Skip to content
Mercedes-Benz SL500Model year report

2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Problems

Complaints
80filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
62,859miles, 67 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 5.0L 8-cyl RWD · 14 city / 20 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe problems with the Active Body Control (ABC) hydraulic suspension: the car sagging, dropping onto one side, or riding unevenly, sometimes while driving. A second recurring theme is a broken baffle inside the fuel tank that rattles or bangs behind the seats. Brake complaints center on the sensotronic brake control (SBC) system, where the pedal can go to the floor and warning messages appear.

  1. Suspension

    Active Body Control (ABC) sagging or dropping

    Mentioned in 25 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the car lowering overnight, dropping onto one side, or sinking onto its bumpers while driving, often with an ABC warning message and hydraulic fluid on the ground. Owners say diagnosis usually points to leaking struts, the tandem pump, hydraulic valves, or accumulators, and that repairs were costly and sometimes did not resolve the problem. Several owners report the dealer declined to treat the vehicle as covered under a suspension campaign, saying the VIN was not included. Reported from roughly 18,000 to 126,000 miles, with many under 90,000 miles and several after the car sat parked overnight.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Have the ABC system checked for fluid leaks and warning codes, and ask for repair history on struts, pump and accumulators. Check whether the car sits level after being parked overnight.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We were driving 65mph on the highway when suddenly our 2003 mb 500sl became erratic with the suspension dropping down on the driver's side. I was forced to quickly pull off the highway. It was a terrifying experience and we were extremely lucky to pull over right away without hitting other cars. The car was very low to the ground on one side. After restarting the car, the suspension improved enough to get us home. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10532452, filed 2013-07, 52,400 miles

    “I was driving an 03 SL500 and from the start the battery light (white stayed on) replaced both front and back battery and voltage regulator, now the red battery light is on and stays on. On last night, while driving down the highway, I heard a pop, car dropped and warning came on saying car was too low and fluid is leaking from the front driver side look like by the front wheel. Mechanic did a lot of guessing and still not fixed.”

    NHTSA complaint #10862721, filed 2016-05, 84,000 miles
  2. Fuel system

    Loose baffle in the fuel tank (banging noise)

    • 16 complaints (20%)
    • median 58,500 mi at 10.3 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $2,500 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2008–2022

    Owners describe a banging, clanging or sloshing noise from behind the seats or the trunk area that appears when the car stops or is driven at low speed and quiets down when the tank is full. Complaints say the internal baffle has broken free inside the tank, and that shops and dealers recommended replacing the whole tank. Some owners report the dealer said the problem was not covered by warranty or a recall. Mostly reported between about 18,000 and 90,000 miles, often noticed at low speed or when the tank is less than about three-quarters full.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: With the car quiet and the tank partly filled, listen for a rattle or clunk from the rear when braking or stopping. Ask whether the fuel tank has been replaced and keep the receipt.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The baffle inside the gas tank has come loose and is hitting the inside of the tank. The only time it isn't noisy is when the tank is full. After contacting mercedes of utah, they advised they haven't heard of the problem. I don't know if there is a safety issue with the baffle being loose but it is a great concern to me.”

    NHTSA complaint #10549378, filed 2013-10, 41,000 miles

    “Driving along on 2/14/2015, I hear a banging coming from the back of the car. I notice it only does it when I am excelling or braking. I thought there may be something in the trunk, like a liquid with something floating in it, banging up against the side of the container. After I parked, I checked out the box that I have put in the back of my car. There was nothing there that would make this noise. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10683565, filed 2015-02, 114,121 miles
  3. Brakes

    Brake pedal goes to the floor (SBC system)

    • 13 complaints (16%)
    • median 71,000 mi at 12.3 yrs old (12 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2007–2022

    Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking with little resistance and reduced braking, sometimes accompanied by red 'service brakes' or ABS warnings, and in some cases the vehicle had to be stopped with the parking brake. Owners report diagnosis of the sensotronic brake control unit or hydraulic unit, and several mention that coverage for the brake unit had run out or that their vehicle was not included in a related campaign. Reported from about 17,000 to 224,000 miles, with many cases between 40,000 and 100,000 miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the SBC hydraulic unit has been replaced or covered under the extended warranty, and have the brake system scanned for stored codes and checked for air in the hydraulics.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving to work, I was going about 35 MPH when the dash lights up red saying service brakes, stop vehicle, etc . My mechanic looked over everything to do with brakes and could not fix it. He called mercedes of tallahassee and was told it was an electrical issue that was a common problem with this vehicle. It did have a recall on it, but it expired in july last year, just my luck. So I googled it and have now found tons of people with the same experience! …”

