Total Complaints
6 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 · model year
1996 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996MERCEDES-BENZSL320 carries 6 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, 0 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 1996 SL320 is fuel system, gasoline with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (2) and equipment:appliance:air conditioner (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 1996 SL320. 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.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130123ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTERGRATING. CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH. VISIBLE BARE WIRES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF. SMELLS OF BURNING WIRE.
Mileage: 138,500
20130123FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTERGRATING. CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH. VISIBLE BARE WIRES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF. SMELLS OF BURNING WIRE.
Mileage: 138,500
20130123ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTERGRATING. CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH. VISIBLE BARE WIRES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF. SMELLS OF BURNING WIRE.
Mileage: 138,500
20110712ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CAR APPEARS TO OVER HEAT, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY JUST THE TEMP GAUGE JUMPING AROUND ERRATICALLY. THE MECHANIC SAYS IT'S THE WIRING HARNESS - A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THESE CARS WHICH IS BEING IGNORED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TT
Mileage: 145,000
19980917EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. QCAW
19970616FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL : JUNE 07. GAS LEAKED FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE NEAR BACK WHEEL ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. JUNE 11, TOOK TO MERCEDES DEALER TO HAVE CHECKED AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. *AKTHEY STATED THAT IT IS AN UNDERCOATIING THAT IS LEAKING AND NOT OIL. *AK
Compare 1996MERCEDES-BENZSL320 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 have?▼
The 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER.
Is the 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 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.