESS ARE DEATH TRAPS. I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED, BUT WIRING HARNESS WAS NEVER INVESTIGATED AS CAUSE OF ACCIDENT. WHY ARE YOU NOT TAKING ACTION AGAINST MERCEDES? EVERY VEHICLE STILL ON THE ROAD SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY IF IT HAS A BIO…

Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10513085 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE 1995 SL500 LAST 8 YEARS HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES, RELATED TO WIRING HARNESS ,MISFIRE ,STEERING PUMP,AIR PUMP AND MORE. I AM THE FIRST OWNER.ALL THE WIRES ARE DETERIORATING,I THNIK WE NEED NHTSA TO INSPECT THESE CAR MANUFACTURERS.IF MANUFACTURER INSTALLED THE FAULTY WIRING THEY SHOULD STAND UP AND OFFER REPAIRS AT THE MERCEDES DEALERS.FREE. REGARDS

Owner-reported narrative. 145,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10966708 at NHTSA ↗

FACTORY MATERIAL DEFECT. ENGINE WIRE HARNESS INSULATION IS BREAKING DOWN AND FLAKING OFF, LEAVING EXPOSED WIRE. IGNITION IS POOR AND THREATENS TO STALL, ESPECIALLY WHEN ENGINE TEMPERATURE WARMS UP TO 85-90C. I FEAR THE ENGINE MAY FAIL OR CATCH FIRE DURING A DRIVE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS ALSO A SHORT IN THE AUDIO SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS BEAUTIFUL. IT IS A SHAME TO HAVE IT SITTING SINCE 2008. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10924326 at NHTSA ↗

CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC DUE TO WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. STARTED SMALL FIRE THAT WAS EXTINGUISHED BEFORE ANY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. I REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS AND CLEANED ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WIRING HARNESS INSULATION HAD TURNED TO POWDER IN MANY LOCATIONS SHORTING FUEL INJECTORS, MASS SENSOR AND CAM MAGNETS. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 119,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172352 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 86,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10319678 at NHTSA ↗

The 2003 SL500 with seemingly no instigating incident or event had the gas tank baffle come apart due to the poor and faulty design of this component. This baffle now is loose and floats on the gas in the gas tank, banging around when there is acceleration or deceleration, even turning sometimes causes it to bang around. Speed bumps are another source of loud banging from the baffle bumping into the sides of the tank. The issue with 2003 SL500's is ubiquitous, it is not a question of what percentage of them will experience as it appears it will…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11456885 at NHTSA ↗