2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 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.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

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

Recent owner complaints

• Structure › Body

  I was traveling on I20 going about 60mph. Car suddenly started fish tailing and thought I had a flat tire. Pulled over, no flats but back driver's side wheel was crooked. Had car towed to service center. Back frame is extremely rusted. My whole wheel could have come off which would have been extremely serious. My car only has 46000 miles and garage kept. No warning signs. I don't drive in wintry conditions. My car has only been inspected by the service mechanic and myself.

  Oct 24, 2022
• Exterior lightingFire

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING, THE HEADLAMPS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE HEADLAMPS MELTED AND LEFT THE WIRES EXPOSED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

  Jan 14, 2019 · 130,000 miles
• Power train

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LACK OF ENGINE POWER AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE MANUALLY RESTARTED TO BE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,038.

  Dec 7, 2015 · 63,038 miles
• Electrical system

  WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE POWER CAN BE LOST & VEHICLE CAN BE STUCK IN 1ST GEAR OR NO GEAR AT ALL CAUSING BLOCKAGE TO TRAFFIC AND POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. ONCE YOU TURN CAR OFF IT APPEARS THE CAR RESETS ITSELF AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPEN. WHEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP IT WAS STATED NO CODES POP UP SO I MUST BE HITTING THE SHIFT. NOT KNOWING ANY BETTER & NOT BEING A MECHANIC, WHO AM I TO CONTINUE TO QUESTION THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP? NO CODE NO ACTION. (1ST REPORTED WITH 8446 MILEAGE NEVER SHOWED A CODE). AT 63,000 MILES THE ENGINE LIGHT FINALLY COMES ON INDICATING A PROBLEM. 63038 FOUND CODE IN SYSTEM FOR SPEED SENSOR NOT READING CORRECTLY. TEST DROVE CAR & STUCK IN LIMP HOME. THE ODD THING IS…

  Dec 1, 2015 · 8,446 miles
• Engine

  3 ISSUES--CAMSHAFT SELENOID; DEFECTIVE GEAR IN THE BALANCE SHAFTS OF THE ENGINE; TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY DEFECT. ALL THREE OF THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED BY MERCEDES INTERNAL DOCUMENTS AND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT ON GOING FOR THE DEFECTIVE GEAR IN THE BALANCE SHAFTS OF THE ENGINE RIGHT NOW. THESE ARE CRITICAL ISSUES AS THE CAR CAN LOSE POWER. WITH REGARD TO THE BALANCE SHAFT ISSUES, METAL FROM THE SHAFT DETERIORATES AND THAT INFILTRATES THE OTHER ENGINE PARTS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO PREMATURELY FAIL. ALMOST ALL OF THE REPORTS ON THIS ISSUE ARE FOR SLK350'S WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES.

  Oct 1, 2014 · 76,000 miles
• Visibility/wiper

  ON OCTOBER 19TH 2015 , PURCHASED THIS CAR FORM MERCEDES BENZ OF WALNUT CREEK CALIFORNIA . THE CAR WAS DELIVERED TO ME ON 27TH OCTOBER 2015 BY THE DEALERSHIP STATING THAT THE CAR IS CHECKED ACCORDING TO THE SAFETY STANDARDS AND IS GOOD TO DRIVE. BUT AS SOON AS I REACHED HOME WITH THE CAR THERE WAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT . MY HOUSE IS 140MILES FROM THE DEALER SHIP . I CALLED THEM THE VERY NEXT DAY , THEY CALLED ME IN THE NEXT WEEK , KEPT THE CAR FOR 4 DAYS . AGAIN WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FROM THEM THEY SAY EVERYTHING WORKS FINE . A WEEK AFTER THAT AGAIN I HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT . I TRY CALLING THEM THEY JUST GIVE ME A RUNAROUND , EVEN THE FRONT WIND SCREEN OF THE CAR IS CHIPPED MAJORLY . I STILL…

  Nov 25, 2015
• Power train

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ SLK350. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE JUMPED INTO FIRST GEAR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM THE FIRST GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

  Oct 4, 2015 · 66,000 miles
• Power train

  SEVERE JERK AS VEHICLE DECELERATED AROUND 10-12 MPH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND TEST DROVE WITH TECHNICIAN WHO VERIFIED THE PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS OR CODES FOUND. I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS A SNAP RING FAILURE WITHIN THE GEAR BOX. INVOICE INDICATES "RETAINING CLIP FAILURE INSIDE TRANSMISSION, VERIFIED SEVERE 3-2 DOWN SHIFT, SHORT TEST NO CODES.CHECK OF ADAPTATION DATA FOUND 3-2 DOWN SHIFT AT NEGATIVE LIMIT. REMOVED TRANSMISSION AND INSPECTED, FOUND B1 RETAINING CLIP FAILURE. REPLACE B1 AND B3 TENSIONING SPRINGS AND RETAINING CLIPS". MB CORPORATE WAS NOTIFIED WITH NO ASSISTANCE. I WAS APPALLED AT THE STATEMENTS MADE BY CUSTOMER COMPLAINT MANAGER WHO…

  Jul 10, 2012 · 25,868 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.