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2006 Mercedes Benz SLK280

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
18Owner complaints

Model-year median: 18

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2006 Mercedes Benz SLK280

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 18 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Air Bags: 6 reports
  • Electrical System: 4 reports
  • Exterior Lighting: 3 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 2 reports
  • Power Train: 2 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    18
    2006    23
    2007    8
    2008
    Compare all SLK280 years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Air Bags
    6    Electrical System
    4    Exterior Lighting
    3    Engine And Engine Cooling
    2    Power Train
    2
    All reported categories
    Seat Belts
    2    Structure
    2    Engine
    1    Equipment Adaptive/mobility
    1    Fuel/propulsion System
    1    Vehicle Speed Control
    1

    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: 13 of 18 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.

    • Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Exterior Lighting. 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 reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

    What owners actually said

    18 reports
    43,000 miles · Oct 1, 2014
    Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment Adaptive/mobility

    BURNING SMELL WHEN AC TURNED ON. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10640627

    48,000 miles · Sep 30, 2014
    Engine And Engine Cooling

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK280. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

    NHTSA ODI #10640095

    Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2014
    Air Bags

    WAS TOLD BY THE COMPUTER "RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION VISIT WORKSHOP." VISITED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY IT WOULD COST A LITTLE OVER $900 TO REPAIR FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10610442

    87,000 miles · Dec 27, 2013
    Air BagsSeat Belts

    THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10557507

    59,000 miles · Aug 13, 2013
    Power Train

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 280. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE RPM READING INCREASED AS THE ENGINE ROARED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER DISENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE CONTACT DROVE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAK…

    Read full complaint

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 280. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE RPM READING INCREASED AS THE ENGINE ROARED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER DISENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE CONTACT DROVE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL PLATE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL PLATE WAS REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,100.

    NHTSA ODI #10535206

    30,981 miles · Aug 25, 2010
    Air Bags

    I OWN A 2006 MERCEDES SLK280 AND MY SRS LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SINCE MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JUNE, I HAD PURCHASED A NEW ONE FOR CLOSE TO $2,500 FOR A NEW 4YR/40,000 MILES. I LOOKED UP ON GOOGLE TO SEE IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND FOUND A NUMBER OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I AM SURE THERE ARE A LOT MORE AS I DID NO…

    Read full complaint

    I OWN A 2006 MERCEDES SLK280 AND MY SRS LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SINCE MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JUNE, I HAD PURCHASED A NEW ONE FOR CLOSE TO $2,500 FOR A NEW 4YR/40,000 MILES. I LOOKED UP ON GOOGLE TO SEE IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND FOUND A NUMBER OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I AM SURE THERE ARE A LOT MORE AS I DID NOT EVEN POST ONE. SEEING THAT THE SRS IS THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND A SAFETY ISSUE, I FIGURED THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. I WAS SURPRISED THAT FOR SUCH A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, MERCEDES DID NOT REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART. THE TOTAL CAME TO $446.37. I AM MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE AND I WONDER HOW MANY OF THESE GO UNREPORTED. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10351837

    80,000 miles · Jun 11, 2009
    Power Train

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK280. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2,562. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES W…

    Read full complaint

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK280. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2,562. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

    NHTSA ODI #10273569

    1,624 miles · Sep 11, 2007
    Structure

    2006 SLK 280 WIND NOISE ON PASSENGER SIDE AND TOP LEAKING, FIRST EVENT JULY 06 THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING CAR. CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR OF TOP LEAKING FOUR TIMES, DEALER UNABLE TO REPAIR. LAST TIME CAR WAS IN MERCEDES SINCE THEIR TECH REP IN TO REPAIR LEAK, TOP STILL LEAKS. *JB

    NHTSA ODI #10202481

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.