Worst years for a Mercedes Benz SL500
Owners have filed 308 complaints about the Mercedes Benz SL500 with NHTSA across model years 1992 to 2009. More of them are about the suspension than anything else.
Avoid
2004 Mercedes Benz SL50064 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly suspension.
Cleanest on record
2006 Mercedes Benz SL50015 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.
Every Mercedes Benz SL500 year, graded
The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.
| Year | Grade | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Median miles | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | Body & Structure |
| 2006 | A | 15 | 0 | 0 | 59,500 | Brakes |
| 2005 | C | 22 | 1 | 2 | 38,641 | Brakes |
| 2004 | D | 64 | 5 | 4 | 62,015 | Suspension |
| 2003 | D | 108 | 2 | 8 | 64,000 | Suspension |
| 2001 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | Electrical System |
| 2000 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | Brakes |
| 1999 | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | — | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 1998 | — | 8 | 0 | 0 | 45,000 | Electrical System |
| 1997 | B | 13 | 3 | 1 | 133,726 | Airbags |
| 1996 | — | 9 | 1 | 3 | 98,000 | Electrical System |
| 1995 | C | 39 | 0 | 6 | 101,150 | Electrical System |
| 1994 | B | 10 | 0 | 4 | 104,001 | Electrical System |
| 1993 | — | 7 | 0 | 1 | 60,000 | Electrical System |
| 1992 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | Electrical System |
What breaks on a Mercedes Benz SL500
Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.
Worst in 2003
Worst in 2003
Worst in 1997
Worst in 2003
Worst in 2003
Worst in 2003
Worst in 1996
Worst in 1995
Worst in 2004
Worst in 1997
Complaints filed over time
Every complaint about every Mercedes Benz SL500, by the month it reached NHTSA.
Compare the Mercedes Benz SL500
Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.