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1995 Mercedes Benz SL500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 19 of 22 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports3 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

22 reports
100,000 miles · Apr 8, 2019
Unknown Or Other

ENGINE WIRE HARNESS HAS DETERIORATED DUE TO MERCEDES' CHOICE TO USE BIODEGRADABLE WIRE INSULATION. WIRES ARE SHORTING WHICH ALMOST LED TO AN ACCIDENT, COULD LEAD TO A FIRE AND HAVE CAUSED THE ANTI SLIP REGULATOR SAFETY SYSTEM TO FAIL AND THE CAR TO RUN IN LIMP MODE WITH SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED POWER. CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN I LOS…

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ENGINE WIRE HARNESS HAS DETERIORATED DUE TO MERCEDES' CHOICE TO USE BIODEGRADABLE WIRE INSULATION. WIRES ARE SHORTING WHICH ALMOST LED TO AN ACCIDENT, COULD LEAD TO A FIRE AND HAVE CAUSED THE ANTI SLIP REGULATOR SAFETY SYSTEM TO FAIL AND THE CAR TO RUN IN LIMP MODE WITH SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED POWER. CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN I LOST POWER INITIALLY AND AT THE TIME WAS SURPRISED BY THE LOSS OF POWER. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CONTROL ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT SINCE THE GAS PEDAL STOPPED FULLY RESPONDING TO INPUT. I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND AM SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THIS HAS NOT BEEN PUT OUT AS A RECALL ITEM.

NHTSA ODI #11194764

Mileage unknown · Dec 20, 2018
Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine

CAR CAN HARDLY RUN--WITHOUT STALLING-HARD TO START MERCEDES DEALER SAID TO SELL IT BECAUSE OF WIRING PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI #11162777

1,000 miles · Aug 18, 2017
Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherFireInjury

91-96 MERCEDES ENGINE WIRE HARNESS DISINTEGRATES COMPLETELY TO SHORTING OUT ALL GAUGES AND ENGINE OPERATIONS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS... DEADLY DANGEROUS . THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A MASS GROUP TO FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE NHTSA FOR NOT DEMANDING MERCEDES TO IMPLE…

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91-96 MERCEDES ENGINE WIRE HARNESS DISINTEGRATES COMPLETELY TO SHORTING OUT ALL GAUGES AND ENGINE OPERATIONS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS... DEADLY DANGEROUS . THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A MASS GROUP TO FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE NHTSA FOR NOT DEMANDING MERCEDES TO IMPLEMENT A RECALL ON ITS DEADLY MISTAKE. ( WE HAVE NOT LOST A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT TODAY FROM 1989... THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

NHTSA ODI #11016263

145,000 miles · Mar 18, 2017
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemSteering

I HAVE 1995 SL500 LAST 8 YEARS HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES, RELATED TO WIRING HARNESS ,MISFIRE ,STEERING PUMP,AIR PUMP AND MORE. I AM THE FIRST OWNER.ALL THE WIRES ARE DETERIORATING,I THNIK WE NEED NHTSA TO INSPECT THESE CAR MANUFACTURERS.IF MANUFACTURER INSTALLED THE FAULTY WIRING THEY SHOULD STAND UP AND OFFER REPAIRS AT THE M…

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I HAVE 1995 SL500 LAST 8 YEARS HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES, RELATED TO WIRING HARNESS ,MISFIRE ,STEERING PUMP,AIR PUMP AND MORE. I AM THE FIRST OWNER.ALL THE WIRES ARE DETERIORATING,I THNIK WE NEED NHTSA TO INSPECT THESE CAR MANUFACTURERS.IF MANUFACTURER INSTALLED THE FAULTY WIRING THEY SHOULD STAND UP AND OFFER REPAIRS AT THE MERCEDES DEALERS.FREE. REGARDS

NHTSA ODI #10966708

135,000 miles · Oct 31, 2016
Air BagsElectrical SystemService Brakes

MERCEDES BENZ WIRING HARNESS PROBLEMS 1993 ' 1995 CAR DOES NOT RUN CORRECT

NHTSA ODI #10920297

Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2015
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel/propulsion System

CAR IMMEDIATELY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE. DRIVING VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO STALL. WAS NOT ABLE TO EVEN PULL TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. WAS LATER ABLE TO JUMP START VEHICLE, HOWEVER STILL HAD ISSUES WITH STALLING AND NO ACCELERATION. HAVE BEEN INFORMED IT IS A "HARNESS WIRING ISSUE".

