2001 Mercedes-Benz Slk recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Electronic stability control (esc)

  WHILE DRIVING UNDER 30 MPH, VEHICLE RANDOMLY APPLIES FRONT OR REAR BRAKE CAUSING A LOUD BRAKING SQUEAL AND CAUSING THE CAR TO BUCK OR PITCH TO ONE SIDE. IT HAS OCCURRED FROM A STOPPED POSITION AS I STARTED TO ACCELERATE, BUT 90% OF THE TIME IT OCCURS AT SPEEDS UNDER 30-35 MPH WHILE JUST DRIVING IN A SIMPLE OR LONG CURVE. IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED IN PARKING LOTS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES BY LOCKING UP ONE OR MORE BRAKES SO HARD AS TO MAKE VERY LOUD SQUEALING SOUNDS. THIS IS VERY SCARY AND COMPLETELY UNSAFE. *TR

  Jun 1, 2013 · 110,700 miles
• Exterior lighting

  REAR BRAKE LAMPS FAILED OVER AND OVER SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASED IN 2001. DEALER REPLACED BULBS NUMEROUS TIMES AND LAST REPLACED L & R BULBS ON 12/29/2006 AT 29005 MILES. IN APRIL 2007 A SAFETY RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR REAR BRAKE LAMPS FAILURE. REAR LAMPS FAILED ONCE AGAIN AT 39697 MILES AND VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN TO BEVERLY HILLS MB TO HAVE RECALL PERFORMED ON MAY 30, 2008. REAR BRAKE LAMPS HAVE FAILED ONCE AGAIN AS OF 6/1/ 2012 WITH 78000 MILES ON VEHICLE IN SPITE OF THE RECALL. INSPECTIONS BY AN INDEPENDENT MERCEDES REPAIR FACILITY AS WELL AS SIMONSON MERCEDES, SANTA MONICA REVEAL THAT THE LAMP SOCKETS ARE FAILING DUE TO ELECTRICAL ARCING AND BEGINNING TO MELT RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE REAR…

  Dec 29, 2006 · 29,005 miles
• Vehicle speed control

  THE ESP LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR PULLS TO RIGHT AND THE SPEED PEDAL DOES NOT WORK. IT HAPPENS WHILE ACCELERATING AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LACK OF POWER TO CROSS A MAJOR INTERSECTION. THE ESP LIGHT COMES ON AND AUTOMATICALLY DISABLES THE SPEED/GAS PEDAL. *TR

  Dec 1, 2011 · 164,000 miles
• Visibility

  THE AUTOMATICALLY DIMMING INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR HAS LEAKED PART OF LIQUID CRYSTAL FLUID, SEVERELY DISTORTING THE REFLECTED IMAGE. IN ADDITION, SINCE THE MIRROR DOES NOT HAVE ANT MANUAL ADJUSTMENT FOR DAY/NIGHT SELECTION, ANY BRIGHT LIGHTS FROM BEHIND TEND TO BLIND OR AT LEAST INTERFERE WITH THE PROPER VISION. THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE.THE MANUFACTURER'S QUOTE TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT IS IN EXCESS OF $300 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THE SAME DEFECT HAS BEEN REPORTED WIDELY IN VARIOUS USER GROUPS AND FORUMS. IN THE PAST THE MIRROR'S MANUFACTURER, MAGNA DONNELLY CORPORATION OF HOLLAND, MI DID PROVIDE FREE REPLACEMENTS UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT SINCE EARLY 2008 HAS…

  Aug 17, 2010 · 94,050 miles
• Fuel system, other

  I HAVE A 2001 SLK320. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY, SPECIFICALLY THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE FOR 5-6 SECONDS THEN SURGES. LOTS OF CARS HAVE THIS ISSUE. MB SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

  Apr 1, 2010 · 83,000 miles
• Visibility

  INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR LEAKED AND NOW DOES NOT DIM AND IS VERY CLOUDY AND HARD TO SEE OUT OF WHEN DRIVING. *TR

  Jun 1, 2010 · 33,000 miles
• Electrical system

  MERCEDES BENZ SLK320 JUST DIES OUT WHILE DRIVING. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANYTHING BEFORE THE MOTOR STOPS AND THE CAR LOSES POWER. HAPPENS SPORADICALLY. MERCEDES BENZ CANNOT DETECT THE DIRECT PROBLEM EVEN AFTER DIAGNOSIS. CONTINUES TO BLAME IT ON SOMETHING ELSE, THEN FIXES IT, BUT IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR. *TR

  Jun 20, 2010 · 133,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  THE ENGINE DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. I MANAGED TO COAST TO A CORNER AND GET OFF THE MAIN STREET. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS, THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND RAN NORMALLY, ONLY TO DIE IN TRAFFIC AGAIN ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER. *TR

  Jun 15, 2010 · 30,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONClosed

  THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT COFFEE FROM A CUP, PLACED IN THE CUP HOLDER, SPILLED ONTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE?S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONCERN RAISED BY THE PETITIONER WAS INVESTIGATED (SQ01-010) AND WAS CLOSED AFTER ODI CONCLUDED THAT THE FACTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.ODI HAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED NINE MORE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FLUID CONTAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED, NONE OF WHICH REPORT CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE NINE COMPLAINANTS MAINLY EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CUP HOLDER AND THE COST OF REPLACING THE CONTAMINATED ELECTRONIC SELECTOR MODULE.SIMILARLY, IN PETITIONER?S CASE SHE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE TO A PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE SAFETY STOPPED AFTER THE LIQUID SPILLAGE.THE PETITIONER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING…

  DP05007 · opened Nov 7, 2005 · closed Mar 27, 2006
• BRAKE LAMP FAILUREClosedLed to recall 05V505000

  IN ITS LETTER DATED OCTOBER 28, 2005, MERCEDES-BENZ USA STATED THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REMEDY DEFECTIVE BRAKE LAMP ASSEMBLIES IN MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2004 MERCEDES BENZ SLK VEHICLES.THE BASE OF THE BRAKE LAMP SOCKET CAN BE SUBJECT TO THERMAL DEFORMATION OVER TIME.THIS DEFORMATION CAN CAUSE MOVEMENT IN THE SOCKET-TO-BULB CONNECTION, WHICH MAY LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE SOCKET, AND FAILURE OF THE BULB TO ILLUMINATE.ALL REAR LAMP MODULES (WHICH CONTAIN BRAKE, TURN SIGNAL, TAIL AND BACKUP LAMPS) WILL BE REPLACED WITH REDESIGNED REAR LAMP MODULES WITH A MORE HEAT RESISTANT MATERIAL AND ENHANCED SOCKET HOLDER DESIGN TO WITHSTAND THE HEAT INSIDE THE REAR LAMP MODULE.SEE NHTSA RECALL NO. 05V505 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

  PE05051 · opened Sep 22, 2005 · closed Dec 2, 2005
• SUDDEN ENGINE SHUT DOWNClosed
  SQ01010 · opened Sep 25, 2001 · closed Feb 4, 2002