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2005 Mercedes Benz SLK350

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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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

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 10 of 21 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports
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52,000 miles · Mar 31, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

ON FEBRUARY 18/2011 AND WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 SLK 350 START SHAKING AND THE LIGHT "CHECK ENGINE" TURNED ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS RETURNED A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR IS OK. THERE IS/ WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE AND THE LIGHT WAS RESET TO NORMAL. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS THE CAR S…

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ON FEBRUARY 18/2011 AND WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 SLK 350 START SHAKING AND THE LIGHT "CHECK ENGINE" TURNED ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS RETURNED A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR IS OK. THERE IS/ WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE AND THE LIGHT WAS RESET TO NORMAL. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS THE CAR START SHAKING AGAIN AND THE LIGHT "CHECK ENGINE" WAS ON AGAIN. THE CAR WAS TAKING TO MERCEDES DEALER AND SAME ANSWER THE CAR IS OK OR WE HAVE NOT FOUND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE AND THE LIGHT WAS RESET BACK TO NORMAL...WELL, IT HAD HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES SINCE THEN. TODAY IS MARCH, 31ST AND THE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN AND I AM DRIVING A CAR THAT KEEPS SHAKING AND I FEEL VERY MUCH UNSAFE. I AM DRIVING A VERY EXPENSIVE CAR AND I CAN'T ACCEPT AND I WILL NOT ACCEPT THE IDEA THAT I SHOULD BE DRIVING A CAR THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME FEEL SAFE. THE SERVICE AT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN GOOD. THEY HAVE TAKING MY CAR FROM MY OFFICE AND BROUGHT ME A LOANER CAR AND THEY ARE KIND TO ME AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT A LOT; BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, I FEEL THAT IF THE TECHNICIAN CAN'T NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG AND WHY MY SAFETY SHOULD BE EXPOSE. WHY AM I DRIVING AN EXPENSIVE CAR THAT IT IS NOT RELIABLE AND IT IS GIVING ME ADDITIONAL STRESS THAT I DON'T NEED. MY QUESTION IS: IS MERCEDES INDEED A RELIABLE CAR? WHY AM I NOT HAVING A PEACE OF MIND WHILE DRIVING? WHAT KIND OF DANGER AM I EXPOSE TO WHILE DRIVING A CAR THAT HAS A "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ON? WHY AM I DRIVING A CAR THAT IS SHAKING? HOW MUCH PATIENCE SHOULD I HAVE? WHY DO I NEED TO PAY ANYTHING EXTRA FOR A CAR THAT THEIR OWN MANUFACTURER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS? WHAT IS MERCEDES DOING FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CLIENTS? MERCEDES HAD CALLED ME TODAY AND THEY WILL PICK UP MY CAR TOMORROW AND "SPENT" MORE TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE DOING THIS LAST 4 TIMES THE CAR WHERE TAKING TO THE SHOP. WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10393907

56,851 miles · May 27, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineCrash

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ SLK350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF TWICE WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THERE WAS PLENTY OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE DURING BOTH FAILURES. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED ONCE IT SHUT OFF. DURING THE SECOND FAILURE, THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE CENTER LAN…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ SLK350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF TWICE WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THERE WAS PLENTY OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE DURING BOTH FAILURES. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED ONCE IT SHUT OFF. DURING THE SECOND FAILURE, THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE CENTER LANE OF A BUSY ROAD. AS A RESULT, HIS VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. FLORIDA PALM BEACH GARDEN POLICE REPORT NUMBER 06569673 WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AFTER BOTH FAILURES, BUT THEY COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO START. AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED ON FEBRUARY 24, 2009 AND THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED ON MARCH 16, 2009. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE BODY SHOP SINCE MARCH 17, 2009. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE ELECTED NOT TO SPEAK TO THE CONTACT. HE WAS INFORMED BY WORKERS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT LOCATED; THEREFORE, THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,851 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000. UPDATED 06/27/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED 2005 SLK REPORTEDLY SUFFERS FROM A FAULTY FUEL SYSTEM WHICH CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. UPDATED 06/23/09.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10270108

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.