    NHTSA complaint #10561822, filed 2014-01, 47,000 miles

    “While driving my mercedes benz 2003 SL500 the brakes became disabled without warning. It was a terrifying experience. The first mercedes dealer I phoned told me that there was no known safety recalls for the brakes. The second mercedes dealer that I contacted informed me about 2 recalls in 2004 and 2005. I phoned the mercedes benz USA headquarters and spoke to a case manager who told me that mercedes' responsibility with this safety issue expired in 2012. How can a safety issue such as having no brakes while driving expire? …”

    NHTSA complaint #11023809, filed 2017-09, 87,800 miles
  4. Steering

    Steering and hydraulic pump leaks

    • 8 complaints (10%)
    • median 88,000 mi at 12.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2023

    Owners report the steering becoming heavy or difficult to turn, sometimes together with an ABC warning, and fluid loss traced to the tandem pump or steering gear. Some complaints note fluid spraying or pooling near the front of the engine and describe the belt and steering assist being affected. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 95,000 miles.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check the hydraulic fluid level and look for residue or wet spots around the pump, hoses and steering gear. Ask about prior pump or hose replacement.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I own a 2003 mercedes benz sl 500 and replaced the hydraulic pump in 2014 for $6400.00. The car would drop low (on one side if parked for a few hours). Today, january 5, 2017 - the identical problem happened again. While driving, I heard a loud bursting sound and then hydraulic fluid began seeping out also, the abc red dash light illuminated stating that the car is too low to drive . I managed to slowly drive home (without power steering). …”

    NHTSA complaint #10940037, filed 2017-01, 116,578 miles

    “I was driving on the freeway when the idler pulley simply fell off the front of the engine. Obviously, the belt came off too. The vehicle was hard to control since the power steering stopped working. Additionally, breaking effort increased, stability control malfunctioned, and a few other non-essential systems became inoperable.”

    NHTSA complaint #10453121, filed 2012-03, 90,000 miles

Buying note. This model year draws repeated owner complaints about the hydraulic suspension, fuel-tank baffle and brake system, so a pre-purchase inspection by a shop familiar with these systems, plus the service records, matters more than mileage alone. Budget for potential hydraulic and brake repairs, since owners frequently describe these as expensive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 80 consumer complaints for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500. 67 of the complaints include a mileage, and 25% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 62,859 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 48 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

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.

Also reported: Engine (2), Equipment (1), Seat belts (1).

Example complaints

Suspension: “Started car and got message: abc malfunction, car too low . In actuality, car elevated. The ride of the car has changed. It has a soft and floaty feeling compared to its normal stiffer ride. I have seen the above complaint on the internet multiple times. It seems this is a wide problem. I haven't heard any recalls from mercedes.”

NHTSA complaint #10660341, filed 2014-11, 45,000 miles

Fuel system: “Here a banging noise behind the seat, took it to a mercedes benz repair shop. They informed me the fuel tank baffle is broken free. He said it is very common on this model. But not covered under warranty or recall. It would cont me over 2,500.00 to repair. Doing some research online at mbworld forum. This happen on almost every car like this. I can not afford to fix this. And I am worried this might blow up or something, since something banging around the the inside of the fuel tank can not be safe, this car runs on premium gasoline. …”

NHTSA complaint #10865292, filed 2016-05, 52,000 miles

Brakes: “While driving the car in town on city streets the sbs brake system failed as I came to a turn leaving me with no brake response even though the dealer says it was supposed to have hydraulic back-up to stop the car. I was able to coast and stop the car only with the emergency hand brake. The sbs system has been recalled twice by the factory but there is still something very wrong when a modern car had no back-up system. These cars are dangerous! Luckily for me there was no accident and I had the car towed to the dealer and it is being repaired.”

NHTSA complaint #10969321, filed 2017-03, 85,000 miles

Electrical system: “Ignition failure, no keys work to start the vehicle (it doesn't recognize the keys) car had to be put on a flatbed truck and sent to dealer for repaid.”

NHTSA complaint #10240547, filed 2008-09, 21,123 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

25% of the 67 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 49,909 and 85,000 miles.

0%0–106%10–2519%25–5043%50–7521%75–1009%100–1501%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (67 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 62,859 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’08’11’1412’17’20’23
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.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
SL500 RWD5.0L 8-cyl5-speed automatic142016$5,150

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2003 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. 48 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 48 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

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500?

Owners of this model year most often describe problems with the Active Body Control (ABC) hydraulic suspension: the car sagging, dropping onto one side, or riding unevenly, sometimes while driving. The issues reported most often: Active Body Control (ABC) sagging or dropping; Loose baffle in the fuel tank (banging noise); Brake pedal goes to the floor (SBC system).

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 have?

NHTSA recorded 80 consumer complaints for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 is reported most often?

Suspension is named most often, in 34 complaints (43% of the total), followed by fuel system with 20.

Has the 2003 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.

What gas mileage does the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 get?

The EPA rates the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 (SL500, 5.0L 8-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 20 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 reported?

Among the 67 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 62,859 miles and the middle half falls between 49,909 and 85,000 miles; 25% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

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.