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.
8
Latest Nov 6, 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.
1
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 Jun 29, 2010
What this page shows
Our database holds 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 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.
Complaints, most recent first
Showing 1–8 of 8
Airbags
Filed Nov 6, 2017
TAKATA RECALL NOTIFIED OVER A YEAR AGO OF RECALL. WE HAVE CALLED 4 TIMES TO DEALER SINCE WE RECEIVED NOTICE AND THEY STILL CANNOT TELL US ANYTHING. NOW I SEE THEY HAVE FILED BANKRUPCY. I HAVE A CAR THAT I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING AND CANNOT PUT ANYONE IN THE OTHER SEAT.
NHTSA ID
11043915
Incident
Feb 8, 2016
Airbags
Filed Oct 26, 2016
"TAKATA RECALL" - MY 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 HAS NOT HAD THE AIRBAG REPLACED AS OF OCT. 26, 2016. MY VEHICLE HAS AN AIRBAG WITH A TAKATA MADE INFLATOR, ACCORDING TO THE RECALL NOTICE.
NHTSA ID
10919046
Incident
Oct 26, 2016
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Jun 28, 2016
TAKATA RECALL#16V-081 TRYING TO GET HELP FROM DEALERSHIP HAVING DIFFICULTIES. I'M UNCERTAIN IF I HAVE OTHER UNKNOWN ISSUES AS CHECKED MARKED. THIS IS THE 2ND RECALL. I AM HAVING A SAFETY CONCERN ON THIS VEHICLE I PURCHASED AND MANAGEMENT IS NOT COOPERATING/ ASSISTING UPSET OVER A PREVIOUS DEFECTIVE BATTERY. I AM UNCERTAIN IF THE SAME ISSUE IS RECURRING AND OR EFFECTING THE DOOR LOCKS, DOME LIGHTS, ELECTRONICS, LIGHTS, VEHICLE WILL NOT START.
NHTSA ID
10881280
Incident
Jun 15, 2016
Body & structure
Filed Oct 30, 2014
THE CONVERTIBLE HARD TOP HYDRAULIC SYSTEM START TO LEAK OIL TO DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT. THE HARD TOP DOES NOT MOVE AND DIFFICULT TO CLOSE. I HAVE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM SEVERAL OWNERS THAT IT IS A CURRENT PROBLEM OF ALL VEHICLES OF MODELS. THIS IS AN UNSAFELY PROBLEM, SINCE THE HARD TOP, REAR GLASS AND TRUNK HAS PROBLEM TO BE LOCKED COMPLETELY. APPARENTLY THE MERCEDES BENZ MANUFACTURER KNOW THAT THE HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS SEALS FAIL, ONCE THE MINERAL OIL LOSE ITS PROPERTY. THIS MEAN THAT HYDRAULIC SYSTEM GET NOT PROTECTED AFTER SUCH OIL IS INAPPROPRIATE TO PROTECT THE SEAL, RESULTING ON LEAKING AND CAR FINISH WITHOUT PROTECTION,. IF IT HAPPEN WHEN IT IS SNOWING OR RAINING OR FAR AWAY, IT WILL BECOME IN A POTENTIAL SAFETY HARMFUL PROBLEM FOR THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. I REQUESTED A SERVICE TO MERCEDES BENZ AND THE ANSWER VWAS THE REPAIR WILL BE ALMOST $ 5000.00 MERCEDS BENZ SHOULD REPAIR ALL THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FOR HARD TOP UNDER A RECALL. *TR
NHTSA ID
10651290
Incident
Oct 20, 2014
Mileage
29,120 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 31, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ SLK280. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, HE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES FROM THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER FOR REPAIRS. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.
NHTSA ID
10562409
Incident
Jan 15, 2014
Mileage
56,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 22, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ SLK280. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE HARD CONVERTIBLE TOP WOULD NOT RELEASE OPEN WHEN ACTIVATED BY THE CONTROL DEVICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT OF A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V303000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED O THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA ID
10536746
Incident
Aug 8, 2013
Mileage
10,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 20, 2011
OWNED A BRAND NEW 2007 MERCEDES SLK 280 AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS PUSHING AND PULLING TO THE POINT THAT IT WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED; AND ULTIMATELY, IT WAS A 'BUY-BACK.' AFTERWARDS, I HAD ANOTHER NEW MERCEDES 280, NOW A 2008, AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON THAT ONE TOO. BIG MISTAKE ON MY PART; WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT ANOTHER NEW ONE WOULD GO BAD? THE MERCEDES 7 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WAS A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE EXPERIENCE FOR ME. SINCE 2008, EVERY TIME I SEE A MERCEDES SLK, I SOMETIMES ATTEMPT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND ASK THE DRIVER OF THE CAR: "HEY, HOW'S THE TRANSMISSION?" *KB
NHTSA ID
10413765
Incident
May 1, 2008
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 29, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ SLK280. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES, TIRE SIZE 225/4.5/17. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT BOTH REAR TIRES EXHIBITED UNEVEN TREAD WEAR. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE TIRE DEALER ON SIX SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE VEHICLE REQUIRED AN ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION. AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT DESIGNED TO BE INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE. THERE HAD BEEN NO ADDITIONAL REPAIR OR TIRE REPLACEMENT AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO KNOW THAT THE INCORRECT TIRES WERE INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE BY THE TIRE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. DOT NUMBER WAS 7GH8L4T2108.
NHTSA ID
10340563
Incident
Apr 12, 2010
Mileage
25,000 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.