Total Complaints
4 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 · model year
2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600
4 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005MERCEDES-BENZSL600 carries 4 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2005 SL600 is power train:automatic transmission with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1) and electrical system (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 2005 SL600. 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.
4
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160309SERVICE BRAKES
THIS IS A COMPLAINT ON THE SBC SENSOTRONIC BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL FROM MERCEDES AND IT IS NOT. IT IS LISTED AS AN "ISSUE" THAT THEY HAVE SPECIFICALLY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 10 YEARS JUST FOR THIS SYSTEM. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED OUT OF NOWHERE WHILE I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY! AN ALERT CAME ON AND TOLD ME TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE FULLY WHICH I WAS UNABLE TO DO! I WAS PRESSING IT AS HARD AS I COULD AND THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING. I HAD TO PULL THE CAR INTO THE DITCH NEXT TO THE RAMP TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR THAT WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY I HAD ALREADY SLOWED DOWN WHERE IT WOULD STOP RUNNING INTO THE SHRUBS ON THE SIDE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! MERCEDES SHOULD DEFINITELY DEAL WITH THIS! I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT ANY OF THIS AND NOW LOOKING IT UP ONLINE I SEE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH VERY SIMILAR STORIES ABOUT THIS SYSTEM. I AM SURPRISED THERE ISN'T A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT YET ON THIS. I MAY ATTEMPT TO FILE ONE AS THIS IS AN EXTRE
Mileage: 65,000
20100308CrashAIR BAGS
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). SOMETIME AGO I WROTE YOU ABOUT COMPUTER PROBLEMS IN MY MERCEDES BENZ. YOU RESPONDED THAT YOU WILL INVESTIGATE IT AND SHARE THE RESULT WITH ME. HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU SINCE. ANYTHING NEW? *TR THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS EXPERIENCING COMPUTER PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW THE STATUS OF HIS COMPLAINT. THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE INJURY BOX AND CRASH BOX, BUT DID NOT INDICATE ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT IN THE COMPLAINT. UPDATED IVOQ 04/28/10.*JB UPDATED 09/01/10
Mileage: 35,200
20100308CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). SOMETIME AGO I WROTE YOU ABOUT COMPUTER PROBLEMS IN MY MERCEDES BENZ. YOU RESPONDED THAT YOU WILL INVESTIGATE IT AND SHARE THE RESULT WITH ME. HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU SINCE. ANYTHING NEW? *TR THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS EXPERIENCING COMPUTER PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW THE STATUS OF HIS COMPLAINT. THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE INJURY BOX AND CRASH BOX, BUT DID NOT INDICATE ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT IN THE COMPLAINT. UPDATED IVOQ 04/28/10.*JB UPDATED 09/01/10
Mileage: 35,200
20051107POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING HER VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE DID ACT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE PAST. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY WILL NOT TAKE IT BACK OR FIX THE TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. THE REPAIRS WILL HAVE TO BE PAID BY THE CONTACT. *AK
Mileage: 15,000
Compare 2005MERCEDES-BENZSL600 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 have?▼
The 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600?▼
The most-complained component for the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 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.