Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS · model year
2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS
3 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports. 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 2005MERCEDES-BENZSL CLASS carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, 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 2005 SL CLASS is suspension:front with 1 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (1) and air bags:frontal (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 2005 SL CLASS. 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.
3
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20081015CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES SL600. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE PRECEDING VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUBPTLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HIS FACE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED $14,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,581 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,592. UPDATED 12/10/08 *CN
Mileage: 34,581
20081015CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES SL600. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE PRECEDING VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUBPTLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HIS FACE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED $14,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,581 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,592. UPDATED 12/10/08 *CN
Mileage: 34,581
20070405SUSPENSION:FRONT
2005 MERCEDEZ BENZ C230 SPORT TYPE HAS A LOW FRONT END. IN FLORIDA WHEN YOU PARK IN A PUBLIC PARKING LOT THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS AGAINST A CONCRETE TIRE STOP. YOU ARE GOING OUT FOR THE EVENING WITH ANOTHER COUPLE YOU DROP OFF THE 3 PEOPLE AT THE DOOR AND PARK AGAINST THE CONCRETE PIECE STOP. AFTER YOU LEAVE AND ALL FOUR PEOPLE GET INTO THE CAR THE WEIGHT OF FOUR PEOPLE WILL LOWER THE CAR SO THE FRONT END DRAGS OVER THE CONCRETE STOP AND YOU BACK UP AND SHEAR OFF THE FRONT END. CAUSING DAMAGE IN THE TUNE OF $$$$ *JB
Mileage: 19,000
Compare 2005MERCEDES-BENZSL CLASS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS have?▼
The 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS has 3 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS?▼
The most-complained component for the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS is SUSPENSION:FRONT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS 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 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS; 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.