Total Complaints
5 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 500SL · model year
1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500SL
5 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992MERCEDES-BENZ500SL carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1992 500SL is tires with 2 filings, followed by seats:front assembly:power adjust (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1992 500SL. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051119ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
UPON DISASSEMBLY OF THE INTAKE SYSTEM OF MY CAR, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED - THE INSULATION USED ON THE WIRING HAD BECOME HARD AND BRITTLE, CAUSING MULTIPLE SHORTS AND PREVENTING IT FROM BEING RE-INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. TOTAL COST APPROXIMATELY $1100. *JB
Mileage: 161,500
20040728SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
PROBLEMS WITH MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER AND ACCELERATION SKID CONTROL.*MR THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS LOW AND SPONGY. A MASTER CYLINDER HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY BEEN INSTALL MAY 2003. IN ADDITION THE ARS LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER. THE ENGINE WOULD IMMEDIATELY RESTART ITSELF AND THE TACHOMETER WOULD RISE FROM ZERO TO THE CORRECT SETTING. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL COMPLETELY BUT WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED THE KEY AND RESTARTED IT AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES THERE WOULD BE NO REPEAT PROBLEM WITH THE ASR (ACCELERATION SKID CONTROL). *NM
Mileage: 8,913
20040722TIRES
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED 3 TIRE BLOW OUTS.*MR (NAR) APPROX 3 OUT OF 4 TIRES HAVE FAILED. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT COST. *CB23.505 *JB
20030701SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
SEAT CONTROL ADJUSTER ENGAGED SPONTANEOUSLY AND MOVED COMPLETELY FORWARD WHILE THE VEHICLE (1992 MERCEDES BENZ, 500 SL) WAS TRAVELLING AT 65 MPH ON BELTWAY EN ROUTE TO BWI, PINNING MY WIFE AGAINST STEERING WHEEL, ANFD FORCING HER TO DRIVE ONTO THE FAST LANE SHOULDER. *AK
20000911TIRES
THE FIRST TIRE WAS REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASE DUE TO A BUBBLE ON THE SIDE. THE TIRES WERE THEN ONLY USED FOR SHORT CITY TRIPS. WHEN THE TIRES WERE DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR TWO HOURS THE THREAD SEPERATED COMPLETELY FROM THE SIDEWALLS..( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245-45Z-17 )
Compare 1992MERCEDES-BENZ500SL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500SL have?▼
The 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500SL has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500SL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500SL is TIRES with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500SL safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1992 MERCEDES-BENZ 500SL; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.