1986 Mercedes Benz 560: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
62,400 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1986 model year. Data updated: . 1 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
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 8 complaints (37.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 37.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 12.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Equipment | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Back Up Lights | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And Lines | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 1 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Equipment: 1; Exterior Lighting:Back Up Lights: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And Lines: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 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 | 1 |
| 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: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 7 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
1995: 1; 1996: 1; 1997: 1; 1998: 1; 1999: 1; 2001: 1; 2005: 1; 2010: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10117787 · 2005-04-12 (April 12, 2005)
CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND IT CRASHED INTO A POLE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
Owner-reported narrative. 62,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10117787 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10372402 · 2010-12-25 (December 25, 2010)
1986 MERCEDES BENZ 560SL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAIL TO MY FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 560SL OWNER. THIS IS DUE TO THE WORN OUT / DEFECT OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER THAT HOLD THE VISOR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10372402 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 533314 · 1998-03-30 (March 30, 1998)
RADIATOR FAILED CAUSING INJURIES.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 533314 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 810124 · 1997-06-04 (June 4, 1997)
CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 810124 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 840679 · 1999-06-22 (June 22, 1999)
EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 840679 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 899851 · 2001-12-04 (December 4, 2001)
BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND FRONT END VIBRATED. ALL OF THE FLEX DISCS WERE CRACKED, AND BRAKES WERE WARPED. ALSO, BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, AND BALL JOINTS TORE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 899851 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 961771 · 1995-03-13 (March 13, 1995)
SUDDEN ACCELERATION INTO REVERSE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 961771 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 982268 · 1996-04-03 (April 3, 1996)
THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 982268 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
8 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 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1994 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 337.5%ODI 840679EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. | 125.0%ODI 967339VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD, RESULTING IN IMPACT WITH THE HOUSE. TT | 753.8%ODI 10168658 · 170,000 miDT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY INTO THE STREET WHERE IT COLLIDED WITH A HOUSE ON THE OTHER SIDE AT 25 MPH. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TEAM RESPONDED. A POLICE REPORT AND PHOTOS WERE TAKEN. THE CONTACT AVOIDED SERIOUS INJURY DUE TO THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAG, ALTHOUGH TREATMENT WAS RECEIVED FOR MINOR ABRASIONS AND BRUISING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO RUST AND POOR MAINTENANCE, ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT CLAI… | 342.9%ODI 8001708THROTTLE IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE, CONSUMER STATED THAT THAT THREE COLLISIONS HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE SOURCE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 215.4%ODI 10054287 · 32,000 miAIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT IS FAULTY. COULD RESULT IN NON-DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING VEHICLE ACCIDENT. *CB | 114.3%ODI 959414WARNING LIGHT ON DASH (SRS) WOULD LIGHT UP AND STAYED LID A FEW MINUTES. CURRENTLY ON PERMANENTLY. DEALER SOLD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT INSISTS CONSUMER USE OLD PARTS. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 112.5%ODI 810124CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 228.6%ODI 504077VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKS, CAUSING OIL FUMES TO ENTER INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *DSH | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 215.4% | 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. |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 125.0%ODI 962740FRONTAL COLLISION IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, SPEED 65MPH, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. TT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 10034417 · 110,000 miWHILE DRIVING 65 MPH BOTH OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER WAS INJURED BY THE DEPLOYED AIR BAG ON DRIVER'S SIDE. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED ON THE LEFT ARM/STOMACH AND THE PENIS.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 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. | 112.5%ODI 10117787 · 62,400 miCONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND IT CRASHED INTO A POLE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 17.7%ODI 852403VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, RESULTING IN VEHICLE HITTING A CURB, GOING AIRBORNE INTO A STORE WINDOW. DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES, BUT BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. *AK | 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. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 112.5%ODI 840679EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Visibility | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 112.5%ODI 103724021986 MERCEDES BENZ 560SL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAIL TO MY FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 560SL OWNER. THIS IS DUE TO THE WORN OUT / DEFECT OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER THAT HOLD THE VISOR. *TR | 125.0%ODI 10364177 · 127,000 miTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1987 MERCEDES BENZ 560SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FELL; THE PLASTIC THAT HELD THE VISOR BROKE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR COSTS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 127,000. | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Too few reports for a range | 62,400 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10117787 · 62,400 miCONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND IT CRASHED INTO A POLE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. |
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.
1991: 0 complaints · 1994: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | 0 | 1 | 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 | Vehicle Speed Control | Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Equipment | Exterior Lighting:Back Up Lights | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And Lines | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 840679EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 810124CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. *AK | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting:Back Up Lights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And Lines | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 810124CONSUMER HAS NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE LEFT HEAD GASKET, CAUSING FUMES/ ODOR TO ENTER INSDIE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER THERE IS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. *AK | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 1ODI 840679EA88034; WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. OCCUPANT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK, CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
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.