FaultScore report
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 1994 Mercedes Benz SL500 with NHTSA between 2006 and 2020. The largest single group is the electrical system. Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 7 worst.
FaultScore 37/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Mercedes Benz SL500.
How this is worked out10
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
104,001 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
0%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
0 crashes, 2 fires · median 90,000 mi
0 crashes, 1 fires · median 194,000 mi
0 crashes, 1 fires · median 194,000 mi
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
STRUCTURE:BODY
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE NEAR DRIVERS FIREWALL. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED HOWEVER STRONG FUEL VAPORS REMAINED. ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN. I SUBMITTED A REPORT FOR MY 1999 MERCEDES WHICH CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE HOOD INSULATION FALLING ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.
NHTSA complaint #11301295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE NEAR DRIVERS FIREWALL. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED HOWEVER STRONG FUEL VAPORS REMAINED. ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN. I SUBMITTED A REPORT FOR MY 1999 MERCEDES WHICH CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE HOOD INSULATION FALLING ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.
NHTSA complaint #11301295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE NEAR DRIVERS FIREWALL. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED HOWEVER STRONG FUEL VAPORS REMAINED. ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN. I SUBMITTED A REPORT FOR MY 1999 MERCEDES WHICH CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE HOOD INSULATION FALLING ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.
NHTSA complaint #11301295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STARTED THE CAR AT WORK AND IT WAS RUNNING ROUGH HAD NO ACCELERATION. WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. A MECHANIC FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATING, FLAKING AND FALLING APART EXPOSING ALL THE WIRES. THE CAR WOULD NO LONG EVEN START. I CALLED MERCEDES TO SEE IF THEY WOULD HELP WITH THE COST OF THE PART REPLACEMENT. THEY DENIED ANY PROBLEM WITH THE PRODUCT AND WOULD NOT ASSIST IN ANY REPAIR. I LOGGED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM UNDER MY NAME AND HAVE TRIED MANY TIMES TO GET ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE CAR IS STILL SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AS THE REPLACEMENT HARNESS IS OVER A $1000.
NHTSA complaint #10861510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
STRUCTURE:BODY
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE NEAR DRIVERS FIREWALL. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED HOWEVER STRONG FUEL VAPORS REMAINED. ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN. I SUBMITTED A REPORT FOR MY 1999 MERCEDES WHICH CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE HOOD INSULATION FALLING ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.
NHTSA complaint #11301295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE NEAR DRIVERS FIREWALL. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED HOWEVER STRONG FUEL VAPORS REMAINED. ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN. I SUBMITTED A REPORT FOR MY 1999 MERCEDES WHICH CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE HOOD INSULATION FALLING ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.
NHTSA complaint #11301295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE NEAR DRIVERS FIREWALL. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED HOWEVER STRONG FUEL VAPORS REMAINED. ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN. I SUBMITTED A REPORT FOR MY 1999 MERCEDES WHICH CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE HOOD INSULATION FALLING ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.
NHTSA complaint #11301295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FACTORY MATERIAL DEFECT. ENGINE WIRE HARNESS INSULATION IS BREAKING DOWN AND FLAKING OFF, LEAVING EXPOSED WIRE. IGNITION IS POOR AND THREATENS TO STALL, ESPECIALLY WHEN ENGINE TEMPERATURE WARMS UP TO 85-90C. I FEAR THE ENGINE MAY FAIL OR CATCH FIRE DURING A DRIVE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS ALSO A SHORT IN THE AUDIO SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS BEAUTIFUL. IT IS A SHAME TO HAVE IT SITTING SINCE 2008.
NHTSA complaint #10924326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STARTED THE CAR AT WORK AND IT WAS RUNNING ROUGH HAD NO ACCELERATION. WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. A MECHANIC FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATING, FLAKING AND FALLING APART EXPOSING ALL THE WIRES. THE CAR WOULD NO LONG EVEN START. I CALLED MERCEDES TO SEE IF THEY WOULD HELP WITH THE COST OF THE PART REPLACEMENT. THEY DENIED ANY PROBLEM WITH THE PRODUCT AND WOULD NOT ASSIST IN ANY REPAIR. I LOGGED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM UNDER MY NAME AND HAVE TRIED MANY TIMES TO GET ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE CAR IS STILL SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AS THE REPLACEMENT HARNESS IS OVER A $1000.
NHTSA complaint #10861510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TRACK DOWN THE CAUSE OF AN OCCASIONALLY ERRATIC IDLE I REMOVED THE ENGINE COVER TO EXAMINE THE PLUG WIRES AND DISCOVERED A RATHER ALARMING PROBLEM/SAFETY ISSUE. THE MAIN ENGINE WIRE HARNESS FOR THE FUEL INJECTORS AND OTHER ENGINE SYSTEMS HAD BARE WIRES!!?? UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION THE WIRE INSULATION APPEARS TO HAVE SIMPLE VANISHED??? NOT JUST ON EXPOSED WIRES (AS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY RODENTS FOR EXAMPLE) BUT IF YOU PEAL BACK THE OUTER HARNESS COVER ALL THE WIRES INSIDE ARE BARE AND THERE APPEARS TO BE THE REMNANTS OF THE INSULATION AS POWDER WITH OCCASIONAL LITTLE PIECES OF VARIOUS COLORED INSULATION WITH CRACKS??? IN ALL MY YEARS OF MAINTAINING MY OWN VEHICLES AND HAVING OWNED IN EXCESS OF 30 AUTOMOBILES BOTH FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A PROBLEM. MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, IS THIS NORMAL FOR A MERCEDES CAR THAT COST NEARLY $100,000 WHEN NEW? IS THIS A DESIGN DEFECT COVERED BY RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY? MY LOCAL DEALER SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT THAT THEY KNOW OF NO RECALL AND ESTIMATED THEY COULD REPAIR FOR ABOUT $1,600.00. IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR? IS IT SAFE TO CONTINUE TO PARK THE CAR IN MY BASEMENT GARAGE? IS THIS A FIRE HAZARD OR ARE ALL SYSTEMS OFF WHEN PARKED?
NHTSA complaint #10225276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
1994 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. HARNESS INSULATION SEEMS TO BE DISINTEGRATING.
NHTSA complaint #10177892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING LOUD NOISES. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESSES HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE WITH SUCH WIRING CONDITIONS. THE REPAIR WAS RATHER EXPENSIVE AND WAS COVERED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE CONTACT ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET FOR THE SAME DEFECT HOWEVER; NO RECALL HAD BEEN CONDUCTED YET. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP.
NHTSA complaint #10175348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
MY WIRING HARNESS HAS DISINTEGRATED. I HAVE SHORTS IN THE WIRING THAT HAVE SO FAR AFFECTED THE ALTERNATOR, HEATING COOLING, FUEL INJECTION AND LIGHTS.
NHTSA complaint #10172447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
HFM & OTHER WIRING HARNESSES ARE DETERIORATED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED TO MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS SINCE NEW. DETERIORATED WIRING HARNESS CAUSES CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS, IGNITION MALFUNCTIONS, ELECTRICAL SHORTS OCCUR IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WIRE INSULATION / COATINGS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT UP TO THE TASK. THIS IS DANGEROUS SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #10164920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.