NHTSA vehicle safety data

1995 Mercedes Benz SL Recalls & Complaints

The 1995 Mercedes Benz SL has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 13 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mercedes Benz dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1995 Mercedes Benz SL. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

1995 Mercedes Benz SL owner complaints

Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about the 1995 Mercedes Benz SL, describing incidents dated February 15, 2004 to April 1, 2011.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 12 complaints
Engine 1 complaint
Equipment 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Control 1 complaint

Of the 13 complaints on file, 3 report a fire; across all 13 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10394462 · Filed April 6, 2011
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL SL600. SHORTLY AFTER GETTING THE CAR HOME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT THE ASR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SO I STARTED TO RESEARCH WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I FOUND AN ONLINE WEBSITE WHICH HAD…
ODI #10379595 · Filed January 30, 2011
1995 SL600 WITH COMPLETELY ERODED ENGINE WIRE HARNESS. ALMOST ALL THE INSULATION ON THE WIRES ARE GONE LEAVING BARE WIRES. THIS IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS FOR A 100K CAR. *TR
ODI #10356988 · Filed September 22, 2010
MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ SL600 (VIN [XXX])WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING WHICH HAS INSULATION WHICH DEGRADES OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS, THE MOST SERIOUS IN MY CASE BEING A DECELERATION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TOO FAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. IT…

Read all 13 complaints

FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS

NHTSA #09E012000 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA notice

Reported April 7, 2009 · SABERSPORT

Potentially affected: 16,270 vehicles

Owners notified May 11, 2009

Defect description

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Safety consequence

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF YOUR AFTERMARKET LAMP ASSEMBLY IS AFFECTED BY THIS NONCOMPLIANCE, PLEASE REVIEW THE LIST OF MODEL NUMBERS PROVIDED TO US BY SABERSPORT.THE LIST CAN BE FOUND UNDER "DOCUMENT SEARCH" LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1995 Mercedes Benz SL. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

13 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1995 Mercedes Benz SL.

Electrical System

ODI #10394462

Incident: April 1, 2011 · Filed: April 6, 2011

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1995 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL SL600. SHORTLY AFTER GETTING THE CAR HOME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT THE ASR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SO I STARTED TO RESEARCH WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I FOUND AN ONLINE WEBSITE WHICH HAD SEVERAL ARTICLES ABOUT THE POSSIBLE CAUSES. THE WEBSITE RECOMMENDED THAT THE WIRING SHOULD BE INSPECTED FOR CRACKING AND DETERIORATION OF THE INSULATION. UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THAT THE INSULATION ON MUCH OF THE WIRING GOING TO THE MASS AIR FLOW COMPONENTS AND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE ACTUATORS WAS CRACKED AND FALLING OFF THE WIRES LEAVING ONLY BARE WIRES WHICH ARE IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. I ALSO FOUND THAT THIS IS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN TO MERCEDES BENZ AND HAS BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BUT THEY HAVE NOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. THE PROBLEM IS COMPLETELY PREVENTING ME FROM USING THE VEHICLE AT THIS POINT DUE TO THE HIGH POSSIBILITY OF AN ENGINE FIRE CAUSED BY THE WIRES SHORT CIRCUITING AND ALSO THE PROBABILITY OF DOING DAMAGE TO THE CONTROL MODULES AND COMPUTERS WHICH ARE VERY EXPENSIVE RO REPLACE. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10379595

Fire

Incident: January 30, 2011 · Filed: January 30, 2011

1995 SL600 WITH COMPLETELY ERODED ENGINE WIRE HARNESS. ALMOST ALL THE INSULATION ON THE WIRES ARE GONE LEAVING BARE WIRES. THIS IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS FOR A 100K CAR. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10356988

Incident: September 22, 2010 · Filed: September 22, 2010

MY 1995 MERCEDES BENZ SL600 (VIN [XXX])WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING WHICH HAS INSULATION WHICH DEGRADES OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS, THE MOST SERIOUS IN MY CASE BEING A DECELERATION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TOO FAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. IT IS A WIDELY KNOWN DEFECT IN MANY MERCEDES BUILT BETWEEN 1991 AND 1997. MERCEDES REFUSES TO FIX THE EXPENSIVE REPAIR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). I HAVE HAD THE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $2000.00, I AM AWAITING INFORMATION ON OTHER REPAIRS CAUSED BY THE FAULTY WIRING. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10348130

Incident: May 17, 2010 · Filed: August 9, 2010

I BOUGHT A NEW MB 1995 SL320, ABOUT 18 MONTHS LATER I HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT AND WAS TOLD ITS THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS WHICH WAS REPLACED AT NO COST TO ME, HOWEVER I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE CAR ( IDLE AND HESITATION AND BAD SMELL FROM THE EXHAUST ) FOR A WHILE AND FINALLY I SAW IT , THE WIRES HAVE DISINTEGRATED INSIDE THE SLEEVES ALL WIRE ARE TOUCHING, SOME WIRE HAVE NO INSULATION AT ALL JUST A COPPER WIRE, THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THEN YOU SEE THEIR COMMERCIALS BUILT LIKE NO OTHER CAR. ITS GONNA COST MORE MONEY TO FIX THE CAR THAT THE CAR IS WORTH, I THINK MB SHOULD HAVE A RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM FREE, OR THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10329788

Incident: April 17, 2010 · Filed: May 10, 2010

MY CARS RPM IN IDLE AND IN DRIVE SUDDENLY WILL GO UP TREMENDOUSLY AND THEN DOWN BACK TO NORMAL. RECENTLY IT STAYS IN A HIGH RPM MODE. *TR

Electrical System; Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10321332

Incident: March 20, 2010 · Filed: March 22, 2010

Electrical System

ODI #10254693

Incident: January 2, 2009 · Filed: January 12, 2009

CAR KEEPS STALLING PUTTING ME IN DANGER, ESPECIALLY ON HIGHWAY TRAVEL. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN PERSISTENT SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10228274

Incident: April 15, 2008 · Filed: May 20, 2008

WIRE HARNESS INSULATION DETERIORATING. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10221888

Fire

Incident: March 20, 2008 · Filed: March 20, 2008

THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING HARNESS ON MY 1995 SL320 WAS REPLACED IN 1997 AND HAS DETERIORATED AND BROKE DOWN AGAIN CAUSING A FIRE. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Electrical System; Equipment

ODI #10205907

Incident: February 15, 2004 · Filed: October 16, 2007

DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, CRACKED, CRUMBLED INSULATION, EXPOSING BARE WIRES AND SHORTING ASR, TRACTION CONTROL, FUEL INJECTION THROTTLE VALVE, AC NOT WORKING. THE I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND MANY HOURS ONLY TO FIND OEM WIRE IS DEFECTIVE! THE MB DEALER WANTS $ 6,000 FOR ONLY 1) SIDE OF THROTTLE VALVE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT AND THE CAR HAS 2). AND THE THROTTLE VALVE IS NOT THE PROBLEM THE DEFECTIVE WIRING IS THE PROBLEM! ITS PLAIN TO SEE THAT NOTHING CAN FUNCTION PROPERLY IF BARE WIRES ARE SHORTING OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM! THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM, ALL WIRES IN THE ENGINE HARNESS ARE BAD!!! *TR

Check your 1995 Mercedes Benz SL VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mercedes Benz SL at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Mercedes Benz VIN