RoadVitals

2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500R Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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 Jul 22, 2017
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since May 30, 2012

What this page shows

Our database holds 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500R. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–3 of 3

BrakesSuspension
Filed Jul 22, 2017

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL THAT HAS A SERVICE THRESHOLD. WHEN THIS THRESHOLD IS REACHED THE BRAKE SYSTEM DEFAULTS TO NON POWER ASSISTED HYDRAULIC MODE TO THE FRONT WHEELS ONLY. THIS OCCURS WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND RESULTS IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. I HAVE SENT A COPY OF THE MERCEDES SERVICE BULLETIN S142.46-P-0012A WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. MERCEDES STOPPED INSTALLING THIS SYSTEM IN 2006. AT THE VERY LEAST, MERCEDES SHOULD ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL TO INTERROGATE THESE VEHICLES WITH STAR DAS TO DETERMINE HOW CLOSE TO THE SERVICE THRESHOLD THE SBC UNIT IS AND REPLACE THEM AT THE DEALER'S EXPENSE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED EVEN IF THE AUTOMOBILE IS OLDER

NHTSA ID
11010071
Incident
Jul 21, 2017
Mileage
82,000 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 29, 2013

I WAS COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN LEFT TURN LANE. AT A VERY SLOW SPEED OF LESS THAN 5 MPH. SUDDENLY MY 2003 MERCEDES BENS SL500 STEERING BECAME DISENGAGED FROM THE FROM WHEELS. I HAD ZERO DIRECTIONAL AND TURN CONTROL OVER THE CAR. THE CAR CROSSED THE MEDIAN YELLOW LINES. AT THIS MOMENT NO CARS WERE PASSING BY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. VERY LUCKY THAT THERE WAS NO ONE TO CRASH INTO. ALSO LUCKY THE STEERING MECHANISM BROKE AT BELOW 5 MPH INSTEAD OF FWY SPEED. THE STEERING WHEEL COULD FREELY SPIN 10+ TURN IN EACH DIRECTION, WHILE FRONT WHEELS DIRECTION WAS COMPLETELY UNCHANGED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10504913
Incident
Mar 28, 2013
Mileage
105,000 mi
Suspension
Filed May 30, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL500R. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD METAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND LOCATED THE FAILURE AS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE STRUT SENSOR FAILING. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE END TO LIE ON TOP OF THE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V405000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

NHTSA ID
10460041
Incident
May 19, 2012
Mileage
59,000 mi

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .