1991 Mercedes Benz SL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1991 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 |
1999: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2003 | 2004 | 2006 | 2007 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 133.3%ODI 10588129 · 33,000 miIGNITION SHUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES OVER DAYS WHILE DRIVING CUTTING OFF ALL ELECTRICAL RADIO, BRAKES STEERING ETC HAS HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE 2004 OR 2005 WITH BATTERY SUDDENLY BEING DEAD BOTH ACCESSORY BATTERY IN TRUNK AND STARTING BATTERY AND HAS HAD MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SPENT ON VARIOUS PARTS AND COMPUTERS THAT WERE SAID TO BE DRAWING DOWN THE BATTERY, ABOUT A YEAR AGO CONTACTED PRESIDENT OF MB NORTH AMERICA AND GOT NO HELP FROM CUSTOMER REP THEN LAST MONTH CAR LEFT ME IN INTERSECTION ONE TIME AND IN EXPRESSWAY ENTRANCE LANE ANOTHER… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10577552 · 16,000 miI WAS DRIVING A 2006 SL65. THE CAR HAD AN ELECTRONIC BRAKING SYSTEM. THUS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS CONNECTED TO A SENSOR WHICH WAS CONNECTED TO A PUMP WHICH TURNED THE BRAKES ON. SOMETHING FAILED. THERE WERE NO BRAKES! LUCKILY I DID NOT CRASH DESPITE BEING ON A CHICAGO CITY STREET. I WAS PROBABLY ON THE ONLY STREET WHERE I WOULD NOT HAVE CRASHED. THERE WAS A PRIOR RECALL ON OLDER SLS FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY REMEDIED BUT THIS SHOULD BE A NEVER EVENT. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I GOT RID OF THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND THE DEALER BOUGH… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 133.3%ODI 10470211 · 58,000 miFAILURE OF ACTIVE BODY CONTROL HYDRAULIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM; PUMP AND WHEEL VALVE FAILURES RESULTING IN LOSS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID AND RESULTING LOSS OF ABILITY OF CAR TO MAINTAIN SAFE VEHICLE HEIGHT AND SAFE DRIVABLE. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Suspension | 266.7%ODI 10470211 · 58,000 miFAILURE OF ACTIVE BODY CONTROL HYDRAULIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM; PUMP AND WHEEL VALVE FAILURES RESULTING IN LOSS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID AND RESULTING LOSS OF ABILITY OF CAR TO MAINTAIN SAFE VEHICLE HEIGHT AND SAFE DRIVABLE. *TR | 150.0%ODI 10462463 · 29,000 miWHILE DRIVING 30MPH, SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED ROCKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I HELD THE STEERING WHEEL FIRMLY, BUT THE CAR STARTED MOVING TO THE RIGHT, SO I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. IT APPEARED TO BE A SUSPENSION PROBLEM. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR, IT WAS OKAY. WITHIN A WEEK OR SO, THE SAME THING HAPPENED, AGAIN. LUCKILY, BOTH TIMES, I WAS DRIVING LOCALLY AT A LOW SPEED, RATHER THAN AT A HIGH SPEED ON THE FREEWAY, WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 65MPH. *JS | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Equipment | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10407728 · 4,127 miTL* THE CONTACT WAS REPAIRING A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ SLK55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TOW HOOK FRACTURED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING UNLOADED BY A TRUCKING COMPANY. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4,127. |
| Power Train | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10426642 · 46,000 miWHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY, AT LEAST ONE OF THESE EVENTS WOULD OCCUR: A) THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT, IT WOULD REMAIN STUCK IN HIGH GEAR. B) THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO IDLE AT STOP, THEN IT WOULD STALL. C) WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT UP-SHIFT, THE CAR WOULD BE STUCK IN "LIMP HOME " MODE (SECOND GEAR?). D) PEDDLES WOULD NOT BE FUNCTIONAL. THE PROPER OPERATION WOULD USUALLY RETURN AFTER CYCLING THE IGNITION SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO EFFECT A "RE-SET" OF THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. BEFORE A RESET ACTUALLY TOOK HOLD,… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2007: 0 complaints · 2011: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Air Bags:Frontal |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.