1986 Mercedes-Benz 560 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 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560, 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
- Brakes323.1%
- Driver assistance323.1%
- Engine215.4%
- Exterior lighting17.7%
- Other / unspecified17.7%
- Suspension17.7%
- Transmission17.7%
- Visibility17.7%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND IT CRASHED INTO A POLE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
RADIATOR FAILED CAUSING INJURIES.
CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
1986 MERCEDES BENZ 560SL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAIL TO MY FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 560SL OWNER. THIS IS DUE TO THE WORN OUT / DEFECT OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER THAT HOLD THE VISOR. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
1986 MERCEDES BENZ 560SL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAIL TO MY FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 560SL OWNER. THIS IS DUE TO THE WORN OUT / DEFECT OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER THAT HOLD THE VISOR. *TR
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 .