RoadVitals

1995 Mercedes-Benz SL600

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.
2
Latest Jul 29, 2016
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 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Mercedes-Benz SL600, most frequently naming the driver assistance, electrical and engine 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance233.3%
  • Electrical233.3%
  • Engine116.7%
  • Fuel system116.7%

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

Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 29, 2016

THE INSULATION ON THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS ENGINE AND BODY IS CRUMBLING EXPOSING BARE WIRES AND CAUSING SHORTS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOW ON AND CAN'T BE FIXED THE ASR LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. EVERY TIME THE MACHANIC TOUCHES THE WIRING SOMETHING ELSE FAILS. EVEN JUST DRIVING THE CAR AT ALL SETS OFF DIFFERENT LIGHTS. I HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR 100 MILES IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS MOSTLY BACK AND FORTH TO THE REPAIR SHOP. I HAVE REPLACED MANY PARTS AT MUCH EXPENSE, NOW MERCEDES IS SAYING THAT THE HARNESS IS NOT AVAILABLE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY EVERYONE WHO OWNS ,HAS OWNED OR WORKS ON THE EARLY TO MID 1990 MERCEDES. MERCEDES IS DENYING THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS. THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO IMPORT ANY CARS TO THE USA TILL THEY FIX THESE DANGEROUS SAFETY HAZARDS. THE WIRING CONTROLS MOST OF THE CARS SAFETY FEATURES, ACCELERATION, SKID CONTROL, ANTILOCK BRAKES, LIGHTS , ALL DASH INSTRUMENTS. EVEN SHIFTING , SEATS , WINDOWS ,DOOR LOCKS. EVERY THING ELECTRICAL. I'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS BATTLE THAT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED 15 YEARS AGO. IT IS UNSAFE AND OUTSIDE THE EXPECTED NORMAL FOR ANY VEHICLE OF THIS AGE OR EVEN 30 YEARS OLDER. THEY USED INFERIOR PARTS AND SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR IT. LONG OVER DUE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT, TURNING, BRAKING, ACCELERATING, OR EVEN WHEN SITTING.

NHTSA ID
10891702
Incident
Dec 12, 2009
Mileage
68,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalFuel system
Filed Mar 21, 2016

ENGINE WIRING IS FAILING , THE INJECTOR WIRE HARNESS FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE THROTTLE ACTUATORS WIRING FAILED AND DAMAGED THE ACTUATORS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSORS WIRING FAILED AND DAMAGED THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSORS WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED BUT SINCE THE WIRING IN FAILING IT IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE A HIGHER POLLUTION OUT PUT. THE BODY MOUNTED ENGINE WIRE HARNESS IS FAILING CAUSING MANY FAILURES WITH ENGINE AND FUEL , EXHAUST , POLLUTION CONTROLS , AND OTHER OPERATING SYSTEMS. THE WIRING INSULATION IS CRUMBLING THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE BAY WIRING HARNESSES. THE BODY MOUNTED ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WHICH INCLUDES THE MASS FLOW SENSORS WIRING IS NOT AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE. DUE TO THE CRUMBLING WIRE SHORTING OUT AND MISS READING TESTS AND SHUT DOWN TO LIMP MODE. THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND UNUSABLE. OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS THE ONLY MILES ON THE CAR HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH TO THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS. OTHER THEN ABOUT 100 MILES WHICH HAS BEEN THE DRIVE AFTER REPAIRS WHEN THE WIRING PROBLEM CAUSES ANOTHER PROBLEM WHICH MAKES THE CAR UN-DRIVABLE. SINCE IT THE WIRING FOR THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND ALL THE CONTROLS IS CRUMBLING AND EXPOSING BARE WIRES , IT HAPPENS WHILE IT SITS , WHEN IT MOVES , WHEN IT STOPS OR WHEN IT GOES. SO IT CAN HAPPEN EVEN WHILE NOT BEING DRIVEN AS WELL AS WHILE IT IS BEING DRIVEN. THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE 05/29/2007 AND IT IS WAITING TO GO BACK TO THE SHOP NOW FOR THE WIRING WHICH WE CAN EVEN BUY 03/21/2016.

NHTSA ID
10850896
Incident
May 29, 2007
Mileage
66,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

LI82.70-P-060004

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

iPhone mobile phone: Various complaints after software update to iOS8

LI42.10-P-058535

SUSPENSION

The noise comes from the front axle. Vehicles without code B07 (AMG ceramic high-performance composite brake system)

LI46.15-P-057157

STEERING

Height adjustment of electric steering column adjustment is nonfunctional.

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

Mercedes-Benz SL600 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2009000—
2008000—
2007200—
2006000—
2005300—
2004401—
2003001—
2000100—
1997310—
1995Viewing200—
1994100—
1993100—

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.