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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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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: 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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

1 reports
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45,000 miles · Oct 24, 2012
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

FIRST INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING DOWN A MOUNTAIN (MALIBU CANYON ROAD) AROUND 10:30PM AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WENT OUT OF GEAR BY ITSELF AND I HAD NO FORWARD CONTROL. THE ENGINE REVVED BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT ENGAGED. I WAS GOING DOWNHILL BUT IT TOOK ME AWHILE TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO CELLPHONE S…

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FIRST INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING DOWN A MOUNTAIN (MALIBU CANYON ROAD) AROUND 10:30PM AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WENT OUT OF GEAR BY ITSELF AND I HAD NO FORWARD CONTROL. THE ENGINE REVVED BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT ENGAGED. I WAS GOING DOWNHILL BUT IT TOOK ME AWHILE TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO CELLPHONE SERVICE IN THAT LOCATION SO I WAITED FOR A FEW MINUTES TO FLAG SOMEONE DOWN. NO ONE CAME BY SO I RESTARTED MY CAR AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT BACK INTO GEAR. THE SECOND INCIDENT MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING ON THE 101 FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH AND THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED FROM DRIVE AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT ANY WARNING. WE NEARLY GOT REAR ENDED AND BY LUCK WERE ABLE TO COAST TO AN OFF RAMP. UPON REACHING THE BOTTOM OF THE OFF RAMP, I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND WAITED A MINUTE AND UPON RESTARTING THE ENGINE I WAS ABLE TO REENGAGE IT IN DRIVE. THE THIRD TIME BEFORE I DECIDED TO BRING IT TO THE MERCEDES DEALER, I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON THOUSAND OAKS BLVD. AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAD TO PULL OVER INTO THE RIGHT LANE, CURB THE CAR AND SHUT OFF THE MOTOR. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I RESTARTED THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO BUT IT BACK INTO GEAR. ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS TOOK PLACE WITHIN A 1 1/2 MONTH PERIOD AND I CANNOT TRUST THE CAR TO BE SAFE ANY LONGER WITH THIS CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10482114

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.