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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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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

Electrical System complaints

18 reports
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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

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

63,000 miles · Oct 12, 2012
Electrical SystemEngine

TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE AS IT WASN'T RUNNING PROPERLY (COMPUTER CODES, STALLING, ETC) FOUND OUT THAT IN 1995 THE MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY PUT BIODEGRADABLE WIRING. HAD TO SEND TO GERMANY FOR A NEW WIRING HARNESS ($1500) MAY HAVE TO PURCHASE THE OTHER WIRING HARNESS IN THE NEAR FUTURE ($3000). WHAT KIND OF CAR COMPANY PUTS BIODEG…

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TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE AS IT WASN'T RUNNING PROPERLY (COMPUTER CODES, STALLING, ETC) FOUND OUT THAT IN 1995 THE MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY PUT BIODEGRADABLE WIRING. HAD TO SEND TO GERMANY FOR A NEW WIRING HARNESS ($1500) MAY HAVE TO PURCHASE THE OTHER WIRING HARNESS IN THE NEAR FUTURE ($3000). WHAT KIND OF CAR COMPANY PUTS BIODEGRADABLE WIRING IN THEIR CARS?? A MERCEDES IS KNOWN TO LAST UP TO SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES, BUT NOT WHEN THE WIRING STARTS DISINTEGRATING!! I HAVE SINCE FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF CLASS ACTION SUITS FOR THIS SAME MATTER AGAINST THE MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY. THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE OR THE PROBLEM. HAD I KNOWN OF THIS, I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR IN THE FIRST PLACE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10479888

102,300 miles · May 13, 2012
Electrical System

MERCEDES BENZ ENGINEERED THEIR 1995 SL500 WITH FAULTY WIRING. I HAVE EXPERIENCED TIMES WHEN THE CAR WOULD NOT IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I HAVE CROSSED AN INTERSECTION AND THE CAR STALLED, HAD NOT POWER AND JUST WOULD NOT RUN. THIS HAS ALMOST BEEN THE CAUSE OF MORE THAN ONE ACCIDENT. SEVERAL HOURS HAS BE…

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MERCEDES BENZ ENGINEERED THEIR 1995 SL500 WITH FAULTY WIRING. I HAVE EXPERIENCED TIMES WHEN THE CAR WOULD NOT IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I HAVE CROSSED AN INTERSECTION AND THE CAR STALLED, HAD NOT POWER AND JUST WOULD NOT RUN. THIS HAS ALMOST BEEN THE CAUSE OF MORE THAN ONE ACCIDENT. SEVERAL HOURS HAS BEEN SPENT BY MECHANICS WORKING ON THE CAR DOING RESEARCH TO DIAGNOSIS THE ISSUES. WE BECAME AWARE OF THE FAULTY WIRING THAT MERCEDES BENZ USED AND IN TURN HAS CAUSED SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL. THERE HAS BEEN $1,000.00'S OF DOLLARS SPENT ON MY VEHICLE FOR DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM,REPLACING MODULES, WIRING HARNESSES, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, FUEL PUMP JUST TO NAME A FEW. I HAVE PHOTO'S OF THE FAULTY WIRING USED FOR THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT HARNESS AND OF THE WIRING LEADING FROM THE ETA (THROTTLE BODY) TO THE COMPUTER. MERCEDES BENZ HAS NOT NOTIFIED REGISTERED OWNERS OF THIS KNOWN PROBLEM, NOR RELEASED ANY SERVICE BULLETINS TO QUALIFIED MECHANICS. I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED A COMPANY WITH A REPUTATION FOR PROVIDING OUTSTANDING AND DEPENDABLE VEHICLES TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THIS AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. INSTEAD THEY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO IGNORE THE COSTLY MISTAKE AND HAVE PASSED IT ON TO THE OWNERS. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, IT HAS ONLY BEEN A MONETARY. I WONDER IF OR HOW MANY HAVE PAID THE PRICE BY INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10458245

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.