Total Complaints
2 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 · model year
2000 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2000MERCEDES-BENZSL500 carries 2 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 2000 SL500 is interior lighting with 1 filings, followed by service brakes (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 2000 SL500. 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.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20251006SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 1999 N/A Mercedes-Benz SL500. The contact purchased the rear brake rotors and pads from R1 Concepts, who sells auto parts on Amazon. When the contact installed the brake parts, the rotors could not be adjusted since the rotors were missing the opening that needed to be pre-drilled. The contact stated that when the rear brakes were adjusted, the defect was found. In addition, the contact stated that while parking the vehicle and setting the parking brake, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the parking brake failed to engage. After several attempts, the parking brake was set. No warning lights were illuminated. A dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the companies were selling defective products. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but denied assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
20100714INTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT INQUIRED WITH THE DEALER IN REGARDS TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING) AND WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL. THE CONTACT'S WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT HIS EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Mileage: 75,000
Compare 2000MERCEDES-BENZSL500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 have?▼
The 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500?▼
The most-complained component for the 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 is INTERIOR LIGHTING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 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.