Mercedes-Benz · SL-Class · 2005
0
Recalls
29
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class has no recalls and 29 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: service brakes (6 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
The 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is service brakes with 6 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
The BCM in the SL class (Mercedes chassis code r230) fails very often. It catches fire and burns down vehicles in MANY instances. Mercedes is not selling a replacement part because they want to save money. THIS VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRONIC ASSISTED BRAKING SYSTEM!!! The BCM bal...
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This issue almost cause an accident on the freeway, Transmission went from drive to neutral and then reverse. This is cause by the range sensor. Conductor plate for transmission is very common for this type of vehicles. Please investigate. This can cause a fatal injury or death.
The contact owns a 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL500. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop, the brake warning light and other unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he lost control of the vehicle but did not provide further information. The conta...
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The contact owns a 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL55. The contact stated that the odor of fuel was present inside the cabin of the vehicle and inside the garage. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the fuel tank was cracked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle wa...
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHOLE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TRUNK CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE UPPER RIGHT FRONT AREA OF THE TRUNK WHERE THEY WERE WIRES AND SAW SPARKS. ...
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND THE SPEED DECREASED TO 35 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE ABS AND ESP WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF PALM BEACH (4000 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST ...
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500R. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS IL...
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FLAMES APPEARED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROY...
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WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED (SLIPPED) SO MUCH SO THAT THE RPM'S SHOT UP AND THE CAR NO LONGER HAD POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS. I NEEDED TO MOVE OVER 2 LANES THROUGH TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER TO THE CURB AND GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. ONCE I STOP...
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, "CAR TOO LOW STOP DRIVING" MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DISPLAY PANEL. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE INTO A FUEL STATION, LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS RESTING ON TOP OF THE FRONT DRIVE...
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Showing 10 recent complaints from 29 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2005 Mercedes-Benz models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 29 owner-reported complaints for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class are service brakes (6 reports), power train (4 reports), electrical system (3 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.