MERCEDES-BENZ SLS · model year

2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS

4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2012MERCEDES-BENZSLS carries 4 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 2012 SLS is air bags with 4 filings. 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 2012 SLS. 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
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

4 filings

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

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS4

Recent Complaints

20190127AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN MERCEDES IS GOING TO HAVE A FIX FOR MY CAR? THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE WORKING ON THE PROBLEM. I HAVE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF NOTICES THAT THEY ARE GOING TO START REPAIRING THEM BUT THEN SEND ANOTHER NOTICE MONTHS LATER THAT IT'S BEEN DELAYED AGAIN.

20180718AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS) AND 17V017000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF SARASOTA, 4754 CLARK RD, SARASOTA, FL 34233, (941)-275-1293) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20171104AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL

20161007AIR BAGS

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR OVER 10 MONTHS FOR A SOLUTION TO THIS TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL AND THERE STILL IS NONE. OTHER MANUFACTURERS ARE FIXING THEIRS (BMW)...WHY IS MERCEDES NOT ABLE TO FIX THEIRS? THIS IS A DEADLY PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO FIX.

Compare 2012MERCEDES-BENZSLS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS have?
The 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS?
The most-complained component for the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS is AIR BAGS with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS 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.