2005 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL500. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop, the brake warning light and other unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he lost control of the vehicle but did not provide further information. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The warning message "Reduced Braking Power, Depress Brake Pedal Fully" and another message advising the contact to take the vehicle to the nearest service station illuminated. The contact continued to depress the brake pedal all the way to the floorboard, but the brake pedal would not respond. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped independently at some point. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who test drove the vehicle and diagnosed that no issues were found as no warning lights were illuminated. The dealer also informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under an unknown extended warranty for the sensotronic brake control system replacement as his vehicle was not under the extended warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed the information from the dealer. Later on, the manufacturer followed up with the contact and confirmed that his vehicle was under the sensotronic brake control system replacement extended warranty; however, the dealer would need to diagnose the vehicle at his expense before they would cover the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500R. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ORLAND PARK (LOCATED AT 8430 W 159TH ST, ORLAND PARK, IL 60462, (708) 460-0400) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LOW BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

This issue almost cause an accident on the freeway, Transmission went from drive to neutral and then reverse. This is cause by the range sensor. Conductor plate for transmission is very common for this type of vehicles. Please investigate. This can cause a fatal injury or death.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND THE SPEED DECREASED TO 35 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE ABS AND ESP WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF PALM BEACH (4000 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33409, (561) 609-0902), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FAULT CONDUCTOR PLATE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

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

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 . AFTER HAVING MY VEHICLE OUT OF COMMISSION FOR TWO DAYS, I READ THE DIAGNOSIS/REPAIR REPORT AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT AN ERROR BY ME OR THE PREVIOUS OWNER BUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED SOMEWHERE IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, PROBABLY ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE, AS THE SOUND AMPLIFIER HAD AN INTERNAL ELECTRICAL FAULT. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE BEEN TO TWO INDEPENDENT MERCEDES BENZ DEALERS AND THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT I CANNOT SIMPLY REPLACE THE STEREO WITH A WORKING MODEL FROM ANY ELECTRICAL STORE (LIKE BEST BUY OR CAR STEREO GUYS). IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TO REPLACE THE COMMAND UNIT WOULD COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT WHILE THE CAR IS NOT WITHIN A TYPICAL FIVE OR SIX YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD (I JUST MISSED THAT PERIOD) IT IS CLEARLY A CAR THAT HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF, BARELY DRIVEN, PROPERLY HOUSED, AND MAINTAINED. GIVEN THE FINDINGS FROM YOUR AUTHORIZED TECHNICIANS, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CAME WITH THE CAR THAT WOULD HAVE SURFACED AT SOME POINT. LUCKY ME THAT IT IS SURFACING NOW. I AM HOPING THAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTACT MERCEDES ABOUT THIS FAULTY COMMAND UNIT. THERE ARE MANY OTHER MERCEDES OWNERS WHO HAVE AND ARE EXPERIENCING THIS ELECTRICAL NIGHTMARE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, "CAR TOO LOW STOP DRIVING" MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DISPLAY PANEL. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE INTO A FUEL STATION, LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS RESTING ON TOP OF THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER WHEELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC PUMP LEAKED INTO THE RESERVOIR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

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.

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.

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

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHOLE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TRUNK CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE UPPER RIGHT FRONT AREA OF THE TRUNK WHERE THEY WERE WIRES AND SAW SPARKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE WENT OUT ON ITS OWN BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OXYGEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WILL TOW THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF OAKLAND (2915 BROADWAY, OAKLAND, CA 94611). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FLAMES APPEARED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOWING YARD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,400.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ SL 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, FUEL ODORS EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, HE NOTICED FUEL HAD LEAKED INTO THE REAR SEATS OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK CAP WAS LEAKING AND THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FUEL TANK CAPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,685.