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Mercedes-Benz SL500Model year report

1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Problems

Complaints
6filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
66,000miles, 6 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 6 consumer complaints for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500. The part named most often is electrical system, with 4 complaints (67% of the total), followed by air bags (1) and engine (1). 6 of the complaints include a mileage, and 17% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 66,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 13 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Electrical system: “My 1993 mer benz ffirst started to lose its power kinda like limp mode cuz the RPM wouldnt go past 2,000 until one day it started smoking really bad thru the vents and from under the hood until the car turned off and hasnt turned back on since I had the car towed to a local. Shop where I was informed about the fire the wiring harness had started due to the wires losing its insulation”

NHTSA complaint #11093439, filed 2018-05, 50 miles

Air bags: “A year after purchasing this beauty the air bag lightcome on and will not go off. The performancewas greatly effected and it broke my heart to lose my bragging rights on the 1993 500sl , only 68000 miles. Please find a way for me to affordably fix this.”

NHTSA complaint #10192826, filed 2007-06, 72,000 miles

Engine: “Bad wiring harness. Insulation dangerously degraded within sheathing, causing a short in my engine. This should be a mercedes recall with parts and labor repairs paid by mercedes. This problem is as serious as the recent ignition switch problems. Had this happened on the interstate this could have easily caused a multiple fatality wreck. Please contact me asap!”

NHTSA complaint #10762699, filed 2015-09, 55,000 miles

Engine cooling: “The contact owns a 1993 mercedes benz SL500. The contact stated the insulation over the copper wiring harness when it was exposed to the heat in the engine became exposed which caused the vehicle to not work properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who offered no assistance and the contact was told there were no recalls or warranties. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 146,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10403922, filed 2011-05, 146,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

17% of the 6 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 55,000 and 100,000 miles.

17%0–100%10–250%25–5050%50–750%75–10033%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (6 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 66,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

200720102201120152018
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 13 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 13 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz SL500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20061354,0000—17—Not enough data
20051940,2820—17—Falling
20044575,0000—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20038062,8590—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1998645,0000—17—Not enough data
19979122,0001—16—Not enough data
1996685,0000—17—Not enough data
19952297,5000—16—Stable
1994890,0000—16—Not enough data
1993666,0000———Not enough data

All Mercedes-Benz SL500 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500 have?

NHTSA recorded 6 consumer complaints for the 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 4 complaints (67% of the total), followed by air bags with 1.

Has the 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500 reported?

Among the 6 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 66,000 miles and the middle half falls between 55,000 and 100,000 miles; 17% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.