Mercedes-Benz SLK complaints by model year
74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2002 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2000 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1999 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →
Problem areas by model year
Complaints that name each component, 1998–2009. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.
| Component | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2005 | 2006 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power train | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Mercedes-Benz SLK recalls (3)
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one SLK model year, newest first.
| Campaign | Filed | What | Model years | Repaired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08V303000 | Jul 7, 2008 | INCORRECT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION NUMBER CODIFICATION | 2005–2009 | — |
| 05V505000 | Nov 1, 2005 | REAR LAMP MODULES | 1998–2004 | — |
| 02V152000 | Jun 13, 2002 | MERCEDES BENZ/FMVSS 108/HEADLAMP AIMING | 2000, 2001, 2002 | — |
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.
Check on NHTSA ↗Where to next
Mercedes-Benz SLK FAQ
How many recalls has the Mercedes-Benz SLK had?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns that cover at least one Mercedes-Benz SLK model year from 1998 to 2009. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.
Which Mercedes-Benz SLK year has the most complaints?
Among the last 9 model years with settled counts, the 2002 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (25) and the 1998 the fewest (2). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.
What are the most common Mercedes-Benz SLK problems?
Across the 1998–2009 model years, owners most often name the visibility, electrical system, exterior lighting in complaints filed with NHTSA.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.