1992 Mercedes-Benz 500SL Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500SL, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Tires & wheels240.0%
- Brakes120.0%
- Electrical120.0%
- Interior & seats120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED 3 TIRE BLOW OUTS.*MR (NAR) APPROX 3 OUT OF 4 TIRES HAVE FAILED. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT COST. *CB23.505 *JB
THE FIRST TIRE WAS REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASE DUE TO A BUBBLE ON THE SIDE. THE TIRES WERE THEN ONLY USED FOR SHORT CITY TRIPS. WHEN THE TIRES WERE DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR TWO HOURS THE THREAD SEPERATED COMPLETELY FROM THE SIDEWALLS..( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245-45Z-17 )
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
PROBLEMS WITH MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER AND ACCELERATION SKID CONTROL.*MR THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS LOW AND SPONGY. A MASTER CYLINDER HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY BEEN INSTALL MAY 2003. IN ADDITION THE ARS LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER. THE ENGINE WOULD IMMEDIATELY RESTART ITSELF AND THE TACHOMETER WOULD RISE FROM ZERO TO THE CORRECT SETTING. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL COMPLETELY BUT WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED THE KEY AND RESTARTED IT AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES THERE WOULD BE NO REPEAT PROBLEM WITH THE ASR (ACCELERATION SKID CONTROL). *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
UPON DISASSEMBLY OF THE INTAKE SYSTEM OF MY CAR, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED - THE INSULATION USED ON THE WIRING HAD BECOME HARD AND BRITTLE, CAUSING MULTIPLE SHORTS AND PREVENTING IT FROM BEING RE-INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. TOTAL COST APPROXIMATELY $1100. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT CONTROL ADJUSTER ENGAGED SPONTANEOUSLY AND MOVED COMPLETELY FORWARD WHILE THE VEHICLE (1992 MERCEDES BENZ, 500 SL) WAS TRAVELLING AT 65 MPH ON BELTWAY EN ROUTE TO BWI, PINNING MY WIFE AGAINST STEERING WHEEL, ANFD FORCING HER TO DRIVE ONTO THE FAST LANE SHOULDER. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .