Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 18 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK280. 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.
Showing 1–18 of 18
Headlight wires (Inside Housing) are frayed / melted. Can cause fire. I was replacing my bulb when I noticed the wires in the plug were completely stripped with no shielding. I traced it back to the connector and the wire shields were either frayed or completely gone
Electrical system faulty. Front lowbeam headlight warning light on. Mechanic changed headlight bulb but it still did not work. After about a week the warning indicator went off and headlight worked. A few days went by and the indicator came on again. The low beam did not work. This time the left side marker lamp indicator came on and the bulb wasn't working. Before I could take it in for repair the side marker was working again. It goes off and on about every other month. Also, the indicator for one of the bulbs above my license plate goes on and off, but it says bulb malfunction. Now joining is the passenger side ABS light. Sometimes when I start the car the warning indicator on the instrument panel is illuminated but then goes off after I start the car several times, about a day or two. I never know which electrical component may not be working when I turn on the ignition switch. Sometimes no warning indicators will be displayed. The side marker lamp indicator hasn't been on in months, but 3 days ago it came on again and both low beam lamp indicators are on as well. So, right now I'm driving with my high beams on. I'm just waiting for them to work again, you never know. It's so frustrating and dangerous. I have read that this is a common issue. It needs to be looked in to.
Trunk failure. The trunk, when open, may suddenly fall very fast at any time. When you open the trunk it stays open but without warning may suddenly drop hitting you in the head. The trunk is actually quit heavy and can cause serious trauma to a person or damage to the vehicle as it slams down with force.
THE REAR MARKER LIGHTS ARE GOING ON AND OFF FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS, NOW THEY ARE OFF FOR GOOD. THE WIRES TO THE LIGHTS LOOK FINE, THE BULBS LOOK FINE. I HAVE EVEN REPLACED THE BULBS BUT THEY STILL DONT WORK ON ONE SIDE. EARLIER MODELS ARE HAVING SAME ISSUE AS THIS MODEL. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE THE PASSENGER SIDE MARKER LIGHT BULB REPLACED AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY HARNESS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT COULD SHORT OUT AND START AN ENGINE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT JACKIE COOPER IMPORTS (9393 S MEMORIAL DRIVE, TULSA, OKLAHOMA 74133) APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF AGO FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE LIGHT MARKER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED STRONG FUEL ODORS IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78,905.
SRS LIGHT WENT ON AND STAYED ON. DEALER SAYS DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED. REPAIR WOULD COST $700.00. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE AND THIS MODEL CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR REPAIR BY DEALER AT MERCEDES BENZ COST, AS THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE ON THIS MODEL AND LIKELY A DEFECT.
WHILE DRIVING ON A 50 MPH EXPRESSWAY, MY CAR SUDDENLY WENT INTO A LOW GEAR, REV'ING VERY HIGH. I HAD TO DECELERATE QUICKLY AND I WAS UNABLE TO SPEED UP TO KEEP UP WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. THE DEALER SAID A CONDUCTOR PLATE HAD TO BE REPLACED. BUT THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE.
DRIVING ON FREEWAY... ALL OF SUDDEN CAR GOES IN LOW GEAR NO WARNING HAS DONE THIS ABOUT 4 TIMES. TWICE ALMOST REAR ENDED. TOOK TO SHOP WAS TOLD IT WAS VALVE BODY/ CONDUCTOR PLATE ISSUE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE FIXED AT DEALER DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART MB USED ON THIS TRANSMISSION. CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. VALVE BODY / CONDUCTOR PLATE REPLACEMENT
MY CAR IS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK280. THE SRS LIGHT INDICATOR TURNED ON AND STAYED ON.. THE GARAGE SAID THE COST OF REPAIR OF THE SRS SYSTEM WOULD BE OVER $400.00. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM / AIRBAG WILL WORK IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, IT MAY BE A VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITION IF THE MERCEDES IMPACT PROTECTION SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. MANY OTHER SLK280 OWNERS HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR
BURNING SMELL WHEN AC TURNED ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK280. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
WAS TOLD BY THE COMPUTER "RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION VISIT WORKSHOP." VISITED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY IT WOULD COST A LITTLE OVER $900 TO REPAIR FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 280. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE RPM READING INCREASED AS THE ENGINE ROARED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER DISENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE CONTACT DROVE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL PLATE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL PLATE WAS REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,100.
I OWN A 2006 MERCEDES SLK280 AND MY SRS LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SINCE MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JUNE, I HAD PURCHASED A NEW ONE FOR CLOSE TO $2,500 FOR A NEW 4YR/40,000 MILES. I LOOKED UP ON GOOGLE TO SEE IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND FOUND A NUMBER OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I AM SURE THERE ARE A LOT MORE AS I DID NOT EVEN POST ONE. SEEING THAT THE SRS IS THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND A SAFETY ISSUE, I FIGURED THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. I WAS SURPRISED THAT FOR SUCH A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, MERCEDES DID NOT REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART. THE TOTAL CAME TO $446.37. I AM MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE AND I WONDER HOW MANY OF THESE GO UNREPORTED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK280. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2,562. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.
2006 SLK 280 WIND NOISE ON PASSENGER SIDE AND TOP LEAKING, FIRST EVENT JULY 06 THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING CAR. CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR OF TOP LEAKING FOUR TIMES, DEALER UNABLE TO REPAIR. LAST TIME CAR WAS IN MERCEDES SINCE THEIR TECH REP IN TO REPAIR LEAK, TOP STILL LEAKS. *JB
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.
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