2005 Mercedes Benz SL500: complaints, problems and recalls
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.
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.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 8 | 42.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 21.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 15.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 5.3% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 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: 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
Examples from the source records
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 10296092 · 2009-12-16 (December 16, 2009)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE THE DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE HANDLE ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 40282.
Owner-reported narrative. 40,282 miles reported. Look up ODI 10296092 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10332577 · 2010-05-27 (May 27, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ SL-500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, HE FELL ASLEEP BEHIND THE WHEEL AND CRASHED INTO TWO PARKED VEHICLES. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO FLIP OVER,HOWEVER THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE ARM AND SHOULDER INJURIES. THE TWO VEHICLES HE CRASHED INTO WERE TOTALED AS WELL AS THE CONTACTS VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 7,800. UPDATED 8/4/10 *CN UPDATED 08/09/10*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 7,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10332577 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 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 10533280 · 2013-08-02 (August 2, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ 500SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SAT ABNORMALLY LOW TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10533280 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 10576421 · 2014-04-01 (April 1, 2014)
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…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10576421 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.