NHTSA ODI #10724745

95,000 miles · Sep 7, 2014
Seat Belts

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS WEAKENED OVER TIME AND DOESN'T RETRACT THE BELT. BELT FITS LOOSE OVER TORSO AND GETS SHUT IN DOOR EASILY SINCE IT DOESN'T RETRACT POSSIBLY CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE TO THIS SAFETY CRITICAL INSTALLATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10631372

103,000 miles · May 22, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

THIS VEHICLE HAS A BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THESE HARNESSES ARE DETERIORATING. MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER, NO POWER STEERING, NO NOTHING ON A FREEWAY AND I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT KILLED. MERCEDES AND THE DEALERSHIPS BOTH KNOW THAT VEHICLES WITH THIS TYPE HARNESS ARE DEATH TRAPS. I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPL…

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THIS VEHICLE HAS A BIO-DEGRADABLE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THESE HARNESSES ARE DETERIORATING. MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER, NO POWER STEERING, NO NOTHING ON A FREEWAY AND I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT KILLED. MERCEDES AND THE DEALERSHIPS BOTH KNOW THAT VEHICLES WITH THIS TYPE HARNESS ARE DEATH TRAPS. I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED, BUT WIRING HARNESS WAS NEVER INVESTIGATED AS CAUSE OF ACCIDENT. WHY ARE YOU NOT TAKING ACTION AGAINST MERCEDES? EVERY VEHICLE STILL ON THE ROAD SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY IF IT HAS A BIO-DEGRADABLE WIRING HARNESS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10513085

43,890 miles · May 13, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

WAS DRIVING CAR AND ENGINE STARTED TO MISFIRE, STUMBLE AND LOSE POWER AS I WAS CROSSING TRAFFIC INTO A SIDE ROAD. ALMOST WAS HIT FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE BY A LARGE TRUCK THAT WAS MOVING AT ME AT OVER 50MPH. I HAD LEFT PLENTY OF TIME/SPACE TO DO THIS CROSSING PROPERLY. HOWEVER, THE CAR ALMOST STALLED OUT MID WAY ACROSS …

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WAS DRIVING CAR AND ENGINE STARTED TO MISFIRE, STUMBLE AND LOSE POWER AS I WAS CROSSING TRAFFIC INTO A SIDE ROAD. ALMOST WAS HIT FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE BY A LARGE TRUCK THAT WAS MOVING AT ME AT OVER 50MPH. I HAD LEFT PLENTY OF TIME/SPACE TO DO THIS CROSSING PROPERLY. HOWEVER, THE CAR ALMOST STALLED OUT MID WAY ACROSS AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY TO GET OUT OF THE WAY IN A TIMELY MANNER.. ENGINE GOT SLIGHT SURGE JUST IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO LIMP HOME. STARTED IT UP A FEW LATER AND RAN FINE AS I CAREFULLY DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR EVALUATION. DEALER MECHANIC FOUND THE WIRE INSULATION ON THE ENGINE HARNESS AND THE GAS ACTUATOR WHERE SERIOUSLY DETERIORATED AND EXPOSING BARE WIRES INSIDE. VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS COSTING OVER $3,300.00 PARTS AND LABOR FOR THESE 2 REPAIRS ALONE.. I THINK THIS DEFECT WOULD HAVE SHOW UP MUCH SOONER ON MY VEHICLE EXCEPT THAT I ONLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE SEASONALLY AND THE CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE AT 44K. I COLLECT MANY OLD CARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS INSULATION DEFECT ON A 18 YEAR OLD VEHICLE BEFORE. I DO NOT THINK THIS DEFECT IS ACCEPTABLE ON A VEHICLE THAT ORIGINALLY COST NEARLY 100K. AS THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AND STARTED SHOWING UP MANY YEARS AGO ON OTHER CARS, MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD PROVIDE AT LEAST SOME RELIEF TO OWNERS FOR THE REPAIR COSTS OF THEIR POOR ENGINEERING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10511697

50,500 miles · May 1, 2013
Electrical System

HAD TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESSES IN THE CAR AT A COST OF $3500.00. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS AGAIN AT A SIMILAR COST. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS NONSENSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10510279

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.