Total Complaints
13 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ 560 · model year
1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 560
13 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986MERCEDES-BENZ560 carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 560 is vehicle speed control with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (1) and power train:automatic transmission:cooling unit and lines (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1986 560. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
13
Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
5 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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
| VISIBILITY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20101225EQUIPMENT
1986 MERCEDES BENZ 560SL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAIL TO MY FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 560SL OWNER. THIS IS DUE TO THE WORN OUT / DEFECT OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER THAT HOLD THE VISOR. *TR
20101225VISIBILITY
1986 MERCEDES BENZ 560SL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAIL TO MY FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 560SL OWNER. THIS IS DUE TO THE WORN OUT / DEFECT OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER THAT HOLD THE VISOR. *TR
20050412CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND IT CRASHED INTO A POLE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
Mileage: 62,400
20011204SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20011204SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20011204EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
19990622CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
19990622CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
19990224ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR FAILED CAUSING INJURIES.
19970604ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. *AK
19970604POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. *AK
19960403CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *AK
19950313CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION INTO REVERSE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. *AK
Compare 1986MERCEDES-BENZ560 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 560 have?▼
The 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 560 has 13 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 560?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 560 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES.
Is the 1986 MERCEDES-BENZ 560 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.