1995 Mercedes-Benz SL500 problems
Owners have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA about the 1995 Mercedes-Benz SL500. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 46% of complaints. After that come engine (10%) and fuel system (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 39 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 46% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 0 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 4 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 100,000 miles 31 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 2 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 0 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 7 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 2 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 3 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 7 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 6 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 31 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 100,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 92,000 miles (14 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 6 complaints mention a fire; 4 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 84% of model years in our database.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
91-96 mercedes engine wire harness disintegrates completely to shorting out all gauges and engine operations. This is very dangerous... Deadly dangerous . This needs to be addressed and recalled immediately. We are putting together a mass group to file a class action lawsuit against the NHTSA for not demanding mercedes to implement a recall on its deadly mistake. ( we have not lost a class action lawsuit today from 1989... Thank you in advance.
Car stalled in traffic due to wiring harness failure. Started small fire that was extinguished before any significant damage. I replaced the wiring harness and cleaned engine compartment. Wiring harness insulation had turned to powder in many locations shorting fuel injectors, mass sensor and cam magnets.
I have a 1995 sl500 mercedes benz and the wires going to the brake switch caught fire, if I had not had a fire extinguisher the hole car might have caught fire also I was no going fast when the fumes started choking me and my eyes burned. I could have killed my self or someone on the road.
My 1996 mercedes sl500 with less than 55,000 miles has crumbling wire insulation on the engine controls which has resulted in shorted wiring in the engine controls. The poor quality of the insulation on the wires is the problem, yet the car maker or the dealer has not done a recall to replace this wiring harness for this safety problem. I am told the cost to replace all the defective parts will be thousands of dollars. The car must be rewired before it can be driven.