2003 Mercedes Benz SL500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SL500 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mercedes Benz SL500. That is the most of any SL500 model year in the database (12 years). The most reported problem area is suspension (34 complaints, 43%), typically at around 63,430 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injury. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 80owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Mercedes Benz SL500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 34 | 43% | 63,430 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 11 | 14% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 13% | 51,600 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 10% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 10% | 86,999 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 8% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 8% | 69,998 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 6% | 77,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 5% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 5% | 72,810 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 5% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 4% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 3% | 75,499 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 49,909 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 59,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Mercedes Benz SL500 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2003 Mercedes Benz SL500.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Air suspension system failure (PE07042) — opened Aug 14, 2007, closed Nov 20, 2007.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
To who may this concerned, I have a 2003 Mercedes SL500 and recently found my battery control module caught on fire and burnt a section of my car. I have tried reaching out to Mercedes directly first and they said the car is 20 years ago and it could have not be a manufactured defect. Please I need…
I am concerned with the battery control module. I have noticed there has been a lot of incidents out there where the battery control module in the SL 500s have caught fire! I am concerned for my safety due to this defect!
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the ABC warning light illuminated. Additionally, the message "Drive Carefully" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the ABC tandem pump, struts…
ABC (Active Body Control) light keeps coming on and body goes up and down when I drove car. Light says do not drive. Mercedes would not take responsibility for this in spite there are so many complaints about this. Really irresponsible by Mercedes.
I was driving my car at 45 mph and suddenly, unexpectedly a red light flashed ABC do not drive. Smoke was coming from under the car and the front end of the vehicle collapsed downwardly. I had to call for a tow truck to take my vehicle to the MB dealership. I'm I am waiting for the prognosis. I've…
Other Mercedes Benz SL500 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 SL500 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 SL500 | 13 | 0 |
| 2005 SL500 | 19 | 0 |
| 2004 SL500 | 45 | 0 |
| 2003 | 80 | 0 |
| 2001 SL500 | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 SL500 | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 SL500 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 SL500 | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 SL500 | 9 | 1 |
| 1996 SL500 | 6 | 0 |
| 1995 SL500 | 22 | 0 |
See all Mercedes Benz SL500 problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.
Similar Mercedes Benz models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mercedes Benz SL500?
Owners most often report suspension, fuel system, gasoline, electrical system problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 34 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mercedes Benz SL500?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2003 Mercedes Benz SL500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SL500 model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.