RoadVitals

2003 Mercedes-Benz SL550

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.
1
Latest Mar 19, 2014
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.
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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.
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Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL550, most frequently naming the brakes category. 10 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes1100.0%

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

Brakes
Filed Mar 19, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKES ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) BUT WAS ADVISED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY SATISFIED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,679.

NHTSA ID
10573543
Incident
Mar 12, 2014
Mileage
24,679 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

LI-58-40

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

XENTRY (MERCEDES): ENGINE WARNING LAMP IS CURRENTLY ON OR WAS ON AND A DELAY FAULT OF THE CAMSHAFT ADJUST TO CURRENT OR STORED IN THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT. MODELS 171, 203, 209, 211, 219, 221, 216, 230, 164, 251, AND 403. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

TSB-42-10-109

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DIFFERENTIAL PROPORTIONAL VALVE; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:DRUM; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

MERCEDES: CORROSION PROTECTION COATINGS FOR BRAKE COMPONENTS AND HARDWARE MAY BE DAMAGED AND OR STRIPPED AWAY IF HIGHLY CONCENTRATED ACID BASED CLEANERS ARE USED. ONCE THE CORROSION PROTECTION IS DAMAGED OR REMOVED THE BRAKE COMPONENTS AND OR HARDWARE CAN BEGIN TO CORRODE. INCLUDE ALL MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. *PE

470036

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM

MERCEDES: THE FUEL LEVEL INDICATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DOES NOT MATCH THE ACTUAL FILL LEVEL. THIS MAY BE CAUSED BY A FAULT IN THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR FUNCTION CHAIN: HYDRAULIC AND ELECTRICAL LINES AND THEIR CONNECTIONS, REAR SAM OR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *TT UPDATED 2/23/09. *PE UPDATED 9/18/09. MODEL YEARS UNKNOWN. *PE

325029

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ABC VISIT WORKSHOP DISPLAYED IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKAGE. *TT UPDATED 5/14/09. MODELS 215, 220 AND 230. MODEL YEARS UNKNOWN. *PE

PB-91-60-189

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

MERCEDES: THERE IS A SRS WARNING IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE WSS CONTROL UNIT CONNECTION BEING LOOSE OR UNPLUGGED. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

PB-46-20-16E

STEERING; STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

MERCEDES: LEAKS AT STEERING GEAR CONTROL HEAD CONNECTION TO HIGH OR LOW PRESSURE LINES OR LEAKS AT INTERNAL STEERING LINES OF CONTROL HEAD CONNECTION TO STEERING GEAR HOUSING. MODELS 171, 203, 204, 209, 211, 215, 216, 219, 220, 221, AND 230. MODEL YEARS UNKNOWN. *PE

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

Mercedes-Benz SL550 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2020130—
2019040—
2018021—
2017411—
2016011—
2015231—
2014441—
2013173149.0
2011200—
2009150041.0
2008400—
2007161051.7
2006000—
2005000—
2004000—
2003Viewing100—

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.