Total Complaints
7 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ SL55 · model year
2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2006MERCEDES-BENZSL55 carries 7 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 2006 SL55 is steering with 2 filings, followed by tires (1) and suspension (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 2006 SL55. 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.
7
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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING | 2 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100902STEERING
STEERING (OVERALL FOR CAR AND STEERING WHEEL) FEELS VERY UNSTABLE WHEN GOING OVER UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES OR SMALL BUMPS. THIS IS SPECIALLY TRUE WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 40MPH. *TR
Mileage: 36,000
20100902SUSPENSION:FRONT
STEERING (OVERALL FOR CAR AND STEERING WHEEL) FEELS VERY UNSTABLE WHEN GOING OVER UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES OR SMALL BUMPS. THIS IS SPECIALLY TRUE WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 40MPH. *TR
Mileage: 36,000
20100902WHEELS
STEERING (OVERALL FOR CAR AND STEERING WHEEL) FEELS VERY UNSTABLE WHEN GOING OVER UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES OR SMALL BUMPS. THIS IS SPECIALLY TRUE WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 40MPH. *TR
Mileage: 36,000
20100902ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SPEEDOMETER APPEARS TO BE DISPLAYING/INDICATING INACCURATE SPEED COMPARE TO ACTUAL SPEED OF THE CAR. *TR
Mileage: 45,000
20071010STEERING
SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY BRAND NEW MERCEDES-BENZ SL-55, I NOTICED SEVERE PULLING TO ONE SIDE TO THE POINT THAT, AFTER MORE THAN 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING, I WILL HAVE TO SWITCH ARMS TO CONTINUE APPLYING COMPENSATING WEIGHT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS, THE PULLING DECREASED BUT NEVER DISAPPEARED. HOWEVER, OTHER SYMPTOMS STARTED SURFACING, SUCH AS SEVERE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR ON THE FRONT AND DEVELOPMENT OF RIDGES, LUMP OR DEFORMITIES THAT CAUSE NOISE AND CREATE A "LIMPING" EFFECT. AS MORE MONTHS PASSED BY AND TIRE(S) CONTINUED WEARING UNEVENLY, THE RIDE GOT WORSE; TO THE POINT THAT I LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE AT 55MPH+ A COUPLE OF TIMES FORTUNATELY WITHOUT CRASHES OR INJURY. AFTER THOSE INCIDENTS, I MINIMIZED THE USE OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE SLOWER AND MORE CAREFUL; BUT EVEN AT REDUCED SPEEDS HANDLING IS AFFECTED EVEN ON EVERYDAY ON-ROAD CONDITIONS, BUT MORE NOTICEABLE ON CURVY ROADS OR RAINY WEATHER. AFTER THAT, THE CAR CONTINUED RECEIVING SERVICE UNTIL A DEFECT
Mileage: 8,700
20071010TIRES
SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY BRAND NEW MERCEDES-BENZ SL-55, I NOTICED SEVERE PULLING TO ONE SIDE TO THE POINT THAT, AFTER MORE THAN 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING, I WILL HAVE TO SWITCH ARMS TO CONTINUE APPLYING COMPENSATING WEIGHT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS, THE PULLING DECREASED BUT NEVER DISAPPEARED. HOWEVER, OTHER SYMPTOMS STARTED SURFACING, SUCH AS SEVERE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR ON THE FRONT AND DEVELOPMENT OF RIDGES, LUMP OR DEFORMITIES THAT CAUSE NOISE AND CREATE A "LIMPING" EFFECT. AS MORE MONTHS PASSED BY AND TIRE(S) CONTINUED WEARING UNEVENLY, THE RIDE GOT WORSE; TO THE POINT THAT I LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE AT 55MPH+ A COUPLE OF TIMES FORTUNATELY WITHOUT CRASHES OR INJURY. AFTER THOSE INCIDENTS, I MINIMIZED THE USE OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE SLOWER AND MORE CAREFUL; BUT EVEN AT REDUCED SPEEDS HANDLING IS AFFECTED EVEN ON EVERYDAY ON-ROAD CONDITIONS, BUT MORE NOTICEABLE ON CURVY ROADS OR RAINY WEATHER. AFTER THAT, THE CAR CONTINUED RECEIVING SERVICE UNTIL A DEFECT
Mileage: 8,700
20071010SUSPENSION
SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY BRAND NEW MERCEDES-BENZ SL-55, I NOTICED SEVERE PULLING TO ONE SIDE TO THE POINT THAT, AFTER MORE THAN 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING, I WILL HAVE TO SWITCH ARMS TO CONTINUE APPLYING COMPENSATING WEIGHT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS, THE PULLING DECREASED BUT NEVER DISAPPEARED. HOWEVER, OTHER SYMPTOMS STARTED SURFACING, SUCH AS SEVERE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR ON THE FRONT AND DEVELOPMENT OF RIDGES, LUMP OR DEFORMITIES THAT CAUSE NOISE AND CREATE A "LIMPING" EFFECT. AS MORE MONTHS PASSED BY AND TIRE(S) CONTINUED WEARING UNEVENLY, THE RIDE GOT WORSE; TO THE POINT THAT I LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE AT 55MPH+ A COUPLE OF TIMES FORTUNATELY WITHOUT CRASHES OR INJURY. AFTER THOSE INCIDENTS, I MINIMIZED THE USE OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE SLOWER AND MORE CAREFUL; BUT EVEN AT REDUCED SPEEDS HANDLING IS AFFECTED EVEN ON EVERYDAY ON-ROAD CONDITIONS, BUT MORE NOTICEABLE ON CURVY ROADS OR RAINY WEATHER. AFTER THAT, THE CAR CONTINUED RECEIVING SERVICE UNTIL A DEFECT
Mileage: 8,700
Compare 2006MERCEDES-BENZSL55 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55 have?▼
The 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55?▼
The most-complained component for the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55 is STEERING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and SUSPENSION.
Is the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55 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.