There are 3 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Classin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
PLASTIC PIECE ON GEARSHIFT ASSEMBLY BROKE NOT ALLOWING CAR TO BE PLACED IN GEAR. IS APPARENTLY A PROBLEM WITH 1000'S OF THESE CARS BASED ON INTERNET SEARCH. CONTACTED MERCEDES AND THEY SAID NOT THEIR PROBLEM. THEY CHARGE $1300.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY STATED TO SAVE MONEY ON THIS PART BEING REPLACED TO TAKE A MALLET AND FINISH BREAKING PIECE THEREBY RENDERING CHILD SAFETY FEATURE USELESS. APPARENTLY LOOKING AT THE INTERNET THIS IS WHAT 1000'S OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY DONE. HOW MERCEDES THINKS THIS IS A NOT A SAFETY CONCERN IS BEYOND ME. IT IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO ALL CHILDREN AS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PUT CAR INTO GEAR WITH NO SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. I CAN SEE MANY CHILDREN EVENTUALLY PUTTING THESE CARS IN GEAR AND GETTING HURT.
GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM STUCK IN PARK. CAN NOT SHIFT GEARS OR CAN NOT MOVE CAR CREATING A DANGEROUS POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR
OUR 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 BECAME STUCK IN PARK AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF PARK DESPITE A VARIETY OF RECOMMENDED ATTEMPTS (TURNING KEY TO ON BUT NOT STARTING AND PUMPING BRAKES, ETC.). IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED FOR ABOUT $1300. FROM RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I SEE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR AND MAY BE DUE TO A SINGLE PLASTIC PART IN THE SHIFTER WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM (INTERLOCK?). APPARENTLY THE REPLACEMENT PART IS HEAVIER DUTY - MAY BE ALUMINUM NOT PLASTIC (?). NOT SURE WHY THE WHOLE SHIFTER NEEDS REPLACING VS. THE SINGLE PLASTIC PART. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026