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2002 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK230

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: 4 of 5 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.

  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 2 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

5 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2022
Electrical SystemPower Train

The transmission on my 26700 miles car did not shift and the car wouldn’t move on the intersection as well as on the highway where the car would just roll without accepting the gas pedal. Most dangerous on the intersection where cars behind mine would just go without making sure my mercedes is moving(which it didn’t). The mechan…

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The transmission on my 26700 miles car did not shift and the car wouldn’t move on the intersection as well as on the highway where the car would just roll without accepting the gas pedal. Most dangerous on the intersection where cars behind mine would just go without making sure my mercedes is moving(which it didn’t). The mechanic mentioned that transmission fluid may have contaminated other parts of the engine and contaminated various sensors giving erroneous readings error codes all related to electrical issues. There are fault codes suggesting that the ECU, PCM, SRS, and ABS are not correctly working. In addition, common problem occurring in MB vehicles are the radios are faulty and not working. The car has until 2020 been almost exclusively serviced by Mercedes Benz in Fort Washington / PA where at the crfax report one can see that the radio, ECU have been meddled with before at this service location. This should proof the longstanding assertion as expressed in different MB forum that there are many existing electrical and transmission problems with this model throughout the build of this series.

NHTSA ODI #11486974

115,600 miles · Aug 25, 2020
Unknown Or Other

THE HEADLINER/CEILING OF THE CAR IS FALLING APART. PARTICULARLY THE CLOTH UNDER THE SUNROOF ALL CAME OFF WITH THE ADHESIVENESS IS LOST AND DIRECTLY FALLS ONTO ONES'S FACE WHILE DRIVING AND IT COULD BE FATAL. MERCEDES DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE BUT DID NOT AUTHORIZE A COVERED REPAIR. THIS IS REAL SAFETY CONCERN AND THERE CAN B…

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THE HEADLINER/CEILING OF THE CAR IS FALLING APART. PARTICULARLY THE CLOTH UNDER THE SUNROOF ALL CAME OFF WITH THE ADHESIVENESS IS LOST AND DIRECTLY FALLS ONTO ONES'S FACE WHILE DRIVING AND IT COULD BE FATAL. MERCEDES DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE BUT DID NOT AUTHORIZE A COVERED REPAIR. THIS IS REAL SAFETY CONCERN AND THERE CAN BE CHOKING OR OTHER UNDESIRED DISTURBANCE WITH THE HANGING HEADLINER PART WHILE DRIVING. THE ADHESIVE MATERIALS EXPOSED AND THE TINY PARTICLES COULD BE INHALED INTO LUNGS, WHICH COULD BE OTHER UNDESIRED DAMAGE STEMMING FROM THE FALLING HEADLINER CLOTH. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND OPERATED THE SUNROOF OPENING. THE HEADLINER CLOTH LANDED ON MY FACE AND I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR AND TAKE IT TO SAFETY AND TEMPORARILY HELD THE CLOTH IN PLACE.

NHTSA ODI #11351233

146,000 miles · Mar 26, 2020
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

MY GEAR SHIFTER IS DEFECTIVE AS I HAVE PROBLEM TAKING IT OUT OF GEAR STATIONARY TO DRIVE AND ALSO THE CAR DOES NOT KNOW WHAT GEAR I SHIFT INTO CAUSING HIGH ENGINE REVIVE IN THE ENGINE AND SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT DRIVE AS IT WON'T MOVE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ON THE LOCAL ROADS AND HIGHWAY WHILE IN MOTION FROM DRIVING.ALSO TH…

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MY GEAR SHIFTER IS DEFECTIVE AS I HAVE PROBLEM TAKING IT OUT OF GEAR STATIONARY TO DRIVE AND ALSO THE CAR DOES NOT KNOW WHAT GEAR I SHIFT INTO CAUSING HIGH ENGINE REVIVE IN THE ENGINE AND SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT DRIVE AS IT WON'T MOVE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ON THE LOCAL ROADS AND HIGHWAY WHILE IN MOTION FROM DRIVING.ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON.

NHTSA ODI #11319353

120,000 miles · Sep 11, 2017
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY DOING ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR BRAKES BY IT SELF WITH NO WARNING WHATS SO EVER , THAT WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION I HAD VEHICLES BEHIND ME AND THEY HAD TO BRAKE TOO, THAT WAS FOR ABOUT 3 TO 5 SECONDS , I WAS SHAKING AND SCARE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN, ANOTHER TIME AROUND …

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I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY DOING ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR BRAKES BY IT SELF WITH NO WARNING WHATS SO EVER , THAT WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION I HAD VEHICLES BEHIND ME AND THEY HAD TO BRAKE TOO, THAT WAS FOR ABOUT 3 TO 5 SECONDS , I WAS SHAKING AND SCARE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN, ANOTHER TIME AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY HOUSE AS I WAS TURNING IT DID IT AGAIN FOR LIKE TWO SECONDS, THIS IS VERY SCARY BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN IS IT GOING TO DO IT AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI #11022603

120,800 miles · Aug 22, 2017
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

BRAKES ARE APPLIED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE TRAVELING DIFFERENT SPEEDS. I HAVE HAD THE CRAP SCARED OUT OF ME THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 50MPH. THE CAR LEFT SKID MARKS FOR ABOUT 50FT AND ALMOST CAUSED SOMEONE TO REAR END ME AS WELL AS MY CAR ALMOST GOING SIDEWAYS INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. SOMETHING N EDS TO BE …

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BRAKES ARE APPLIED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE TRAVELING DIFFERENT SPEEDS. I HAVE HAD THE CRAP SCARED OUT OF ME THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 50MPH. THE CAR LEFT SKID MARKS FOR ABOUT 50FT AND ALMOST CAUSED SOMEONE TO REAR END ME AS WELL AS MY CAR ALMOST GOING SIDEWAYS INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. SOMETHING N EDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. MERCEDES CORPORATE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING NOR WILL THE DEALERSHIP. I AM SO SCARED TO DRIVE IT. I NOW HAVE IT PARKED UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS TO HAVE ME FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN. I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE OF THE SKID MARKS. I HAVE ADDITIONAL BUT IT WON'T ALLOW ME TO ATTACH MORE THAN ONE.

NHTSA ODI #11019036

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.