ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Jan 22, 2013
WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTERGRATING. CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH. VISIBLE BARE WIRES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF. SMELLS OF BURNING WIRE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10495382
- Incident
- Nov 20, 2012
- Mileage
- 138,500 mi
1996 Mercedes-Benz SL320
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
4
Latest Jan 22, 2013
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
Overview
Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL320, most frequently naming the electrical, fuel system and heating & air conditioning categories. 4 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 1997 | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 1998 | 1 | 2 |
| Jul 2011 | 1 | 3 |
| Jan 2013 | 1 | 4 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Electrical233.3%
- Fuel system233.3%
- Heating & air conditioning116.7%
- Engine116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Electrical
Filed Jul 12, 2011
MY CAR APPEARS TO OVER HEAT, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY JUST THE TEMP GAUGE JUMPING AROUND ERRATICALLY. THE MECHANIC SAYS IT'S THE WIRING HARNESS - A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THESE CARS WHICH IS BEING IGNORED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TT
- NHTSA ID
- 10412007
- Incident
- Jul 12, 2011
- Mileage
- 145,000 mi
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Jul 1, 1998
AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. QCAW
- NHTSA ID
- 605222
- Incident
- Nov 1, 1996
Fuel system
Filed Jun 16, 1997
FUEL : JUNE 07. GAS LEAKED FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE NEAR BACK WHEEL ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. JUNE 11, TOOK TO MERCEDES DEALER TO HAVE CHECKED AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. *AKTHEY STATED THAT IT IS AN UNDERCOATIING THAT IS LEAKING AND NOT OIL. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 813109
- Incident
- Jun 7, 1997
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
LI27.50-P-071658
POWER TRAIN
Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D or R
LI27.50-P-049281
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D
LI82.70-P-060004
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
iPhone mobile phone: Various complaints after software update to iOS8
GI88.40-P-057430
EQUIPMENT
Message in instrument cluster "DISTRONIC PLUSCurrently Unavailable - See Owner's Manual"
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.