RoadVitals

2001 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

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.
3
Latest Aug 5, 2018
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
2
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

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL500, 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

  • Electrical266.7%
  • Transmission133.3%

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

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

VEHICLE WAS BEING STORED IN MY GARAGE .. I STARTED THE VEHICLE, IT WAS SITTING AT AN IDLE.. I NOTICED THE BATTERY LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATE. THEN I COULD SMELL BURNING. I NOTICED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SMOKE. I SHUT THE CAR OFF. I OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED MORE SMOKE, BURNT SMELL, THE WIRING HARNESS WAS SHORTING AND BURNING. THE WRAPPING OF THE HARNESS HAD A CRISP FEEL TO IT.. AS IF DETERIORATING. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER DAMAGE OR FIRE. I COULD HEAR THE WIRING SHORTING. MY CONCERN WAS THE ENGINE BAY WOULD ERUPT IN FLAMES IN THE GARAGE, WHICH THEN COULD SPREADING TO MY HOUSE.

NHTSA ID 11115806 · filed Aug 5, 2018

I HAVE AN 01 S500 MERCEDES BENZ WITH ONLY 44000 MILES ON IT. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT OUT @ 36000 MILES. THE LIGHTS ARE DIMMED ON THE SPEEDOMETER. A LOCAL SHOP TRIED TO REPAIR IT FOR $625 BUT I WAS TOLD, SINCE IT'S A CIRCUIT, IT WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW. THE ENTIRE CIRCUIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR ABOUT $1900. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AS I FIND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE MODEL. *NM

NHTSA ID 10173053 · filed Nov 9, 2006

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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.

NHTSA ID 10319678 · filed Mar 15, 2010

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

Data on this page last refreshed .